Nate Perry & Ragged Company embrace a fever pitch with ‘Tonight’
The Boston band revs up its alt-rock Americana intensity with a supercharged new single out Friday, June 27
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Performing live at New England Americana Fest at Bellforge Arts Center on June 28
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Sophomore EP ‘Till The Well Runs Dry’ recorded with Brian Charles out this summer
Photo Credit: Collin Heroux
BOSTON, Mass. [June 27, 2025] – When Nate Perry & Ragged Company took the stage at Boston Calling over Memorial Day weekend, the alt-Americana band ripped through several songs from a pair of EPs: last spring’s debut The Otherside of Everything, and the forthcoming Till The Well Runs Dry. Perhaps the song that got the biggest reception from the sea of festival spectators was “Tonight,” a high-octane romp that serves as the quintet’s next single, hitting the streams on Friday, June 27.
Not only does “Tonight” lead off Nate Perry & Ragged Company’s new EP, set for release this summer, but it provides a slightly more aggressive feel than euphoric May single “Count on You”-- which was recently performed live on WCVB’s Chronicle and CBS Boston / WBZ-TV’s Road To Boston Calling special.
Continuing to showcase the Boston collective’s blossoming spectrum of country- and roots-tinged alternative rock, “Tonight” cranks up the bluesy intensity and revs the band’s creative engine, with enough energy to appeal to the rock and roll scene and just enough twang to keep the Americana crowd honest.
“It was a fun song to write and it’s a fun song to play,” says vocalist, guitarist, and band leader Perry. “The creativity that went into the whole song really illustrates how much we've been cooking lately. This song is a reminder that this band can blow the roof of the building. It pulls us away from the traditional sound of Americana and towards a harder alt-rock sound while providing the raw rock and roll emotion that we've always delivered.”
“Tonight” has also emerged as a live favorite, just as the young band embraces a series of summer gigs. The first arrives a day after the release of “Tonight,” at the 2025 New England Americana Festival on June 28 at Bellforge Arts Center in Medfield, an all-day, outside, and free 14-band collection of New England’s rising talent.
From there, the itinerary takes Nate Perry and the boys all around Massachusetts for the summer, performing live at the Veterans Rock Music Festival in Hyannis on July 19; the Bradford Common Music Series in Haverhill on July 31; Lobsterfest in Beverly on August 6; Levitate Backyard in Marshfield on August 23; and The Cut in Gloucester on September 20.
Perry and the band – rounded out by Sam DeMello on drums; Connor Milligan on bass and backing vocals; Ollie Nash on keys and backing vocals; and Mike Chandler on lead guitar – get fired up every time “Tonight” comes up on the setlist.
“It's a blast,” he admits. “As soon as the count for the intro starts, we all get a shot of adrenaline and for the next few minutes the band runs wild. It comes out of the gate at full speed. It's maybe our highest-energy song and the emotions behind it are unique to the rest of our work.”
Whether live or on the recording, “Tonight,” which was produced by Brian Charles at Rare Signals in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tends to catch the listener by surprise and manages to hold interest through its nearly-four-minute duration, as an impassioned Perry unleashes his emotions as they roar out of the speakers.
Perhaps coincidentally, “Tonight” centers around a feeling of helplessness, and Perry penned it as a commentary on a person feeling trapped, caught up in an unhappy state of affairs with no way out.
“This song is about being in the midst of a complicated on and off relationship that neither person can seem to let go of,” he admits. “It's more of an internal dialog than a statement to the other person. The feeling that this isn't going anywhere but for some reason or another it just isn't ending. And the surrender that you're just going to let it continue against your better judgment.”
Perry adds: “Many of us have been in a situation like this with another person or at least had close friends or family stuck in the rut of it. It also grew into a bit of a statement of anger towards where my life was when I remembered the emotions that helped me find the vision for the song. Being stuck in a dead end job, or living in a lousy town, and knowing you want out but you just can't make that change yet.”
Change has been a constant for the band since it formed a few short years ago, and the path that delivered Nate Perry & Ragged Company to this moment has been steady and focused. Perry, an Army veteran, grew up listening to old Johnny Cash and Springsteen records with his father, and rediscovered his love of country and Americana while stationed in Kentucky back in the 2010s.
On weekends, he and his soldier buddies would make the short trip down to Nashville, but while his crew was simply looking to party up and down the wild stretch of Lower Broadway, Perry was transfixed by the energy and urgency of The Music City’s dive bars and honky tonks.
Perry brought a bit of Nashville back with him to Boston, and soon the New Hampshire native linked up with Chandler through craigslist. After a previous project came to an abrupt end, Nate Perry & Ragged Company was born, with DeMello, Milligan, and Nash quickly solidifying the quintet. The chemistry was instant, the energy palpable, the shared vision seemingly within reach.
That was apparent on The Otherside of Everything, a record infused with twang and blues that took the campfire storytelling ethos of alt-country and shifted it into rock and roll overdrive, highlighted by the relentless propulsion of “Maria,” the yearning ache of “Evergreens,” and the country gallop of “All I Need.”
Now, “Tonight” provides a nice sonic juxtaposition with “Count on You,” a shimmering anthem that glistens as its radio-ready grandeur teeters on pop territory, by offering a more raw and bluesy sound. Both tracks will appear on the forthcoming EP, as a one-two opening punch, and both continue to showcase the quick evolution and crystallization of one of the most intriguing new bands out of Boston.
And like any band worth its salt, that rep is earned on the live stage – just like at the honky tonks and dives that first brought Perry into this musical world.
“The development of our live performance has been crucial,” he says. “We've made it better and more fun but not artificial. We're not doing corny choreography or forced smiles. We genuinely feel the spirit of each song and it shows. So much of our success has come from being our authentic selves and playing with the confidence that we've earned by getting on bigger and bigger stages.”
While the future is bright, there’s always another show, another stage, another festival, and another city or town. And Nate Perry & Ragged Company want to play them all.
“For the band and myself personally, getting to play the big shows only makes me want it more,” he concludes. “The whirlwind of these past few months has only made us work even harder for more. We hit the stage with the confidence that we deserve to be there and the excitement of showing new people our sound. We have become the dedicated and professional group of musicians that we aimed to be by this point. We're all incredibly grateful.”
Media Contact: Direct press inquiries to Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com,
and reach Nate Perry & Ragged Company at nateperryandraggedcompany@gmail.com.
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Nate Perry & Ragged Company is:
Nate Perry: Lead vocals and guitar
Sam DeMello: Drums
Connor Milligan: Bass and vocals
Ollie Nash: Keys and vocals
Mike Chandler: Lead guitar
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‘Tonight’ production credits:
Written by Nate Perry & Ragged Company
Lyrics by Nate Perry
Produced by Brian Charles at Rare Signals in Cambridge, MA
Single artwork design by Mike Chandler
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‘Tonight’ artwork:
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Nate Perry & Ragged Company short bio:
After leaving the Army in 2018, frontman Nate Perry returned to the Boston area with a new mission: To start a band. Stationed near Nashville, Perry had initially focused on a military career, but his time in Kentucky and Tennessee reignited his long-held passion for music. During his time off, he immersed himself in Nashville's live music scene, captivated by the musicians on stage who were living the dream he longed to pursue.
Back in Boston, Nate soon connected with guitarist Mike Chandler, a seasoned player whose previous band had recently disbanded. Together, they began shaping a new musical direction. To complete the lineup, they brought in drummer Sam DeMello, bassist Connor Milligan, and keyboardist Ollie Nash. This collaboration birthed Nate Perry & Ragged Company, a dynamic new force in the Americana-rock scene.
Since forming, Nate Perry & Ragged Company have been lighting up the Boston music scene and beyond, playing shows that highlight their infectious songwriting and electric guitar-driven sound. In 2024, they released their debut EP, The Otherside of Everything, which rapidly garnered over 10,000 streams, a testament to their growing popularity. New music arrives Spring 2025, led by new single “Count on You,” ahead of live performances at Boston Calling Music Festival, New England Americana Fest, Levitate Backyard, Veterans Rock Music Festival, and elsewhere around the region.
Nate Perry's journey from the Army to concert stages is a testament to the power of finding and following one's passion, turning the muse of Nashville into the sounds of a rising Boston band.
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Nate Perry & Ragged Company live this spring and summer:
Photo Credit: Collin Heroux
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Media praise for Nate Perry & Ragged Company:
“Americana sweethearts.” _Hump Day News
“The way this band conquers is formidable.” _End Sessions
“This Boston-based band brings Americana and alternative rock to Boston Calling, grounding their sound in bluesy riffs, acoustic textures, and rock melodies.” _Boston.com
“Nate Perry & Ragged Company previewed a busy summer with their sure-footed roots rock…” _Boston Globe
“Three bands unknown to me were so impressive I’ve started a deep dive into their music. Two are Boston-based and would be great additions to the Newport lineup in 2026. Nate Perry and Ragged Company, a tight quintet with rootsy Americana/Springsteen flavors, delivered a toe-tapping, butt-shaking 30 minute show.” _Item Live
“It was recommended that I go see Nate Perry & Ragged Company on the [Boston Calling] Orange Stage, and I loved their genuine rock & roll sound.” _Culture Beat
“Kind of R.E.M.-era Athens meets alternative country’s Nashville. It’s a brand of energetic Americana that seems to infect the standout Northeast Americana outfits much more than it does the best of the genre I hear from other parts of the country.” _Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog
“If you’re already a fan or are just now joining us, ‘Count On You’ is both a refresher and a starting point that mixes both The Killers and The Cure-type flourishes (Hot Fuss/Wish respectively) meant to give listeners the warm and fuzzies with the old world Americana Rawk that Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band STILL do so well today. … ‘Count On You’ is a masterclass on genre-blending and blurs the lines between Pop, Alternative, Country, Folk, Rawk and more for a timeless tune that’s sure to be a blast to hear live across stages this Summer.” _Rock And Roll Fables
“Nate Perry & Ragged Company, embodies everything that is good about music, they write inspiring and well crafted songs combined with powerful and electrifying live performances.” _The Whole Kameese
“‘Count on You’ is an interesting song, mostly because it seems perfectly suited to playing the type of festivals they’re booked to play this summer while still being fairly intimate. The song sounds like a more Americana leaning into country version of Bruce Springsteen’s huge anthemic songs. Plus, there are some keyboards that are New Wave adjacent.” _If It’s Too Loud
“[Nate Perry & Ragged Company] deliver their own brand of high-octane alternative rock, full of strong melodies and fist-pumping choruses. Opening number ‘Maria’ embodies the very ethos of the band, with Perry’s passionate vocals and Chandler’s stinging guitar solo positioning their sound in a similar area to the Gaslight Anthem or even Blacksmoke Cherry just minus the southern accent. Following tracks ‘All I Need’, and ‘Another Day’, continue at a gallop, each with their own infectious chorus, before the radio-friendly ‘Evergreens’ offers a slight change of pace. The EP finishes with the heavy blues of ‘Preacher’, which draws comparison to the iconic rock bands of the seventies such as Bad Company.” _Americana UK
“Nate Perry & Ragged Company bring a big country sound and a little alt-rock energy to what’s primarily an energetic Americana style on The Otherside of Everything. Kind of R.E.M.-era Athens meets alternative country’s Nashville... ‘Another Day’ is another alt rock-meets-Americana number. …Stylistically, what if John Mellencamp rocked along with the grainy, barely-constrained energy of a rollicking Bruce Springsteen song? Well, its sound might be something like this.” _Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog
“We can’t believe we are late to the party with Nate Perry & Ragged Company… The Otherside Of Everything is that perfectly poured glass of beer and the perfect sunset all rolled into one but… set to music. There is this real familiar feel on the EP that really makes the listener feel connected to the music. We found ourselves almost singing along instantly.” _The Whole Kameese
“Nate and his band, Ragged Company, are on a steady rise, and their five-song EP, “The Otherside of Everything”, is clear proof. A collection of tracks that feel both classic and fresh, the EP — recorded at Rare Signal Studios by the renowned Brian Charles — strikes a perfect balance between polish and raw emotion. At its heart is Nate’s voice, which stands out for its sincerity, strength, and natural fit within the band’s sound. He doesn’t just sing; he connects.” _New England Americana Fest blog
“All hail the singable chorus. Nate Perry & Ragged Company serve one up on our highlighted track ‘Maria.’ It’s just one piece of the puzzle, along with twang-laden verses, a bridge to recoup momentum, and a guitar solo at about the three-quarter mark that bleeds tastefully into the grand finale where the band dutifully repeats the lyrics they’ve taught you throughout the song, except this time you join in, because you remember things, and then we all take a swig of beer.” _Hump Day News
“A Boston-based group that finds its inspiration from the rootsier end of the American music spectrum. Lining their work with acoustic guitars and bluesy riffs, their work can also feel pretty anthemic and ready for a big crowd.” _Graeme Bentley, Boston’s 92.5FM The River
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Press Contact: Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com
Band Contact: Mike Chandler at nateperryandraggedcompany@gmail.com
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