There is some debate as to the exact historical moment when rock 'n' roll was born in America, but most agree it was conceived at the crossroads of blues and country music in the years following World War II. Based in Buffalo, NY, Americana band Flatbed taps deep into these early foundations and augments their style with influences from the last 70 years of popular music to form a unique, yet approachable, roots sound.

From humble beginnings as an acoustic songwriting trio, Derek Bassett (vocals and guitars), Joelle Labert (vocals) and Michael Tinsmon (bass) quickly received accolades for their original songs as well as their arrangements of diverse Americana cover selections.

Performing as Bassett/Labert/Tinsmon, the trio had early success opening for such national acts as Freakwater, Trampled By Turtles, Carbon Leaf, Quick Sand, Grady and Bobby Bare, Jr. The three friends then decided they wanted to explore a bigger sound and become a full band. Working under the name Flatbed, they augmented their sound with the addition of drums, electric guitar and other roots instruments. These changes added a layer of energy to live performances that rested on their songwriting bedrock. As the band grew, so did their audiences, and they went on to earn multiple Buffalo Music Award nominations over the last decade.

Their eponymously titled debut album (2007) "revealed an instantly likable, home-brewed, country-based collection of songs splitting the difference between the Cosmic American Music of Gram Parsons and New Riders of the Purple Sage and the folk-based country of Emmylou Harris," according to Jeff Miers of The Buffalo News.

In 2011, Flatbed released its second studio effort, Scratches and Dents. Offering a wide range of Americana styles, the album reflects the band's ability to incorporate many of rock 'n' roll's earliest influences into a modern, original sound. "Scratches and Dents," Jeff Miers wrote in his Buffalo News review, "is to Buffalo what Lucinda Williams' Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is to Austin, Texas."

Whether on stage or in the studio, Flatbed demonstrates the confidence that comes from decades of live performance experience and a genuine camaraderie that is easily recognizable. They are as comfortable playing in the smallest honky-tonks and juke joints as they are on the largest outdoor festival stages.