The Doohickeys

All Hat No Cattle

Forty Below Records

The Doohickeys consist of the singing and writing duo Haley Spence Brown & Jack Hackett. Haley hails from Liberty, Missouri, where she grew up training horses and helping out on her grandpa’s cattle farm. Jack grew up in a strict Japanese-American household in Atlanta, Ga. where you had to take your shoes off at the door when entering. The duo met at USC while working on the college television station’s satirical news show. One fateful evening, Jack was hosting their legendary Halloween party when Haley heard the sounds of Kenny Chesney echoing through the spookily decorated halls. Right then, they discovered their mutual love of country music and the next day wrote the song “I Wish My Truck Was Bigger”, “cause then I’d be like a man…my truck is big enough as long as my baby get’s where she’s goin'”; Ward Brown plays pedal steel, as the duo trades the lead vocal.

This is their album debut and it is produced, engineered and mixed by Eric Corne, at the Love Street Sound Studios in Glendale, California. Since launching their promotional content in June 2024, they have amassed over eight million views on Instagram and two million on TikTok. Their music video “Rein It In, Cowboy” won the American Songwriter Road Ready video competition; the song features great electric guitar from Jack Hackett; pedal steel from Jordan Bush; and the rhythm section of Adam Arcos, bass; and Matt Tecu, drums.

Nothing happenin’ that “Can’t Beat My Ol’ Beater” includes Taylor Krupp, resonator guitar; Jordan Bush, harmonica and banjo; and Eric Corne on harmony. “This Town Sucks” sounds great as this time Hackett provides the harmony to our duo “there is nothin’ to it…if you want to have some fun…this town sucks” with Phil Glenn on mandolin.

“I Don’t Give A Damn About Football” is an anthem that I personally disagree with, but I will admit it’s a fun song. “Farm Lawyer” featuring Ward Brown on pedal steel and Aubrey Richmond, fiddle; reminds me of a song from The Flying Burrito Brothers. On “Mr. Fix It” with Hackett on electric guitar, Jack sings “I can be mister fix it…if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. On the hilarious “Too Ugly To Hitchhike” Haley sings “I’m not trouble but I got my thumb sticking up…but I’m too ugly to hitchhike”.

On the title track the duo sings “he’s all hat and no cattle” once again with Richmond on fiddle. Another hilarious song is “Please Tell Me You’re Sleepin'” with Korey Simeone, fiddle; Bush on pedal steel; and Matt Safranek, baritone guitar, “please tell me your sleepin’ I hope that your not dead…or maybe I don’t want to know…he was in bed with Shirley, and she was givin’ him head, now I wish I were dead”. “You Can’t Dance” includes more great guitar from Hackett. On the closer “City Folk” with Hackett on acoustic guitar the duo croons “just because we’re from the city, don’t mean we ain’t country”, with more great banjo from Bush.

The Doohickeys have performed at notable venues such as the Bluebird Cafe, the Desert 5 Spot, The Hotel Cafe, and even at the prestigious Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. You can usually find them prowling around the LA music scene, delivering their unique spin on country music. The Doohickeys are a fun time.

Richard Ludmerer

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