Turtle Rush Band members, (l-r) Hunter Gonzales, Tony Mason, Benjamin Rush, and Dylan Kuchel.
Local band, Turtle Rush.
Slow and steady wins the race but for Turtle Rush, it’s been more of a cosmic journey. Hatched in 2012, the band has evolved over the years, growing from two members to four, and developing a unique sound that combines folksy lyrics with foot-stopping rhythm. Their frequent performances at music venues in Hot Springs and Little Rock have earned them a large, local following while festival gigs have allowed them to extend their reach.
Turtle Rush was formed in late 2012 when Hunter Gonzales met Benjamin Rush at a house party where they were both performing – Gonzales as part of a two-piece called Turtle Clan and Rush with the band Lester Rush. The pair hit it off and Rush moved from Texas to Arkansas a few weeks later. They combined the names of their previous projects and Turtle Rush was born.
Both guitar players and singer-songwriters, Gonzales also plays harmonica and Rush, mandolin. About four years ago, they expanded their sound with the addition of a rhythm section comprising Tony Mason on bass and Dylan Kuchel on drums.
As longtime working musicians, Mason and Kuchel have combined experience in a wide range of genres, from country and rock to rap and funk, which has helped shape the signature Turtle Rush sound—lyrics that are playfully dark and extended jams that expand and contract. The band jokingly describes it as “psychedelic campfire rock.” Their live shows are high-energy communal experiences with the band and the audience feeding off one another.
“We’re coming to share with you, so we take back from what the audience gives us and it becomes fun,” Mason said. “One of the greatest compliments we get is when people who have never heard of us come up after a show to tell us how much fun they’ve had.”
Not long ago, local entrepreneur Thomas Nagin approached the band after a show to discuss a recording studio and live performance space he was contemplating. He wondered if they would be interested in utilizing it and has since built out the space, dubbed Stonebridge Studios, for Turtle Rush and other local performers to utilize. He has also become Turtle Rush’s manager.
“They’re really good lyricists and I saw a really big future in them,” Nagin said. A long-time mineral dealer, Nagin held a previous career as a rock band and concert promoter, working on both the east and west coast. He has now come full circle with a lot of new knowledge gained along the way.
As a mineral dealer, Nagin fielded a lot of questions about his career and the mines he visited. He started filming his trips for the public television series “Mineral Explorers.” As producer and host, Nagin learned about filmmaking and sound engineering and met many talented, local film industry professionals whom he has tapped for help with this latest venture. Covered in sound-absorbing acoustic panels, Stonebridge Studios is equipped with state-of-the-art recording equipment for both audio and video where musicians can practice, perform, and record.
“Thomas, with experience of successfully managing bands, had the idea of providing a local studio to spotlight acts that otherwise wouldn’t have such opportunities,” Turtle Rush said. “He’s quickly become a close friend and mentor to Turtle Rush, but one can expect the Stonebridge Studio family to continue to grow in size and reach.”
For more information about Turtle Rush visit Facebook: Turtle Rush Band, or call Thomas Nagin at 501-623-2323.
