Anders Thomsen – Honky Tonk Guitar Legend on Blues, Country & Rock | Instagram LIVE | Rugged Revival
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There's a particular kind of authenticity that comes from spending forty-odd years on the road—from dive bars in the Deep South to international stages, from sharing bills with Chuck Berry to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with legends like Billy Joe Shaver and Dale Watson. Anders Thomsen carries that authenticity the way other musicians carry their instruments. It's woven into his DNA, visible in the choices he makes about who he is and how he presents himself to the world. And interestingly, for an artist who's mastered the language of honky tonk, blues, and roots rock, those choices tell you everything you need to know about where his music comes from.
During a recent Instagram LIVE conversation with Rugged Revival, Thomsen spoke with the kind of candor that only comes from someone comfortable in their own skin. The discussion ranged across the usual terrain of country and Americana discourse, but it was his reflections on personal style—seemingly trivial on the surface—that revealed something deeper about his artistic philosophy. Here was a man who'd been influenced by everyone from Kiss to the Clash, who'd absorbed the visual language of rock and roll rebellion, yet somehow synthesized it all into something distinctly his own.
I have this shirt that bridges the gap between Hank Williams and Ace Frehley that I wear on stage sometimes.
— Anders Thomsen
That synthesis is perhaps the defining characteristic of Thomsen's career. He's not interested in genre gatekeeping or rigid aesthetic rules. His stage wardrobe is refreshingly straightforward: western shirts, cowboy hats, boots, and jeans. But what makes it interesting is the details—a silver lamé and crushed velvet shirt that bridges the gap between Hank Williams and Ace Frehley, vintage pieces collected over decades, concert tees that represent his genuine influences rather than fashionable posturing. There's no pretense here, no carefully curated image designed for Instagram. There's just a working musician who understands that style should serve the music, not the other way around.
Thomsen's approach to his craft extends beyond wardrobe choices. The man's been fronting The Ex-Husbands—twice landing in the Top 10 of the Americana charts—while maintaining a relentless touring schedule that would exhaust musicians half his age. He's accumulated stories that most of us will never experience, played to audiences across continents, and somehow remained grounded enough to wear Dan Post boots and t-shirts from bands he actually loves rather than designer labels.
I base it solely on temperature. If the felt hat's going to do me some good, I'll wear it.
— Anders Thomsen
What strikes you most about Thomsen, listening to him speak, is the absence of bitterness. This is someone who could legitimately complain about the music industry's indifference to traditional country and roots music. Instead, he talks about the work itself with genuine enthusiasm. The road has clearly shaped him, but it hasn't hardened him into cynicism. He's a true believer in the music—the kind of artist who understands that authenticity can't be manufactured or purchased. It emerges from genuine experience, from thousands of nights in small venues, from real relationships with real musicians, from the accumulated weight of a life lived in service to the song.
For readers of Rugged Revival seeking authentic voices in Americana and roots music, Anders Thomsen represents exactly what the genre needs: an artist with genuine credentials, decades of hard-won experience, and absolutely nothing to prove. He's not chasing trends or trying to appeal to some imagined demographic. He's simply continuing to do what he's always done—play real music for real people, night after night, one town at a time.
The full Instagram LIVE conversation deserves your attention, both for Thomsen's stories from the road and for the philosophy underlying them. Here's an artist who understands that style and substance aren't separate—they're expressions of the same commitment to authenticity that defines his music.
I'll help you. I'll help you start a revolution for this Monday morning situation. >> All right. >> Hey, hey, hey. >> There he is. How you doing, man? >> I'm great, man. How about you? >> I'm doing all right. We're uh I don't think we're too far from you. We're out in the uh at Nags Head right now. >> Oh, yeah. Well, you're straight up the coast from me. I'm I'm down here near Savannah. Oh, >> okay. Okay. Yeah. I I couldn't remember where you were based out of. So, >> yeah. >> So, you know what we do with this is uh I take these these videos and uh I upload them to the Rugged Revival. They're based out of the UK. >> Yep. >> So, hopefully we'll get you uh a couple more heads to follow you from the UK. >> Well, that would be wonderful. >> Them English people are all right, you know. >> Yeah. So, you know, my focus here is we talk all things uh hair and fashion. So, I appreciate you uh joining me for that chat. >> I'm I'm ready. >> All right. So, let's kick it off, man. Who was the first person to inspire you and your how you want to look? Like, who did you first look at and you're like, I want some of that in my in my attire? >> Of course, there, you know, there's a lot of different people that might fit that description. And uh I mean I don't dress like him at all, but you know when I saw that first Kiss record, I was like, man, that I don't know what that's all about, but it's cool as can be. And then um and then a few years later, I think that Paul Simon and from the Clash there was one picture, I don't remember from what record it was, but I just I thought he was the coolest looking dude with his grease back hair and all those rings on his fingers and uh he was pretty pretty happening. Yeah. Yeah, I agree with that. Now, it's not too late to still walk around looking like Ace Freely. You can still do that. >> Well, I I kind of I kind of I have this I I actually have a shirt here that almost bridges the gap between Hank Williams and Ace Freely that I that I I wear on stage sometimes. >> Okay. So, that leads me >> on stage attire. >> Yeah. My next question. So, who uh what what is your favorite onstage attire? >> Uh it basically is a western shirt and my trusty cowboy hat, some boots, and some jeans. Um I have a pretty good collection of shirts that I've come up with. This is the one I was going to show you that has got the Ace Freely vibe. We got silver lame. >> Yeah, that's cool. >> Yeah. And crushed velvet. But I also like the vintage stuff as well. Um, but it's pretty standard uh, you know, uh, western shirt stuff. >> Okay. Uh, how strict are you on the uh, >> versus felt? >> On the what? >> I think we're losing you a little bit. >> All right. Um, how strict are you on the uh the pre-Labor Day and post Labor Day straw hat versus felt hat? >> I I base it solely on temperature. >> Yeah. >> If if the felt hat's going to do me some good, I'll wear it. But, uh, down here, uh, it's got to get to be like November before I even need my felt hat, really. >> Yeah, I agree. But >> yeah, I wish I could wear it more, but um that's what that's what it is. >> Um All right, so we covered your uh favorite onstage look. What is your favorite offstage look? >> Uh the same except it's a t-shirt instead of a western shirt. Oh, >> okay. >> Pretty much like today I got my my my friends from uh Athens, Georgia representing them. Yeah, I think I've seen you in some Cramps t-shirts, too, if I'm not mistaken. >> Uh, you know what? I think I haven't seen my Cramps t-shirt in a while. Uh, I'm going to have to look in the back of my drawer, but yeah, I uh I love the Cramps. Uh, they were uh yeah, they were they were awesome. Um, yeah, t-shirts, you know, concert t-shirts. That's my thing mainly. And uh that's pretty much it. Yeah, I get that, too. So, uh, who makes your favorite pair of boots >> at the moment? Check this out. I was prepared for you. I got this pair of Dan Post boots. >> Oh, yeah. >> Not too long ago, uh, >> yeah. And, um, that's my favorite ones lately. Um, and, uh, there's another pair that I've been looking at that has got a kind of similar wing design. I might look into picking up. But, uh, I like those right now. But, like all my, you know, it's like what whatever comes my way. I'm not I'm not a huge, uh, uh, shopper. You know, I don't really go hit up the the vintage shops that much, but >> people kind of know that what you're into, and they will sometimes gift you shirts and stuff like that, which I really appreciate. Um, but I got uh enough going on that I don't really have a whole lot of time to hang around in those kind of places. >> Yeah. Yeah. I um I like uh picking up some of the pre-worn stuff from eBay every once in a while. >> Yeah. I've gotten a few things. Uh, I remember uh a few years ago some dude put uh this awesome HRC uh shirt on um Instagram or something and uh that was I I had to have that. And uh and I still wear that one. That one's a little bit It's It's a bit little bit too fringy and and and uh fancy for anything but stage, but >> Yep. >> I like to go that direction. >> So, who uh who makes your favorite hat? I see you in that in this particular straw hat quite a bit. Who makes that? >> That uh that's a gas station hat right there. Um I go for the straw hats. I like the gas station. Uh my felt is a is a Stson. Uh, which I think it's worth spending the money for a felt, but you know, the straws are kind of disposable. >> So, uh, >> do you, uh, do you reshape those yourself? >> Well, slowly. Yeah. I mean, they come and they're a lot flatter and I kind of, >> you know, do that to them. >> Yeah, that looks nice. >> Yeah, it's all right. You know, if it's a $20 hat, man, how can you go wrong? >> It doesn't even matter what the price is. As long as it means something to you and it feels good and looks good, that's that's what it's about, >> right? That's what it's all about. >> So, I've only got a couple more questions for you. We're coming to the end of the road here. >> What um what what's your favorite products for hair care? And like, you know, you're on the road. What do you like to take with you in your uh your go bag, your shower bag? >> I have uh lately I've been using Crescent City Soap Works shaving soap. >> Okay. >> Um I'll check >> which I really like. It's uh it's sweet lather. It's it's it's like probably the best shaving soap I've used. Um and other than that, I pretty much just bring a toothbrush. I I don't uh I uh I'm pretty low maintenance as far as that goes. I do bring a comb as well. >> And you mentioned you like the Joe Strummer slick back. You ever put any pomade in that and slick it back? >> Yeah, from time to time. But uh I've I my my hair is not quite what it used to be. Uh so uh I let I let my hat take care of of everything going on upstairs. >> I say it looks it looks totally fine from where I'm sitting. You look great. >> Well, thank you very much. I just I just came from from my my buddy Lance Bedum gave me a haircut. Bedum Cuts here in Savannah, Georgia. I think you did a real good job >> by putting a hat on top of it. All right. So, la last question for you. >> There you are. I had seen you before. >> Yeah. We uh I think we're uh my my connection is a little funny out here at the beach. >> So, before before we go, do you have anything you'd like to plug? You have a new album or a tour or a song coming out? >> I have some fairly new music that's out right now. came out I think in July that's on on the streaming services and um and I got a lot of other stuff that's on the streaming services as well and I got a website www.bookanders.com uh where I post all of my uh gigs, my live appearances. So yeah, that's that's what I got. I got a bunch of shows coming up this fall and um in a couple weeks I'm going to be recording a more or less live album. Um, and that'll be uh I think I'm just going to make CDs and and have that available only at shows. But yeah, there's always something going on, man. I love doing it. It's it's my thing, you know. So So here we are. >> Well, hopefully we can hopefully we can get you up here. We just got a new Desert Five spot location that opened up. >> Yeah, I would I'm still still looking for a way to get up. We haven't quite got that far, but uh we will we will we will look into that for sure. >> All right, man. Sounds good. Well, listen, I appreciate you taking the time and uh let's chat again soon. >> Yes, sir. We'll see you later. Thank you. >> All right, brother. Bye.
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