Holly HicksMuscadine Bloodline, a duo hailing from Mobile, Alabama, will step foot into Mississippi once again to liven the Oxford Square streets with country music.
Gary Stanton and Charlie Muncaster formed Muscadine Bloodline in early 2016. This self-proclaimed “unapologetically Alabama” band has been turning heads in Nashville and the country music scene.
Darby Johnson, a senior journalism major and coast native, will be going to the duo’s show tonight for the second time this year.
“It’s just really nice to hear Muscadine Bloodline perform,” Johnson said. “They have played in Oxford before, and a friend invited me to go with them earlier this year. Ever since I heard them live, I have been a fan.”
This will not be the first time the band has played in Oxford. In February earlier this year, they performed at The Lyric Oxford, where they will return tonight.
Darby Johnson thinks that Muscadine Bloodline has really begun to take off and is quickly becoming a band more of her friends listen to. Johnson explains that she’s seen three friends post to their social media accounts regarding the band in the last two days.
“Their sounds and lyrics remind me of home. I think Muscadine Bloodline creates songs that everyone can find relatable, to a certain degree,” she said.
Both Stanton and Muncaster of Muscadine Bloodline have an extensive, successful musical background. They both have played guitar since they were children, and they have perfected their techniques with age.
Stanton began performing and singing at different church groups growing up. Once he was comfortable with a crowd, he dabbled in various genres of music. At a point in his life, he was a front man for a rock and roll group and then aspired to be a rapper.
Stanton attended the University of Southern Mississippi and majored in entertainment industry management. He had a dream of moving to Nashville to further his career, but it wasn’t until he wrote a song that went viral on Facebook that he knew that being a songwriter was something he had a niche in.
Around 2013, Stanton debuted his EP titled “The American Dream” and later formed a band called Somethin’ Sweet. Somethin’ Sweet played throughout Mississippi in small bars and began headlining fraternity gigs. Once he graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, he made the move to Nashville, where he and Muncaster formed Muscadine Bloodline.
Muncaster found his passion for music when he sang in the choir at 12 years old. As he grew older, he began performing solo and participated in the Alabama All-State Choir until he graduated from high school.
Muncaster found his way to Auburn, Alabama, and started The Charlie Muncaster Band, performing in local bars throughout Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. In 2015, he released his first EP, “Alabama Summer Night,” which earned him the opportunity to open for Brad Paisley, Cole Swindell and Corey Smith.
Ryan Harvey, an Oxonian who attends as many concerts as he can at The Lyric Oxford, is excited to see Muscadine Bloodline for his first time.
“I haven’t been able to see them yet, but I’ve always been a country music buff. They’re starting to pick up steam in Nashville and I’m always open to listening to new artists,” Harvey said. “I have begun to listen to them on my own to prepare for the concert, and I have to admit that this group has the potential to make it big.”
Muscadine Bloodline will be performing at 9 p.m. at The Lyric Oxford.
