A musical journey that began in Yorkshire has taken Sandy Nuttgens through rockabilly, dance chart success, television composition and, ultimately, back to his passion for country music.
Now, through Texan Raiders, Nuttgens is bringing together decades of creative experience with a fresh collection of Americana-inspired songs. The project is centred around the forthcoming album The Adventures of Glenn the Cowboy, combining melodic songwriting, heartfelt stories and an imaginative animated world.
Born in Yorkshire and raised on Americana, Nuttgens first discovered his musical ambitions as a teenager in Leeds, forming his first band, The Hell Cats, at just 15.
His interest in country and rockabilly continued to develop, influenced by legendary artists including Hank Williams and Tampa Red. A trip to Nashville and Memphis in 1987, including visits to Sun Studios and Graceland, further strengthened his connection with American roots music.
From Yorkshire beginnings to an award-winning career
Nuttgens' career has taken several creative directions. Previously signed to Perfecto under the name Skipraiders, he achieved a No. 1 position in the dance charts with ‘Another Day’, which later featured in the film Kevin & Perry Go Large.
He also established an impressive career in television composition, receiving two Royal Television Society awards, two BAFTA nominations and two international Telly Awards for his work on the animated series Odo. His television work has also contributed to productions nominated for Emmy awards.
Despite these achievements across different genres, Americana has remained a constant influence throughout his musical journey.
With Texan Raiders, Nuttgens returns to the sounds and storytelling traditions that first inspired him, bringing together country influences, memorable melodies and a contemporary creative approach.
A song about connection
One of the tracks introducing the project is ‘Log Settee’, a country-inspired song about the importance of sitting down with the people you love and having genuine conversations rather than relying on social media.
The track came from a songwriting collaboration with Gavin Alexander at a Chris Difford songwriting retreat in Italy, which also produced another album track, ‘All About Ya’.
Its message is simple but particularly relevant: meaningful relationships are built through real experiences, shared stories and the time people make for one another.
The album will also feature ‘Diamonds in the Dust’ and ‘Wahoo Feelin’ Alive’, the latter taking a more upbeat direction with a blend of pop and country influences inspired by the electric slide and line dancing.
Bringing country storytelling to life
Beyond the music, The Adventures of Glenn the Cowboy introduces an animated character created to bring the songs and their stories to life.
Glenn is an honest, likeable and down-to-earth cowboy, accompanied by his on-and-off girlfriend Glenda. Through humorous animated videos, the characters offer audiences another way to experience the project, with the longer-term ambition of potentially developing them into an animated country music series.
The album also features an accomplished group of musicians, including pedal steel player CJ Hillman, who has performed with Kiefer Sutherland and Billy Bragg, alongside fiddle player Ben Ivitsky, bassist Rory Dempsey, Flying Pickets vocalist Simon Foster and other contributors.
For Nuttgens, Texan Raiders represents the coming together of a lifetime of musical influences, from his early days in Yorkshire to his experiences across the music and television industries.
With ‘Log Settee’ and the forthcoming The Adventures of Glenn the Cowboy, he is bringing that journey into a new chapter, celebrating the timeless appeal of a good country song.
Listen to Log Settee on Spotify.
More information can be found on the Texan Raiders website.
