BENJAMIN TOD BREAKS HIS OWN MOLD WITH HELL I HAVE-(a honky tonk hammer dropped on Dec. 5th)

Benjamin Tod has built his name on the raw stuff—the kind of songwriting that sounds like it was carved straight out of bone and heartache. For years, fans came to him for the bruised truth, for the late-night honesty, for that unmistakable Lost Dog Street Band ache that always felt more confessional than commercial.

But on Dec. 5, Tod walked into the room with something different. Something meaner, groovier, and swagger-soaked. Something with sawdust on the floor instead of tears on the table.

“Hell I Have” isn’t just a new single.

It’s a pivot. A flex. A reminder that Benjamin Tod isn’t chained to any one style—he’s chained to the truth, and sometimes the truth shows up wearing a honky-tonk grin.

Produced by Shooter Jennings, the track comes stamped with that unmistakable Waylon Jennings DNA:

that low-end thump rolling like a stretched-out freight train, guitars twanging with outlaw mischief, a rhythm that dares you not to move, and a vocal performance that stays gritty without ever losing Tod’s soul. Shooter didn’t just sprinkle some “outlaw seasoning” on top—he built the whole damn thing like a tribute to the era when country music had steel bones and a black hat on its head. You can practically hear Waylon in the walls of this song: the looseness, the swagger, the barroom strut.

And here’s the magic:

Tod fits into that sound like he’s been waiting to wear it.

There’s still the weight of a man who’s lived through the dark and wrote his way out. There’s still the edge, the scars, the honesty. But now it’s riding alongside a groove that kicks like a mule, a sound meant for dancehalls, pool halls, and any Texas bar that still has cold beer and bad decisions on draft.

“Hell I Have” is a reminder that true artists don’t stay put. They evolve. They surprise you. They keep swinging. Benjamin Tod has always deserved respect.

But this track?

This is him stepping onto a bigger stage with his shoulders back, reminding country music that outlaw isn’t a costume—it’s a conviction.

If this is the direction he’s heading, then 2026 might just belong to him.

Outlaw Shit- Shooter Jennings and Benjamin Tod

Waylon once laid it down plain: “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand.” Later he slowed it into “Outlaw Shit,” the sound of a man realizin’ the ride was catchin’ up.

Now Shooter Jennings and Benjamin Tod got hold of it, and Lord, they didn’t just dust it off — they lit it on fire. Shooter’s outlaw blood rode it out like dusty boots draggin’ across a sawdust floor. Every note he lets loose feels like an ode to the bloodline he carries — same blood that once ribbed Willie Nelson for singin’ through his nose, but did it with love only outlaws can share.

Then Benjamin Tod steps in — and he’s spillin’ his guts on the table. That voice of his cuts jagged, like a rusted blade that still finds a way to cut your throat. Together, the two of ‘em don’t sound like a tribute act — they sound like the next chapter in the same rough western novel.

It ain’t pretty, it ain’t polished, but that’s the whole damn point. This cover don’t just honor Waylon — it brings him back to life, sittin’ right there by the fire with a crooked grin, noddin’ in approval.

Pancho.

Live from a Mile High

Live from a Mile High is the latest from Benjamin Tod and everyone’s favorite band, The Lost Dog Street Band. This collection of some of his best works to date recorded live in Denver. The album is available for streaming now on all platforms.. via 30 tigers.

Included in this playlist are some amazing covers. Tod puts a new twist on some classic tunes by the late Townes Van Zandt and Billy Joe Shaver.

I agree wholeheartedly with a statement I once heard , when Zach Welch covered one of Lost Dogs songs, September Doves..

It’s probably one of my favorite bands in the world, they’re so good- Zach Welch

To be honest I had only touched the surface of this band prior to hearing that statement by Welch. I was more impressed to dive in after a fan at a Vandoliers concert was wearing a Lost Dog Tee shirt.

This newest release would be a great starting point for anyone who likes the darker side of music.

Not a fan of Bro Country? Lost Dog is your band.

The fiddle and bass and the heart wrenching lyrics and sound keep me coming back time after time..

Survived

Is it true? Has the Lost Dog Street Band Survived its 2 year absence? When Benjamin Tod released the bands 2022 album, Glory, he thought it time to throw in the towel on his project and make it a go on his own. After releasing his solo album he felt a little different. Disappointed that he couldn’t be sharing these songs with his band.. the dark country blend The Lost Dog Street Band.

New development and just a little over 5 days in recording the Lost Dog Street Band plans to release Survived as soon as April 26th.

That day is personal to me for my own reasons but it’s definitely going to be a special one this year around with fresh lyrics from Tod and the band and the very same night I’ll find myself at Floores to celebrate my love at a Blackberry Smoke show.

Hubbardville store, the latest release off the new album drops today.

Pre order the full album now , I sure did

lostdogstreetband.com

Pancho