Interview: Hillbilly Vegas lead vocalist Steve Harris

By Neil Shumate, OOTB Publications

Hillbilly Vegas is a southern rock-and-roll band from Oklahoma that formed in 2011, with a five-member lineup that features former Loverboy member Geraldo Dominelli (guitar, keyboards) and former Bad Company member Todd Ronning (bass).

The group just released their now available, self-produced new 11-song album A La Mode (Quarto Valley Records), which follows 2022’s The Great Southern Hustle.

A La Mode includes hard-driving track “Miss America” and well-received single “Mr. Midnight,” a song featuring Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers.

In the midst of scheduling tour dates, Hillbilly Vegas lead singer Steve Harris took time for an OOTB Interview to detail the new record, evolving with music, struggles, highlights, live performances and much more.

Of the 11 songs on A La Mode, which one or two is your favorite and why that song?

I have favorites for playing live, and I have favorites for listening. But truthfully, they’re all part of the same story. They all fit together and they all matter the same to me.

I guess live, the up tempo stuff like “Miss America” and “Let It Ride.” The listener side of me is partial to “Bound To Run” and “Find Me Yesterday,” because they paint a picture I love to revisit over and over.

What do you hope listeners will take away after listening to A La Mode?

I hope listeners take away that we don’t use any tricks or gimmicks. We create real music from real stories—for real people like us.

We wrote, recorded and produced this album. No fancy studios, no producers or outside noise.

We just created what we felt and what we wanted. I loved it and I hope that comes through in the songs when people listen.

From the Ringo Manor LP fifteen years ago, through now, overall, what changes have you made to your sound and lyrics and what have you kept primarily as the same consistency?

From Ringo Manor to A La Mode, it’s the story of us.

The heart of it is: We’ve always been storytellers, but the sound naturally evolves with life and experience.

There was a bit of rowdy in us early on, and now it may be a bit more controlled, but it’s still who we are.

What’s been the biggest struggle you’ve faced, either as a band or personally, in the industry and how have you overcome that?

The industry itself is a struggle. Does anybody ever really overcome it?

We just keep going and stay true to who we are. As the last song on the album says “I’m Holding On.”

What’s a highlight or two that stands out the most to you through your music career?

It might sound strange, I guess I’m a little superstitious… but, I don’t let myself think about that stuff.

I know someday, when I’m finished with all of it, I’ll let myself look back. For now, it’s on to the next!

If someone has yet to see a live performance with Hillbilly Vegas, what can fans expect?

Man, the biggest thing is escape from every day trials and troubles.

I don’t like to bring the “out there” in to the show. I prefer to suspend real life for a while. That is what to expect from our live show… the suspension of reality.

We promise real life will boot back up after the show; but, while we’re here in this moment, let’s have FUN!

What are your next plans and goals?

To see another sunrise.

It kind of goes back to the thing about milestones and whatnot. We just want to play and be happy.

We’ve just signed with a great booking agency, TKO—and we’ll be out supporting the album later this summer.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I just want to say Thank You for talking to us about our music and Thanks to everyone out there who takes the time to listen and come to the shows.

See you soon!

Watch “I Hope You Know”