The Bigsbys open music show at Festival on the Square

Singles from "True Story" have received significant airplay nationwide.

TYLER — After hearing talk about The Bigsbys for most of this year, we finally got the chance to see and hear the group perform live, as the band opened the 25th annual Festival On The Square Saturday evening.

The Bigsbys at Festival on the Square 2012

The Bigsbys were the opening act at Tyler's Festival On The Square, October 13, 2012.

The music of the band is difficult to categorize exactly, even by the band themselves. Having been described as "southern rock," "alt country," "soulfilled" and "bluesy" it certainly is all that, but also more. What gives their work its uniqueness is the clear and consistent way that each song conveys a story of everyday life. Listening to the group's music, it is very easy to believe that each song is in fact a true story, as the title of their first album suggests.

The full length studio album "True Story" features 10 original compositions by the band with lyrics by guitarist and lead singer Alex Smith. It was recorded at Stormy Cooper's Studios in Houston and produced by Lyndon Hughes. Singles "Billy Wade" and "Why Whiskey" have received significant airplay nationwide.

The band members, all from Palestine, are Smith, Brad Hobson, lead guitar and vocals, bassist and band leader Russell McClendon, and Nick Odom on drums.

Following the release of the album in late 2011 and a publicity campaign this past summer to promote radio play, the group launched a nine-state, sixteen day tour in September that took them as far away from their East Texas homes as North Carolina. Full time touring is their plan for the future.