The newest of Texas red dirt music: Dalton Wambles and the Dreaded Few

BY BETHANY KILPATRICK

Multimedia Journalist

Five unlikely Tarleton students have formed a connection over their love of music and are watching opportunities reveal themselves as their talent and dedication drive their success. 

Dalton Wambles and the Dreaded Few is a new and upcoming Texas red dirt country music five-member band that began in Stephenville. The band performed its first show at Twisted J Live on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, as an opener for Lincoln Swanzy.

While many find it hard to believe, everyone in the band has personally known one another for less than a month. The musicians came together for the first time in drummer Jackson Van Hoose’s garage on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, less than a week before their first show. 

“We originally had a different band for Saturday,” lead singer and acoustic guitarist Dalton Wambles said. “Then that fell apart last minute on Monday.”

While many university students have horror stories to tell of their roommates, Wambles’ roommate, Cody Smith, now rhythm guitarist for the band, proved to be a saving grace and agreed to play for the show Saturday night. 

Smith did not know he would be playing in Wambles’ band; however, after a certain artist inspired him, he knew from an early age that music would be an instrumental part of his life.

“I was listening to the ‘Eruption’ solo by Van Halen,” Smith said. “And I was like, ‘I have to play guitar,’ and I started playing.”

After recruiting Smith, Wambles gave Van Hoose, who has played drums for seven years, a call. Van Hoose was ecstatic when Wambles asked him to play in the show scheduled for Saturday.

“I muted my phone,” Van Hoose said. “Fist-pumped the air, unmuted it and said, ‘Yeah, man.’”

Van Hoose recruited bass player Andre Deegan and lead guitarist Seth Goolsby immediately afterward. The three had previously met through a group project.

With the clock ticking and a passion to play, the band practiced tirelessly every day until the show. When it was time to perform, the band did not let its rocky start be a hindrance to the performance. 

When opening for Swanzy, the five took the stage for approximately 45 minutes and were more than pleased with their performance. The band played many covers, but collectively agreed that their cover of “God Man Blues” by Kolton Moore & The Clever Few was the band’s best song performed that night.

All members were given positive feedback about their show by the crowd, as well as from Swanzy and his band, but the fans were not the only ones enjoying themselves. 

“You get so nervous,” Goolsby said. “Then for some reason when you get up there, it just fades.”

Many were shocked to learn how long the members of the band had known one another and said their chemistry would have made them assume otherwise. 

“Music brings us together,” Deegan said. “We can all find our own accents of what we like listening to, playing and putting together into something that we all like to make.”

While the band focuses primarily on performing covers, Wambles is a songwriter and has written a few original pieces. The band is currently working on recording and releasing an EP containing Wamble’s pieces. 

Wamble’s song “Time to Grow” is already out and available for streaming on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube.

Music has been extremely impactful to all members of the band, and they hope to bring the same comfort to others that they have personally experienced from music. 

“There is no better way to convey emotion and feelings than through music,” Wambles said. “Songwriters can put their thoughts and experiences into words, and just hearing that and knowing that you are not alone in whatever you are going through truly helps.”

After an eventful start and successful first performance, Dalton Wambles and the Dreaded Few are on the rise, and the Stephenville community is excited to see what they accomplish. 

To keep up with the band and their upcoming events, follow @official_daltonwambles on Instagram.