The Texas Headhunters are back with "Cut N’ Run," the first taste of new music from the acclaimed guitar-slinging trio of Ian Moore, Johnny Moeller, and Jesse Dayton. The single offers an early glimpse of the band's next chapter, with a new full-length album expected in early fall.
Following the breakout success of their self-titled debut album, the band returns with a track that captures everything that made listeners take notice in the first place: scorching guitar work, swaggering grooves, and the unmistakable chemistry that happens when three of Texas' most distinctive players share the same stage and studio.
A hard-driving blast of blues-rock energy, "Cut N’ Run" finds the Headhunters firing on all cylinders. Built on a relentless shuffle and fueled by the kind of six-string interplay that's become the band's calling card, the song tips its hat to Texas legends while sounding unmistakably like Texas Headhunters.
"The response to the first album was very gratifying," says Jesse Dayton. "A lot of people were like, 'Finally, here's some Texas guitar slingers doing their own thing.' We're doing our own take on the whole Texas thing, and I think it's fresh for a lot of listeners."
Since the release of their debut, Texas Headhunters have earned widespread praise for their no-frills approach to roots music, combining deep blues traditions, rock-and-roll grit, country soul and fearless musicianship into something that feels both timeless and completely their own. What began as a collaboration between three longtime friends quickly evolved into one of the most exciting guitar-driven bands to emerge from Texas in years.
Their impact was so significant that SiriusXM simultaneously featured three different songs on three separate channels—Outlaw Country, Bluesville, and Little Steven’s Underground Garage—where they also earned the distinction of “Coolest Song of the Week.”
The response to Texas Headhunters has been nothing short of rapturous. Goldmine called the trio “the real deal,” while The Alternate Root raved, “No filler and all riffs. Texas Headhunters sound like they had as much fun making this record as you will have listening.” Blues Music dubbed the band “one well-oiled, cohesive, blues-rocking machine,” and American Blues Scene declared, “This isn’t a side project. It’s a full-throttle return to roots, with new fuel.” The consensus is clear: this is no nostalgia exercise, but a living, breathing celebration of Texas guitar music with plenty of gas left in the tank.
Critics have been especially taken with the chemistry between Jesse Dayton, Ian Moore and Johnny Moeller. Guitar World and Guitar Player praised the “triple-guitar threat” for keeping “a Lone Star tradition alive,” while No Depression noted that the three “native Texan guitar slingers” are united by a mutual love of “raucous barroom blues.” Blues Rock Review summed it up best: “Individually, each member is a masterful musician, but as a trio, they’re exceptional,” adding that “the chemistry between the three is undeniable.” As Rock Is The New Roll put it, “Individually they’ve blazed trails, together, they’re setting the whole dang map on fire.”
In an era of algorithms and endless guitar tutorials, Texas Headhunters are a reminder that sometimes three old friends, a few great songs, and a lot of volume are still the most dangerous combination in roots music.