Tucson Local Spotlight - Uncommon Crossroads

Based in Tucson, Arizona, Uncommon Crossroads features the singing and songwriting of Maree Montagnini. Her sound is inspired by the Appalachian music of her home state, Ohio, as well as outlaw country and southern rock influences.

Michael Tarquin on percussion brings a dynamic, unique, creative interpretation of the music.

Maree and Michael have been performing together since the band's inception and are frequently joined by talented guest performers. They've performed throughout the southwest and are currently expanding their tour lineup to new cities and venues.

The band released its first album in the summer of 2023. Hills and Highways highlights the group's country, rock, and folk sound. Their country single "What If We" is growing in popularity among fans of new-old country music. Dark Side features the indie folk inspired solo performance of Maree. In 2024, they debuted three singles. "Jeremiah" is a alt country, western murder ballad. "Muddy River" is a tribute to the long-standing tradition of river songs, featuring the group's country rock influences. "Devil You Know" ventures into indie rock, outlaw country territory.

What to expect during a show? A one of a kind, high energy, dynamic performance of familiar music set to the group's creative interpretation.

LISTEN TO UNCOMMON CROSSROADS

We asked Uncommon Crossroads 5 questions about their experiences as musicians in Tucson. Here's what they said:

What's your favorite venue to play in Tucson?

Maree: That's a tough question! We’ve performed at so many good ones and we like all of them for different reasons. Since I formed Uncommon Crossroads, almost 4 years ago, we've had the privilege of playing many great, supportive venues. Currently, I would say Corbett's, St. Philip's Plaza rank high because I love their stages and crowds. Your Mom's House on the Eastside has a really lovely community of friends and fans, so it's always a pleasure to perform there. If you head down to Tombstone, check out Tombstone Brewing. We've played many shows there and love going back because of the great people.

Michael: My favorite venue to play in Tucson is the Pima Country Fair. The people and food make it memorable.

What's the funniest thing that's happened during a performance?

Maree: Ha! That's easy. We put on a week's worth of St Patrick's Day/Irish music themed shows this year, and when we were performing at The Playground in downtown Tucson, my guitar strap fell off right in the middle of a song. My band rule is to never stop a song if at all possible...if you mess up, stay in rhythm and keep going. Well, I got to practice that! I'm standing on stage in front of the mic, singing and playing guitar in heels. As the guitar starts to fall, I catch it on my knee, and then balance it on one leg so I can keep playing. I was so determined to finish that song! Then my buddy Chris Kabisch jumped on stage and fixed it for me. So great to have friends, am I right? There's a video floating around our social media of it...way funnier to watch.

Michael: The funniest thing that happened during a show was two adult men engaging in fist fight over a dog barking.

Maree: Oh, that was hilarious! It was one of those stage moments where I'm like, "Do I stop the song and go do something? Or keep going so no one notices the drama?"

What's your first memory as a musician?

Maree: Piano! Hundreds of years as a kid, taking enforced piano lessons! They all blur together, those Bastien series piano books with their horrendous illustrations. I remember thinking as a kid that no one would take me seriously as a musician until I was allowed to play something that WASN'T Bastien series. Then I discovered guitar as a teenager and taught myself to play and sing, as a way to decompress from playing piano. I am very glad I took piano lessons because it taught me a lot about music theory.

I'll also never forget the first time I heard country music on the radio. My parents were pretty conservative and didn't allow us to listen to the radio. So I decided to be a rebellious teenager one day lol, and started scrolling through local FM stations. 98.7 in Steubenville Ohio was playing Alabama's "Born Country," and it was literally the first time I'd ever heard country music. Ha, I was probably 15. But yeah, it was then that I decided that was my style of music.

Michael: First music memory was in Tucson, being told I wasn’t good enough to play with the band at the church. That inspired me to practice more often.

What's your favorite song to perform:

Maree: So many! I love playing "Flowers on the Wall" because everyone knows it but hasn't heard it in a long time, and our cover of it is pretty fun. I'm a huge Johnny Cash fan so I love playing "Folsom Prison" and "Ring of Fire." "Devil's Right Hand" is a lesser known song of his we have fun with. "Delta Dawn" by the amazing Tanya Tucker is a personal favorite of mine for our band because our drummer, Michael Tarquin, created a cool drum part of it that you won't hear in the original version. It always makes me happy when Tyler Childers' "Lady May" comes up on the setlist... there's something magical about that song. I wish I wrote it lol.

From our originals, I love the energy in the chorus to "Bourbon Looking Glass." I always feel like a badass when I sing that. It's on Spotify. Playing "Jeremiah," a new single we recorded with Bryan Russell-Lowe and released last year, makes me feel like a good songwriter. It's a western murder ballad and one I'm proud of having written. We're currently working on recording a recent song I wrote, "Roll On." I love playing that one because I like how I wrote the guitar parts. Plus, Michael's drums are pretty cool on it. Lastly, it's fun to play the country bridge in our new outlaw country song, "Muddy River." It's just so unexpected.

Michael: My favorite song to preform is CCR's “Bad Moon Rising.” The tempo and the familiarity of the lyrics engage the audience every time.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Maree: Don't take things personally. You really have to separate out your feelings from your job in this industry. You get told no 10 times for every time you get a yes. If you take that personally, you'll never make it. You'll lose heart, get discouraged, quit. The way to win at this is to simply stay in the game, looking for ways to progress, and keep working at it. The only way you lose is if you quit. But it's easy to quit if you don't keep your feelings positive. Being told no can be discouraging if you take it personally, so when you meet a no, move on, let it go, do something else, and try again later.

Michael: Best piece of advice I was given by a musician was “stand out or sit out.”

For more information about their music, upcoming shows, or booking inquiries, you can visit their website at www.uncommoncrossroads.com.

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