Clarence Tilton: Alt-Country Harmonies & Midwestern Stories

July 21, 2025

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Clarence Tilton

Clarence Tilton, the Omaha-based band known for their sharp storytelling and rich harmonies, returns with Queen of the Brawl—a new album that captures the grit, soul, and heart of the American Midwest. Featuring special guest appearances by country legend Marty Stuart and Presley Tucker (bandmate and daughter of Tanya Tucker), the album blends personal history, road-worn reflections, and a deep love of place into a powerful collection of songs. As The Country Note describes it, the album “blends alt-country grit, rich, melodic hooks, and evocative” songwriting.

Queen of the Brawl was recorded at Omaha’s ARC Studios, a hub for Midwest Americana and indie artists. The album showcases Clarence Tilton’s signature sound: heartfelt harmonies, raw yet polished musicianship, and storytelling that paints vivid portraits of small-town resilience, memory, and motion. It’s a record that feels both grounded and restless—equally about finding home and hitting the road.

The band is led by brothers Chris Weber (guitar, vocals) and Corey Weber (guitar, vocals, pedal steel), who grew up in a rural town of 1,000 people—and about 10,000 cows. They taught themselves guitar on borrowed instruments and bonded over classic influences like the Flying Burrito Brothers, James Gang, and George Jones.

Rounding out the five-piece lineup are Craig Meier on bass, Paul Novak on guitar and vocals, and Jarron Wayne Storm on drums, percussion, and vocals. Together, they bring a sound that is deeply rooted in family, heritage, and the rugged charm of rural life—balancing the edge of alt-country with the pull of timeless melodies.

With Queen of the Brawl, Clarence Tilton continues to carve out a place in the Americana landscape, blending tradition and originality in equal measure.