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Peoria Times
FEATURES
March 17, 2022
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Last Train to Juarez shares its map to success BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Peoria Times Executive Editor
With a cowboy hat pulled deep to his eyes and a thick beard, Dejan Knezevic fits the red dirt/outlaw country genre well. He has his fans fooled — and that’s not a bad thing. Born in Chicago, Knezevic was raised by parents from Montenegro and Bosnia. Serbian is his first language. The Serbian coat of arms adorns his hat. “My family is from former Yugoslavia,” he said. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard of an American Serbian country singer before. There’s a first for everything, I guess.” In late 2018, Knezevic formed Last Train to Juarez, following the lineage of his heroes, Ward Davis, Whitey Morgan, Hank 3 and Jamey Johnson. They released their debut album, “Some Road,” on March 18. “It was an awakening, so to speak, for me, and I quickly started discovering a whole genre of country music that spoke to me,” Knezevic said. “It was around this time that I started seriously considering starting a project in the red dirt/outlaw genre of country music.” Last Train to Juarez is a departure from previous projects like Pelvic Meatloaf. “I’ve been in the scene, in metal bands, for the better part of 30 years,” he said. “I didn’t grow up on country music. It was the red dirt/new outlaw movement that got my ears and sold me on it. It’s inspired me to go in this direction, to the dismay of a lot of my metalhead brothers. “I was one of those guys who thought country was basic and boring. I grew up with that mentality. Once I started playing it, I found it was way
Dejan Knezevic and his band Last Train to Juarez recently released the album “Some Road.” (Photo by Dennis Murphy)
more difficult. It’s been an interesting ride.” Last Train to Juarez sees Knezevic singing for the first time, something that even surprised his wife of 23 years. “Sure, I fronted a metal band in the past, but I never really tried singing,” Knezevic said. “What we did back then was death metal and growling, so this whole singing thing was new to me. I wasn’t confident at all. But what I lacked in confidence, I made up with motivation and perseverance.” In late 2018, he pulled the trigger and went all in. His first solo performance was at the MetalHeads MC clubhouse. The gig at the local motorcycle club’s headquarters motivated him to take it to the next level. He placed ads seeking bandmates. He had a revolving group of musicians until April 2021, when the lineup was solidified as vocalist/acoustic guitarist Knezevic; Mark Tomeo, ped-
al steel, dobro, backing vocals; bassist Jonathan Candler; drummer Brian Teille; and lead guitarist Stephen Dietrich. Additionally, fiddler/mandolin player Austin Brooks joins.
Debut EP released In 2021, Last Train to Juarez released its debut EP, “Dirt and Stone,” which was recorded at Villain Recording Studio with Byron Filson engineering and producing. Prior to the album release, the band dropped the singles “Some Road” and “This Letter.” “Our music blurs the lines a bit and doesn’t fit neatly into any specific country genre,” he said. “I’ve heard people refer to us as outlaw, red dirt, biker country and rock or metal country. Ultimately, what is most important to me as an artist is to write and create music that is pure, honest and authentic, music that comes from the heart and soul, which
is why I prefer to stick with originals over cover tunes. “Granted, we do play cover songs out of necessity since we are a newer band and don’t have enough original material to cover a four-hour gig, but that is quickly changing as I continue to write new material.” By the end of this year, Last Train to Juarez will be playing 60% originals and 40% covers on longer gigs. “I have nothing against cover songs at all,” he said. “It’s just not what I want to do, and I feel there is plenty of cover and tribute bands in the Valley already. I get my kicks hearing performances by singer-songwriters who have stories to tell, and that’s the path I feel is right for me.” Last Train to Juarez has a host of shows scheduled. They’re booked in Rocky Point, Mexico, monthly at Wrecked at the Reef. Additionally, the band is scheduled to play Too Broke for Sturgis’ annual motorcycle rally later this year, as well as Colorado and the Midwest. “I chose to pave our own path; however, that has created obstacles, as there are many venues in town that won’t give us the time of day. That’s OK,” he said. “We’re doing pretty well in spite of that. The fans we are picking up are wholeheartedly embracing what we are doing. I’d rather have 10 people intently watching, listening and appreciating our original songs over a packed room of people singing every word to a Luke Bryan or Florida Georgia Line cover song. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just not my thing.” Knezevic said he could pen pop raSEE TRAIN PAGE 13
