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 says. “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 celebrate the release of their debut album, “Some Road,” on Friday, March 18, at Roosters in Mesa.
“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 says. “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 says. “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 play it, I found it was way 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 says. “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, pedal 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 says.
“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 says.
“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.”
Besides Roosters, Last Train to Juarez has a host of shows scheduled. They’re booked in Rocky Point, Mexico, monthly at Wrecked at the Reef. They’re opening for Josh Morningstar, Dallas Moore, Creed Fisher and Darryl Worley. 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 says.
“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 says he could pen pop radio songs to “make it big.”
“It ain’t about the destination,” he says. “It’s about the ride, and so far the ride has been epic.”
Music is in his blood
Sometimes Knezevic can’t help but be drawn to music. In 2014, he visited Bosnia and, when he arrived, he was wired due to the time zone changed. From his families’ village, he could hear the faint sounds of music.
“Everyone else was asleep,” he says. “I put a couple beers in my pockets and hands. I figured there was a party or show going on. You have to remember, we’re in a village, not in a town. I crossed fields, creeks and a two-lane highway to find this music.
As he approached, he could see a fair amount of people under a canopy. He was concerned it was a Croatian, Muslim or Serbian party.
“That definitely matters,” he says. “I tucked my Serbian cross inside of my shirt. If they asked, I was going to say I’m American. I saw two Serbian flags, so I took the necklace out of my shirt.”
As he walked up, the crowd formed around him.
“It was 1 a.m. and they were probably thinking, ‘Who the hell is this guy who just walked out of the wood?’” he says with a laugh.
“I speak it fluently, but they could hear the accent. Apparently, it was a big party for two sons who were getting ready to go into the military. The military is obligatory. It was a big celebration with bands, they were roasting pigs, it was incredible. I’m sitting there trying to explain.”
Then, a “little old lady” walked up to him and slapped him after he shared his story of walking through the woods and down the road by the refinery.
“I thought, ‘Great, these people are going to kill me now,’” he recalls. “In Serbian, she says, ‘You (expletive) idiot. That’s all mined from the war, you moron. Keep him here until it’s daylight. Feed him well. Show him what an idiot he is. In the morning, they threw me in the car, and every 15 feet there was skull and crossbones on a pole.”
Last Train to Juarez
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Friday, March 18
WHERE: Roosters, 3731 E. Main Street, Mesa
COST: Free admission
INFO: 480.985.4088, roosterscountrybar.net
