The clip is available now
The Band Loula gathered a stand-out cast for their first major-label music video, including members of their family alongside one-half of the Grammy-winning duo Brothers Osborne. Their haunting murder ballad, “Marshall County Man,” which explores the murderous fate of a love gone sour, needed an equally spine-chilling video to help tell the story. Conceptualized by the duo’s Logan Simmons and directed by Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Humphreys, the killer visuals were shot at a cabin located in East Nashville. Meanwhile, Warren Paints, also in Nashville, was converted into its very own police station for the cross-examination.
“We wrote ‘Marshall County Man’ almost two years ago in Muscle Shoals, AL. Since then, we’ve been schemin’ and dreamin’ about the video concept that would one day be created,” explains Simmons. “With inspirations like Reba’s ‘The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,’ I let my mind run wild on the idea of a suspenseful backwoods murder that felt like a true story, even down to the most believable wigs and police badges that I could find (on a budget. Thanks Amazon). This was my first time writing an official treatment, so it felt like a ‘go big or go home’ moment.”
John Osborne plays the dastardly Marshall County Man himself, while Simmons’ mother, Aleta Kennedy, masterfully serves as Mama. Simmons’ brother, Tyler Roberts, is cast as The Cop alongside the band’s Malachi Mills as agent Bill Billings who uncovers a confession from Simmons, shining in the lead role of Tammy Turner.
“Believe it or not, asking John (Osborne) was the easy part,” Simmons shares. “We’ve been lucky enough to call him our friend and producer, so we felt comfortable enough to cold call him on a random Thursday morning. He quickly said, ‘Hell yeah, dude, I’m so in.’ He absolutely killed his role (pun intended) as THE Marshall County Man. As far as Mama and Tyler go, there was a little persuading to do. We all felt a little funny in costumes and wigs, but once Malachi and I saw that first draft of the music video, we forgot all about feeling silly. It was badass! And the cast made for such special memories that we’ll never take for granted.”
“Though our song and visual depiction is fiction, the horror of domestic violence is very real and far-reaching,” the group continues. “For that reason, we chose to include the Domestic Abuse Hotline at the end of our video. We take this issue very seriously and want victims to be aware of the resources available to them and to encourage all victims to seek help.”
Embodying the soil and grit of North Georgia, The Band Loula brings a swampy, acoustic spirit to their instantly transfixing country. Two best friends, each an artist in their own right, Mills and Simmons aim to evoke a new aesthetic with their raw harmonies and signature chemistry. By harnessing electricity that’s charged with desire, betrayal and yearning, their soulful, song-forward approach to music offers a very real, very new sound for people who like their country straight up and real.
Signed to Warner Music Nashville and UMPG Nashville, they’re currently in the studio with Osborne and have spent the year touring with artists like Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde, Paul Cauthen and Brent Cobb. The Band Loula will continue to mesmerize audiences supporting Elle King through November.
