The Fabulous Trutones - Comin' Back Live (2026)

The Fabulous Trutones formed from a trio of veteran performers from disparate backgrounds.

Tim Wagoner is the lead vocalist and guitarist for the group. He began playing piano at age 8, picked up the guitar at age 10, and majored in music at the University of Northern Iowa. He moved to Dallas, Texas where he was engaged in the Texas blues scene for 10 years. He then moved to Nashville where for the next 20 years he was a songwriter, studio musician and a live performer including an 8-year stint traveling with the New Orleans based group, Big Al and The Heavyweights.

Paul Ferguson on bass and vocals began playing professionally in his teens in the Midwest for most of his life. He then spent years in Dallas performing in several area R&B and blues bands including Sugar Daddy, Homestretch, Surprise, Major Healey, Wagg and Stackhouse.

James Dreier, the percussionist, began his professional career at age 16 when he joined the Waterloo, Iowa based group, The Fabulous Pawns, which included bass player Paul Ferguson. A 50+ year musical journey took him to a 9-year stint in Boston at the Berklee School of Music, followed by 21-years as a jazz professor at the University of Iowa. James played in numerous bands over the years ranging from jazz, blues, rock, funk, Latin and more. Now retired, he joined back up with Paul, and the trio came into being. The Iowa connection now complete.

The album consists of ten original songs, the latter three recorded during a live performance at The Octopus on College Hill, Cedar Falls, Iowa in March 2025. Tim sings “I am searching for the light of day out on this “Fool’s Highway”. “Bitter wind at your back, up ahead pitch black.” They rock out as Paul declares, I was “Born Ready” to fall in love with you” and “was ready to try something new”. “Give Me the Blues” slows things down starting with a solid bass run as Paul notes “where I come from, we got this sound, deep blues creepin’ all around. We got the blues, gonna be rockin’ come hell or high water.”

“Here To Stay” is another slow blues with a nice guitar lead as Paul states “I have blues in the morning. I woke up you were gone”. “Without you baby, I got the blues all day long”. On “Bound by Love”, he tells her “Go ahead and ask me if I’m yours and yours alone. If this is the one true love I’ve ever known. I answer yes, yes, yes, I look you in the eye cause right now baby, there ain’t no way I can lie.” “Real Love” moves back into rock mode as he explains “I got this natural good woman, real as she can be, she gives me everything I can ever want and everything I ever need”. “Two of us together make one”. Paul states ” I am late for work, about out of gas, this morning folks it ain’t going to last. About to ask myself what’s next. Lights come on, there red and blue, can only mean more bad news. Hard times come and go” but “I Got This”.

The live songs begin with “The Darkness Calls”, with Paul indicating “I wake up every morning I want to do what’s right. Heed the good Lord’s warning and try to walk in the light. I know deep inside of me, darkness in my soul and it’s longing to be free.” all of which culminates in a tale of murder. “Rollin'” jumps back into rock mode as he declares ” I am about as lucky as a man can get. Livin” in love and ain’t lost yet.” Like a smokin’ tire on a hairpin curve, nothing to lose but a lot of nerve”. They close with the “Cheatin’ Blues” as he states, ” I love that woman, always make things right.” “Gave her everything I had and tried to satisfy. She took it all with her when she said goodbye”.

The band is tight with some solid blues rock riffs, slowing things down occasionally before bursting out again. Definitely a high energy performance live and solid in the studio as well. Themes of love lost and love enduring are fundamental, but the album takes a sinister turn with “The Darkness Calls” just to shake thing up a bit. ~John Sacksteder