LANCO is a multi-platinum-selling country band that was founded by Brandon Lancaster in 2015. The band consists of Brandon Lancaster (lead vocals), Chandler Baldwin (bass guitar), Jared Hampton (keyboards, banjo), Tim Aven (guitar), and Tripp Howell (drums). The band's name is short for Lancaster and Company.
LANCO has cemented itself as one of country music’s most dynamic acts. The first song I heard from Lanco around 2017 was a jamming song, “Troublemaker,” which I instantly put on my workout playlist.
Their debut album, Hallelujah Nights, landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and featured the 2X Platinum hit “Greatest Love Story” and the Platinum-certified “Born to Love You.” Their discography also includes EPs Lessons Learned, Honky Tonk Hippies, and Run, Run Baby. With their sophomore album, We’re Gonna Make It(Riser House Records), LANCO continues to evolve with a fresh and authentic sound.
Lancaster stated, “Country music has always had a lot of pain in it. When I’m writing a song, I acknowledge that pain, but I also believe in restoration and redemption, and I wanted to explore that on this record.”
Since their highly acclaimed debut album came out in 2018, the band has had their share of ups and downs, but there was always a thread through it all that whatever they were going through, “We’re Going To Make It” which also became the title track for their new album. The inspirational song gives hope to anyone going through a life situation that seems difficult or unfair.
Besides, “We’re Going To Make It,” the album features 13 additional tracks, including previously released hits “Low Class Lovers” and “Sound of a Saturday Night,”. Produced by Jay Joyce, Jared Conrad, and LANCO, We’re Gonna Make It showcases the band’s signature blend of personal storytelling and dynamic country sounds, exploring the highs, lows, and everything in between. The album follows the lives of two people who are there for each other no matter what happens.
“Sound of a Saturday Night” is bassist Chandler Baldwin’s favorite song. It was recorded in one take at the end of the day and has an energy that translates even better in a live show. The tune is a perfect allegory of what happens in many small towns on a Saturday night.
One of the first songs written for the record was “Low Class Lovers.” Lancaster wrote it as they were coming out of the pandemic. He and his wife hadn’t been out in a long time, so he booked a table at a fancy restaurant.
He recalled, “We felt out of place and like it was so nice and fancy. And then I saw some people from the music industry there that I didn't want to see.”
But instead of being uncomfortable, he realized he should be proud of who he was. The song is about being proud of who you are, the person that you're with, and whatever life has given you.
The song, “Leaving Looks Good On You” wasn’t what I expected. It encourages you to get out and chase your dreams.
Fans of the megahit “Greatest Love Story” know that as the song ends, We are gonna be the greatest love story/ This world had ever seen/ So baby say yes to me you are left hanging not knowing what the answer was. Now they see “We Grew Up Together” as a continuation of that song.
Lancaster explained, “If you want to know the next chapter of that story, that guy, that troublemaker who was up to no good, this is what he's going through now. He still has a lot of the same questions and some of the same insecurities, but now he's finding himself raising a kid and trying to grow up while raising a kid while his kid's growing up. If you connected with that character, ultimately, that's me and pieces of the guys.”
“Million Dollar Memory” is a gentle ballad about the career blast the band got with “Greatest Love Story.”
They shared, “It was fun while it lasted, but you realize that that’s not your life — you’re just invited to have a seat at the table. In the end, we’re just simple people with simple needs, and that’s what ‘Million Dollar Memory’ is about.”
Featuring Contemporary Christian Music artist, Cory Ashbury, seeing “We Grew Up Together” is quickly becoming a fan favorite.
“Beer With a Younger Me” finds Lancaster conversing with a much less worldly version of himself. “If I could sit down and have a beer with younger me, I would first just listen. And then I’d tell them not to be afraid of making a wrong decision.”
Since the band's inception in 2015, the guys have become family men, many with children. While their mission of being very vulnerable and transparent and connecting with their fans hasn’t changed, where they are in life has.
They stated, “Now you see life through a different perspective and lens and filter and write from that. There's a little more at stake. Even themes like love or a good time on a Friday night all have a slightly different meaning now. You love deeper, you appreciate things more. That is reflected on the new record.”
Navigating the roller coaster music industry is daunting, but LANCO’s upbeat “Where I Belong” shows that where you belong isn’t a place, but a feeling of being with the right person at the right time.
As the lead singer and cowriter of the songs, Lancaster’s memories often include his wife, Tiffany, who sings with her husband on the album’s reassuring closer, “Nothing You Can Do.” The song is a set of musical vows, connecting the dots of a love story that began with the album’s opening track, the rousing “We’re Gonna Make It.”
“There are elements of country, rock, pop, and folk and Americana all in LANCO. But it’s the authentic songwriting about our real lives where you get the LANCO sound,” Lancaster stated. “With We’re Gonna Make It, we knew we had to catch fans up on our lives in an honest way. That’s part of our duty.”
And while We’re Gonna Make It is a storyteller’s dream album, seeing LANCO in person is something you must put on your bucket list. Check here to see if they are playing a show near you.
You can follow LANCO on their website, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.
We’re Gonna Make It Track List
1. “We’re Gonna Make It” – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Tripp Howell / Jared Hampton / Ben Williams *
2. “Memories (We Didn’t Know)” – Brandon Lancaster / Tripp Howell / Craig Wiseman *
3. “Where I Belong” – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Tripp Howell / Jared Hampton / Jason Nix *
4. “Low Class Lovers” – Brandon Lancaster #
5. “We Grew Up Together” featuring Cory Asbury – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Tripp Howell / Jared Hampton / Cory Asbury *
6. “Honey I Lost My Job Today” – Brandon Lancaster / Jeremy Spillman #
7. “You’ll Always Be” – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Tripp Howell / Jared Hampton / Joey Hyde *
8. “Come Over” – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Jared Hampton / Tripp Howell / Wyatt Durrette #
9. “Beer With Younger Me” – Brandon Lancaster / Jared Conrad / Keelan Donovan / Chandler Baldwin *
10. “Sound of a Saturday Night” – Brandon Lancaster / Tripp Howell / Tate Howell / Jeremy Spillman #
11. “Leaving Looks Good On You” – Brandon Lancaster / Tripp Howell / Chandler Baldwin / Tommy Cecil #
12. “Million Dollar Memory” – Brandon Lancaster / Tripp Howell / Grant Vogel #
13. “Last Call” – Brandon Lancaster / Mike Walker / Rian Ball #
14. “Nothing That You Could Do” – Brandon Lancaster / Chandler Baldwin / Tripp Howell / Seth Alley *
* Produced by Jared Conrad and LANCO
# Produced by Jay Joyce
