Rising Stars: Meet Dhalton Horsman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dhalton Horsman.

Hi Dhalton, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Dhalton Horsman, and I was born and raised in Claremore, Oklahoma. I am a proud Native American from both my father’s and my mother’s sides. On my father’s side, I am Cahuilla and Serrano both tribes from Southern California and on my mother’s side I am Shawnee; a tribe originally from Ohio and a descendant of Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa. Growing up in Oklahoma, I remember going to ceremonies, and stomp dances, out in Vinita. I was transfixed by the thunderous drums, shakers, and the singing that erupted from the Tribe during the ceremonial dances.

The sound rang in my ears as if thousands were singing not just a small group out in the wilderness. From then on, my love and intrigue for music and my culture began to grow ferociously. Around the age of 8; I began to riffle through all the CDs my dad would play in his truck. They were pure rock and roll: Sabbath Hendrix, Purple, and especially Led Zeppelin… You name it, he had it. I wanted to be able to play music like that. My dad gifted me with a bass guitar which I enjoyed learning to play until he showed me No More Doggin by John Lee Hooker… I had to get an electric guitar after that and the rest is History.

Very quickly I realized I needed a band and I wasn’t going to find it in Tulsa. I moved to Nashville and began playing local dives with a drummer and bassist. I craved a band that worked with me not just playing what I wanted to play and I was about to find it. Right before a show in 2021, the drummer and bassist I had been knocking around with decided to quit to pursue Broadway careers. I had recently started playing with, Teddy Nabozny, on lead guitar in the band and so the two of us remained and quickly began to find the rhythm section we needed.

Luckily, I had met Sam Daly of the psych band Zip-Zapp on tour and Ben Garner through the Nashville scene. After jamming a few times, it only felt right for them to complete the blues-rock outfit. Daly’s addition brought a fresh wave of psychedelic and heavy-hitting influences to the band as well as his incredible work as a Graphic Artist that has given the band groovy posters, merch designs, and our logo. With over a decade’s worth of playing across many genres between us, we quickly began making a noise and a name for ourselves all over Nashville.

Since then, we have worked tirelessly to bring out new music. We released our debut album On the Way, in April 2022, closely followed up by a live recording of the album release show, Live at the 5 Spot in October 2022. On our debut album, I pay tribute to my Native American roots & the ceremonial dances of my youth on “Stomp Song.” Both albums are available in our online shop and on all streaming services now and we are currently in the process of releasing a new single and bringing out our third album.

Dhalton Horsman / Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar.

Teddy Nabozny / Slide & Lead Guitar.

Sam Daly / Drums.

Ben Garner / Bass.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
From the start getting a band together was hard even in school. I couldn’t find the right fit for what I wanted. I didn’t want to be in a cover band or rip off the greats. I tried to get a band together in Tulsa and just couldn’t find anyone that could commit to just one band, the scene is small and everyone plays with everyone which is cool and fun but unproductive for a band wanting to stand out. It was disheartening. But even when I made the move to Nashville it was a different kind of thing to get a band together.

Music City is its bubble of noise. My first run-through of Tribe had me working on the songs alone. I would write the lyrics and all of the music and then bring it to the bass player and drummer. It didn’t have any jams or flow to it the way it does now. I never wanted to be the leader, I wanted a band that pushed me to be better and greater and that’s what Tribe is now. We all bring what we like, what we’ve been working on to the sessions and we see how it can fit with each other. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t but I love that collaborative process more than anything. That’s what a band should be for me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am in partnership with a recording/video studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma called Blue House Media. I met Joel Wade, the owner, and founder, through my business partner Michael Block. I grew a love for Audio Engineering through Michael, who has been a mentor in music for many years.

Around 2015, recording music started to become my passion alongside playing it live. In 2018, I started to take classes online with Berklee to get certified in Pro Tools and audio engineering & I’m constantly looking to expand my knowledge through education and experience. I have built DIY studios in my home previously but would like to one day build and run a professional studio that is affordable for the everyday artist here in Nashville.

I’d say I specialize in guitar, singing, and showmanship. I think performance is a huge part of what crowds remember. I aim to put on a visually striking show just as much as a great listening experience.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking is interesting because you have to follow your gut. Depending on the situation risks can be a beautiful thing.

Around a year ago, I decided to give up drinking. At the time that felt like a huge risk as I’d never played a show sober. Drinking is such a part of the music scene and so stepping away felt risky. Would I be as social after/before shows? Would I have the confidence to perform in the same way? I quickly realized I had more power than fear performing sober and it has dramatically improved my playing and relationship to music.

It was tough at first but now it feels great and I’m glad I took such a huge step forward both personally and professionally. When we fear things, we risk missing out on greater experiences. With that said I plan to go skydiving soon, so I’ll let you know how true those words are!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.atribeofhorsman.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atribeofhorsman/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Atribeofhorsman/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@atribeofhorsman/featured

Image Credits
Sophie Grace Horsman @sophinthestudio