One of the biggest reasons for Knight Train's success has been their unique blending of various musical styles. They don't just play one type of music or another. They give their audience a little taste of everything to make sure that, at the end of the night, everyone has gotten their money's worth. Knight Train's musical mixture includes such styles as Zydeco, Swamp Pop, Cajun, Oldies, Rock and Roll, Country, and Louisiana Rhythm and Blues. The band combines all of these styles, adds a little high-energy flavor, and then blends everything together to form an unbeatable brand of "South Louisiana Party Music."
Knight Train was officially formed in 1999 by family members Charles, Janie, and Todd Knighten. The name "Knight Train," with a "K" on the front, had been a nick-name of different family members over the years, so the name seemed perfect for a "Knighten" family band. As soon as the remaining lineup was filled out, the new group began performing on the local club and festival circuits. It didn't take very long for Knight Train to become one of the most "in demand" bands in the area. Club owners and festival promoters quickly found out that this group could satisfy even the most demanding of audiences with their wide musical variety, and their energetic live shows.
As Knight Train's popularity began to grow, the band started branching out into new geographical areas. They had built a solid fan base in Louisiana, and were now beginning to perform outside of the bayou state in Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Before long, Knight Train was headlining festivals, fairs, dance halls, and private events throughout the entire Gulf Coast area and beyond. But no matter what new place or what type of event they were performing for, they always left town with a brand new group of diehard Knight Train fans.
In addition to keeping up with a non-stop performance schedule throughout the years, Knight Train has also spent considerable time in the recording studio. They have been a part of numerous recording projects that range from major CD releases, to small side projects. Along the way, they have collaborated with many well-known artists in various fields of music. The "Knight Train sound" has been called upon to beef up countless recordings and help push individual artists to new heights. In fact, Knight Train has spent so much time in the studio that they now have their own personal recording studio, and they run an independent record label in order to record and release projects at their own leisure.
As much recording success as Knight Train has enjoyed over the years, they still have yet to release a 100%, completely independent, "Knight Train album." Every project that they have done in the past has always been a collaboration of one kind or another. All of that is about to change, however. In 2009, Knight Train is set to release "Tailgatin' Two-Step." This all-original album will be the official debut CD from Knight Train. It will also be the first album to feature the band's drummer, Todd Knighten, pulling double-duty on lead vocals.
