Southwind is an American band from Manhattan, Kansas. When did everyone first start playing music, and what drew them to it? Well, they said, “Individually, we all started at different stages in life. Our lead guitarist, Cody Sundquist, starting lessons at age 5; lead vocalist Christian Shaffer starting in choirs and musicals at age 7; drummer Stephen Peterson picking up drums in middle/high school marching band; bassist Logan Burr starting on piano and trumpet in elementary school but not touching bass until 2023; and our rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cantrell starting to teach himself guitar in 2022. As a group, Southwind has been performing and writing together since October of 2024. We all have a love for performing and expression, so being able to be on stage and make people happy through our songwriting has been our biggest motivation to keep it going. We draw influences from anything and everything. Whether it be old jazz and blues, red dirt country, classic and folk rock, or indie pop rock, we listen to it all, and that shines in our music.

How would the band describe their sound to someone who’s never heard their music? They said, “We would describe it the same way most people do when they do listen to our music: “It doesn’t really sound like anything; it’s just Southwind.” We have songs that take influence from Turnpike Troubadours and The Backseat Lovers; other songs might sound like a mashup of George Harrison and Treaty Oak Revival. But since we can’t play 15 different genres in a 15-song set, we all come together to make these sounds our own, and the outcome is just Southwind. Something you can dance to, stomp to, cry to, and laugh to.”

Who or what inspired them to start making music? The band said, “We all had an individual passion for music that was influenced largely by each of our parents’ musical tastes, and we each wanted to be in a group where we could showcase that passion. While we could each go on and do our own thing, we don’t want to. We want to keep the spirit and dream of a classic “band” alive. So in short, our parents’ musical tastes influenced our
own, and upon growing up and getting into music and musicianship, we each wanted to be part of a collective band. Being able to make a living doing something we love (expressing our thoughts and emotions through music) has always been a dream for each of us as individuals.”

Who are some artists that have influenced each of them the most? They said, “We all grew up on “bands” as much or more than we grew up on certain artists. Christian with The Backseat Lovers, Cody with AC/DC and Aerosmith, Jonathan with Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac, Stephen with dad rock bands like Creed or Nickelback, and Logan with big band and blues artists like Duke Ellington and John Lee Hooker.”

What’s been their favorite show or venue to play so far? They said, “We recently made it to the Semifinals for the Road to Calf Fry Battle of the Bands at the Tumbleweed in Stillwater, OK. The energy before, during, and after that show was electric and virtually unmatched. Similarly, we play a lot of house parties here in Manhattan where people will fill an entire yard or house wall to wall or fence to fence just to hear a band play, and they give back every bit of the energy you give them. When the band is on fire, and the crowd is even hotter, it can’t be beat.” But what’s the band’s dream venue to play at? They said, “Red Rocks”

What has been a major turning point in the band’s career so far? They said, “The recent Battle of the Bands has opened our eyes to a number of bands and venues in Oklahoma and Texas and opened the door for the ability to travel south to play our music. Hopefully, through this, we will soon be able to break into a market we’ve never tried and have always wanted to get into. Second to that is probably just being able to release our music to streaming platforms. That alone was able to expand our reach in ways we hadn’t thought possible. Even to the point of getting DMs from people in Germany wanting us to come over and play, maybe some day soon!”

What’s something about the band that people might not expect? They said, “We are a five-piece band with a dedicated singer. As in, our singer
does not play an instrument, just sings. This is something that,
anymore, has become very uncommon. While that will likely change
very soon, we like having him focus on singing and crowd work when
others might not be able to.”

What does Southwind hope people feel or take away when they hear their music? They said, “Over anything, we hope our music relates to people on a personal level. Whatever emotion the listener feels when listening to our music, we want them to feel it intensely and let it resonate with them. We write about our own personal experiences as well as universally shared feelings and experiences to connect with a wide audience. Something like growing up in rural Kansas may only resonate with a few people, but connecting that upbringing with a troubled past and making the most of the cards you’ve been dealt would resonate with a lot more people.”

What does success look like for Southwind? They said, “Success for us in music is being able to make it a career. Not necessarily being “rich and famous,” but being able to travel, write songs, perform shows, and pay the bills is the dream. Additionally, being able to look out to a crowd and hear them sing back our songs brings us a tremendous amount of pride and fulfillment. If nothing else, we want our music to resonate and stick with people. If we can make a career out of that, then we are set.”

How does the band balance music with the rest of their lives? They said, “This looks a little different for everybody, but the consensus is that we don’t have to “make time” for it; it’s just part of our days. Practicing at home, learning new songs, writing music, it all just happens and is part of our daily life. Any free time we have as individuals is often put towards our
instruments. We also communicate our schedules so we can book gigs on
weekends and play. As for rehearsals, there are only a couple of nights a week that we all have available, and it’s a no-brainer to get together and practice. Overall, music is something that we all need and is an essential part of our lives.”

What’s some advice the band can give to someone just starting out in music? They said, “Two pieces. Practice. Practice. Practice. And don’t be afraid to fail. Some of our biggest learning moments as a band come from our biggest failures. Becoming a tight band takes a long time and a lot of practice; it’s something that we struggle with regularly. Playing with a group of people requires a personal bond through the music, and it takes time and practice to get there. Musicians also can’t be afraid to make mistakes and fail to get better and learn. We’ve traveled hours for gigs to play to 4 people (bartenders included) for literally no pay, but we didn’t let it bring us down. The next couple times we went back, it’s been better every time. Bottom line is practice and learn from your mistakes.”

Southwind is releasing an album tomorrow titled Orion. Go stream it!

Southwind is on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and all streaming platforms.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DrOBGgEwUHF2JtnMxU60T?si=agbAJejMR2ySIia4w3IUnQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesouthwindband/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthwindBandOfficial

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Thank you for reading today’s artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Southwind is behind their music. Go check them out, and go catch them at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned!