The Lost Trailers

Ryder Lee and Stokes Nielson met in a church band as teenagers, and they’ve been making music together ever since. Their friendship began in high school in Alexandria, Virginia and begat a country band of five. Ryder and Stokes convinced one of their fellow students (and Maryland native), drummer Jeff Potter, to join them in a band named Ryder Stokes. Soon, Stokes’ younger brother Andrew came on board, and Manny Medina rounded out the quintet.

The new band caught a break early, as their demo found its way to Willie Nelson, who invited them to perform at his annual Fourth of July picnic. By the time they got to Austin, the band had changed their name, thanks to some unfortunate incidents involving successive equipment trailers. For the next several years, the band toured America, first crammed into an SUV, then a van and ultimately graduating to a bus. Thanks to their road-tested talent and passionate drive, The Lost Trailers were signed by Sony/BMG Nashville.

In 2008, the band released their latest album “Holler Back”, which debuted at Number 5 on the Billboard Country sales chart. The title single spent over a month in the Top 10 in the summer of 2008 and proved so popular that a football version was released, including a Super Bowl version that opened Westwood One Radio’s coverage of the event. The second single from the album, “How ‘Bout You Don’t”, was also a Top 20 hit. Their success led to the group being named MediaBase’s “Most Played New Country Group of 2008”. In the spring of 2009, the industry recognized The Lost Trailers with two Academy of Country Music Award nominations, including Top Vocal Group.

The band has long been involved in giving back to the community, having participated in numerous benefit concerts and appearances. They are involved with Hope Through Healing Hands, a nonprofit organization which provides medical education and services in third world countries. They are also supporters of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

The Lost Trailers are known for their high-energy performances and their devotion to their fans. “Put out songs you believe in, and that your fans believe in,” says Stokes. "Deliver to your fans. Give them what they want—that’s the best of you."