On a slightly too-chilly night for an outdoor stage, the patio at Stonecloud Brewing should have been empty. Instead, it was full. The crowd — more "traditional family" than the punk and emo shows I've been hitting lately — stood shoulder to shoulder, drinks in hand, as Billy Bonney ripped into another blues-soaked rock number.

Hair's own path to this stage wound through Stillwater and Perkins, with a long pause when his daughter's health took priority. "I'm 37, so as a musician, especially as a guitar player, I'm kinda among the first babies of the Cody Canadas and Mike McClures," he said. Rejection from the Stillwater scene, he admitted, ended up shaping what he wanted Billy Bonney to be. "Felix and Greg felt the same way." Now, he's excited to see places like Velvet Fudge and Mama Tried Vintage popping up and genuinely supporting artists.

Unlock the full story — free for 7 days

Sign up free for newsletters and full archive access — upgrade anytime for priority in-depth reporting, exclusive behind-the-news insights, subscriber-only commenting, and more.

Sign Up Free

Already a member? Sign in