The flood of canceled gigs and festivals means many musicians and their crews—especially those who are up-and-coming, or independent—have lost not just a vital revenue stream in ticket sales, but also a crucial means of gaining exposure. But one thing is still certain: Along with buying records, band merch is one of the top ways to show your support.
Here, we’ve rounded up eight great band T-shirts (and one fanny pack), all from Southern artists who have had tours or major gigs canceled due to the pandemic. And if a shirt or new album doesn’t fit the budget right now, you can still support rising voices. Tell a friend about a new favorite song or an artist you’re listening to. A little sharing goes a long way.
Kelsey Walden
The singer behind one of our favorite albums of 2019 was slated to hit the road with Drive-By Truckers before the cancellations started rolling in. This striking black tee shouts out the Kentucky native’s real-life hometown, Monkey’s Eyebrow.
Caleb Caudle
This lauded Winston-Salem songwriter just released his new album, Better Hurry Up (listen to the title track here). You can also pick up this understated raglan tee, which features the bearded singer cruising in a Monte Carlo.
Caroline Spence
“Who’s gonna make my mistakes if I don’t?” It’s the refrain and the title of a standout track on Caroline Spence’s 2019 album, Mint Condition (a G&G favorite), as well as the mantra on these soft blue tees, printed especially for a now-canceled tour.
Billy Strings
The bluegrass phenom’s sophomore album, Home, made waves last year, but the young musician’s otherworldly picking begs to be seen live—and many fans are already counting down the minutes until his rescheduled tour dates. This ringer tee, which features a lyric from the track “Away from the Mire,” feels like a nod to the long-anticipated spring dates now postponed.
Charley Crockett
The Texas troubadour’s merch plays off the vintage vibe of his music. This high-contrast tee pays homage to his hometown, San Benito, complete with a gator, the setting sun, a font straight out of an old-school Western, and Crockett in his signature cowboy hat.
Katie Pruitt
Fans have been eagerly awaiting the full-length debut from Katie Pruitt—assistant editor Caroline Sanders buzzed about the album, Expectations, in a recent Talk of the South newsletter. The Nashville-based songwriter pays tribute to her Georgia roots with this green cotton tee, which looks like a national park souvenir and comes with the (highly recommended) option to tack on a download of the album.
Chatham Rabbits
The road to release day on May 1 has been a long one for this North Carolina duo, who were already thousands of miles from home when their cross-country tour was upended. But they still wear their sunny outlook proudly, as seen on this sweatshirt emblazoned with the title of one of their favorite Flatt & Scruggs songs to cover.
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle has been hailed as one of the rising leaders of progressive bluegrass by Sam Bush and just about anybody who’s ever heard the guitarist pick a tune. This lightweight tee, with an illustrated Tuttle and her guitar, features a hopeful lyric from the album’s breakout single, “Take the Journey.”
Bonus:
Tank & the Bangas
The Grammy-nominated New Orleans group behind that viral Tiny Desk Contest submission hasn’t slowed down their live performance schedule. They took it online, with Facebook Lives and streaming fundraisers aplenty. This retro fanny pack with the group’s pineapple logo will keep all your stuff within reach on walks and runs (and come in handy when music festivals return to the docket).
