Two Portales musicians compose rodeo anthem

linkThe road to musical success goes through Roosevelt Road, made up of Portales natives Jordan Craig and Cole Brakebill.

The duo has achieved moderate success with their single “The Short Round,” which gained popularity as the theme song for the United States Team Roping Championships, and has sold more than 2,000 copies via iTunes since being released last year.

“They wanted me to make an anthem that could be played before the final round,” said Brakebill, whose friend Ferron Lucero, a rodeo announcer for USTRC and Eastern New Mexico University graduate, asked him to compose a song that captured the spirit of the short round of a rodeo.

USTRC plays the song at its events all over the country whenever the short round begins.

“It’s weird,” said Brakebill. “On iTunes I can see where the people are that buy our music. People from all over have bought our song. I’ve had rodeo performers from Brazil add me on Twitter.”

They officially became Roosevelt Road so they could license the song to USTRC. They recorded an album called, “Where I’m From,” which they released in September 2012 shortly after “The Short Round” was featured in a highlight video by the USTRC, that premiered on YouTube.

On “The Short Round,” Brakebill raps about the glory of rodeo while Craig sings the chorus over a country tune.

The multiple genres is a common theme for the group.

“I wouldn’t call us just a country group. It’s a big mix of everything we like. Country, Hip-Hop, Rock, Blues, Folk,” said Brakebill.

Brakebill is the producer of the duo, and he also raps. Craig raps and sings, plus plays the guitar and harmonica.

“We’re basically country boys that love hip-hop,” said Craig. “So we write about things we know and deliver it in a style we are passionate about.”

Craig and Brakebill grew up in Portales with musical talents and ambitions, but their paths didn’t officially cross until 2009, mainly because of their age difference. Brakebill graduated from Portales High School in 2002 while Craig graduated in 2007. They met after Brakebill saw Craig opening for the Kene Terry Band at the Blue Light in Lubbock.

“We wouldn’t be who we are without Portales,” said Craig.