The wait is over. Texas Headhunters—the powerhouse new trio uniting Lone Star guitar legends Ian Moore, Jesse Dayton, and Johnny Moeller—release their self-titled debut album today via Hardcharger/Blue Élan Records.
Click here to listen now/get the Texas Headhuntersalbum.
Cut live at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio in just five blistering days, Texas Headhunters is a 12-song statement of grit, groove, and raw electricity. It’s not a side project or a nostalgia trip—it’s a revival, one that captures the swaggering soul of Texas blues for right now.
The album’s focus track, “Pocket,” sets the tone. Written and sung by Ian Moore, the song smolders with late-night ache and undeniable punch. “I love a modern lean into blues,” Moore says. “I’m using this Paoletti guitar—it just had the right snarl.” From its sultry opening lick to its final bend, “Pocket” is a showcase of the band’s chemistry: Moore’s psychedelic edge, Moeller’s deep-pocket sting, and Dayton’s outlaw grind working in perfect tandem.
From there, the record storms through 11 more tracks—each a different shade of Texas fire. Moeller steps out front on “Everybody Loves You (When You’re Down),” delivering a sly, soulful vocal that underscores his status as one of the deepest groove players in the game. Dayton turns up the heat on “Maggie Went Back to Mineola,” his neon-lit tale of dirt, redemption, and small-town survival. Together, the trio breathes new life into a sound that once defined Austin’s Antone’s scene—bold, unvarnished, and built to rattle walls.
The roots run deep. All three were protégés of Clifford Antone, the legendary club founder who mentored generations of Austin guitar slingers. That bond carries through every note of Texas Headhunters, which lands fittingly during Antone’s 50th anniversary year.
“We all grew up on that sound,” Moore reflects. “Tailgators, LeRoi Brothers, T-Birds, Stevie. The blues in Austin was just cool. That’s what we’re feeling here.”
With Texas Headhunters, Moore, Dayton, and Moeller don’t just trade solos—they trade stories, scars, and soul. It’s a summit of three lifers at the height of their powers, captured raw and loud, the way their heroes did it. Not a throwback. A throwdown.