The Band of Heathens lit up the crowd on their second visit to the Opry stage for WSM Radio’s April 21 broadcast of the Tuesday Night Opry.
Long mainstays of the American-roots music scene, Band of Heathens has defied convention for the entirety of their 20-year existence, charting their own musical course and building a solid fan base without benefit of a record label. The group has appeared on the venerable Austin City Limits as well as on Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza stages, and also host The Good Time Supper Club, a podcast on Patreon.
The quintet opened Tuesday’s set with two songs off their new album Country Sides. “Take the Cake,” the first single, features Gordy Quist’s strong, slightly world-weary baritone on lead vocals, with harmonies by his group co-founder Ed Jurdi. Jurdi’s raspy, soulful tenor led on the R&B-tinged “Lead Don’t Follow.” Trevor Nealon’s deft work keyboard, Clint Simmons’ solid drums, and Nick Jay’s lively bass lines rounded out the band’s signature sound.
But the highlight of the set came with the band’s performance of their final number, their 2011 cover of “Hurricane,” written by Thom Schuyler, Keith Stegall and Stewart Harris. The band’s performance earned a standing ovation.
As the band members exited the stage, Opry announcer Kelly Sutton announced that their version of “Hurricane” had achieved platinum status. Songwriter Keith Stegall presented the band with a commemorative plaque.
“It’s truly humbling,” said Quist said as he accepted the plaque on behalf of the band “It’s such an honor to be up here singing a song that changed the trajectory of the band. … It’s become a staple for us,” he added. “We’re getting on a bus after the show and heading to New Orleans, and…it’s real down there.”
All photos by Chris Hollo, April 21, 2026.
