Formed in Hamburg, Germany in 2000, Texas Lightning is a country / pop music quintet influenced by classic old country music greats like Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynne as well as pop artists such as ABBA, Michael Jackson, and the Beatles. The group’s most popular line-up features drummer Olli ‘Ringofire’ Dittrich, vocalist/guitarist Jon ‘The Flame’ Flemming Olsen, guitar / banjo player Markus ‘Fastfinger’ Schmidt, bassist / vocalist Uwe ‘Friendly’ Frenzel, and Australian vocalist / ukulele player Jan Comerford. Texas Lightning & the Rodeo Rockets made their live debut in Hamburg several days before Christmas 2000. Over the course of the next few years, they shortened their name to Texas Lightning and lost – and gained – new members. While they did perform original material, they became known for their bluegrass and country reinterpretations of pop hits like ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”. Their debut album, Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch, was originally released in 2005. The following year, the won the German leg of the Eurovision Song Contest with the hit song and represented Germany at the Finals with the song “No No Never”. The first country music band to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest, they finished at 14th place. In June 2006, there was a proclamation passed by the Texas Senate making the members of Texas Lightning honorary Texas citizens. In 2009, the group released the album Western Bound - Songs Inspired By The Motion Picture Winnetoons Die Legende Vom Schatz Im Silversee.
