Who is Russel Taine Jr.?

“In our continued celebrations of Love Austin Music Month, the AMM points a glaring spotlight at ATX-based songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Aaron Winston‘s pop-powered anti-folk project Russel Taine Jr.” - Laurie Gallardo, KUTX

“The dreamy alt-rock band is leaning more into its country identity with four Austin-centric singles about summer in the city.” - Brianna Caleri, Austin 101 Magazine

“A ramble on that murky line between nostalgia and regret, Russel Taine Jr. channels millennial pop-punk through Uncle Tupelo.” - Rachel Cholst, Adobe & Teardrops

From playing their first show at Austin’s famous Mohawk venue to supplying backing vocals for indie icon Ben Kweller’s latest album Circuit Boredom alongside Israel Nash to recording two EPs and a full-length album, Russel Taine Jr. has been a little busy over the last few years.

Based in Austin, TX, Russel Taine Jr. is the musical project of Aaron Winston, a New Jersey native who moved to Texas after he found out there were places where you didn't have to listen to Bon Jovi 24/7 on the radio. “It’s not that I don’t love Livin' On A Prayer,” Winston says. “I just never want to hear it again.”

Winston started writing songs in high school, drawing inspiration from Elliott Smith, Pavement and Conor Oberst. He eventually adopted the pen name his grandfather used as an American journalist in Moscow during the Cold War. While the name itself leads to questions, it also anchors the group to a long tradition in southern rock (who exactly was Lynyrd Skynyrd or Marshall Tucker anyways?).

With a musical sound that has been variously described as “Uncle Tupelo meets Millennial power pop” and “If Tom Petty was from Texas, but with more Iggy Pop,” Russel Taine Jr. features Aaron Winston (songwriter/vocals/guitar), Justin Winslow (bass), Wes Armstrong (drums), and Dylan Hill (lead guitar/backing vocals). Today, Russel Taine Jr. blends genres and instrumentation across a catalogue of music that started with their inaugural 2019 EP American Dream.

Since then, they have played across venues in Austin ranging from the Mohawk to the Ballroom to the KUTX All the Friend’s Ball SXSW showcase. They have also released a number of singles—with the most recent being Something You Said and Hurricane—to promote their first full-length 2022 album Tales.