Hailing from the Annapolis/Baltimore area and just barely qualifying for status below the Mason-Dixon Line, The Cheaters have nailed down the patois of classic southern rock, both musically and lyrically.

This foursome from Maryland sounds more like they were raised somewhere near 1970s Georgia, alongside The Allman Brothers' boys and any number of members from Lynyrd Skynyrd (be it the original outfit or today's tribute band), with their hard-driving electric guitar riffs, rugged vocals and songs that serve as odes to the Big Easy and the fiercest of black label whiskeys.

Juggling deft chord progressions and twangy guitar rifts, The Cheaters' sound is deep-fried southern rock, injected with more than just a pinch of Texas Pete to spice things up.

Tracks like Lovin' (which shouts lines like "Hey Mama leave a window open into my room / when you come on in girl that love's gonna start up soon") and Peaches (with its not-so-subtle metaphors about sweet Georgia peaches: "I can't leave them alone / so soft and sweet") are rough and tough, appealing to fans who favor situations where they can play hard to get.

The arresting quartet has played alongside notable acts like ZZ Top (whose influence can be heard in Can't Read Your Mind ), REO Speedwagon, and the ferocious females of the tribute band Lez Zeppelin (coincidentally enough, the original iconic rockers are one of The Cheaters' number one influences). And while the majority of their sound is jagged-edge bluesy rock, there's some more modern aspects added to the mix, like the Spin Doctor-y stutter in the aforementioned Lovin’ ("We can do all these things we've been dr- dr- dreaming of"). And to increase their musical scope even more, just this summer the four flew to Lithuania, where they were a smashing success at the 2008 SaltSound Festival.

A smorgasbord of infectious electric guitar solos, bluesy drum beats and rugged, energized vocals, The Cheaters truly, bluely master the southern rock sound.

Featured Tracks:
Lovin'
Cheatin'