Bayou Bandits

The Bayou Bandits are a southern rock band that brings the sounds of the south and Louisiana to the Valley. The group is made out of lead singer/guitarist Joshua Strickland, lead guitarist and background vocalist Jeremy Madig, bassist and background vocalist Jay Kereny and drummer Dan Johnson. The band rolled through to our downtown studio to give the desert a taste of the swamp and play a couple of original tracks including “Gasoline” and “Dixie”

The band first caught recognition in 2019 after their single “Take Me Back” was picked up by radio stations throughout the Valley, and the band was even featured on Comedy Central’s series “Klepper,” hosted by Jordan Klepper. The band was touring throughout 2019, up to the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Strickland, who served in Afghanistan before becoming a registered nurse, writes songs that are largely based on his life and experiences. His time in the service contributed to the themes in his music, specifically a song called “Kandahar,” about a fellow soldier who lost his battle with PTSD.

During the pandemic, Strickland wrote a song called “A Nurse’s Story,” which is about the pandemic from a healthcare professional’s point of view. Strickland said the song went viral among healthcare workers who have been on the front lines fighting the disease now for years.

The Bayou Bandits are continuing to record music and have recently resumed live performances.