Riley Downing of ‘The Deslondes’

Singer and songwriter Riley Downing brings together the hard-won wisdom of a seasoned traveler on life's highways with the earthy baritone of the old man of the mountains. Downing's rich, craggy voice is an ideal vehicle for his songs, which musically and lyrically are steeped in the mythos of the American South, matched to melodies that reflect his love of blues, country, rock, soul, and gospel music. Downing's music has an easygoing, laid-back feel, and his music sounds keenly dedicated regardless of the tempo. He introduced his style to music fans as a guitarist and songwriter with the New Orleans-based roots rock band the Deslondes on their self-titled 2015 debut album, while he took center stage with his first solo album, 2021's Start It Over.