Alabama native Ruel Russell rocked the bass guitar with notable Texas acts St. Vitus Dance, Slow Children, and Bone Simple. Since 2002, Ruel has been bassist and vocalist with The Madisons.
Lee hails from East Texas and has been playing drums with Ruel in St. Vitus Dance, Slow Children and Bone Simple since 1992. Lee joined the Madisons in 2002 on drums, vocal, and songwriting.
keys and vocal – Lizzie comes from Houston, Texas where she started out as a studio musician/engineer with Digital Services and ZZ Top. Lizzie worked on recording projects with Miles Copeland, ZZ Top, Timbuk3, Little Joe y la Familia, The Geto Boyz, Clint Black, Van Wilks, Placido Domingo, Andy Johns, and worked backstage on the tours of Michael Jackson & ZZ Top. Also, she recorded and performed live with Timbuk 3 before starting The Madisons in 1995.
"The creation of enigmatic producer/musician/performer Lizzie Harrah, the Madisons retain a lazy, altogether intimate feel. But the guys are kept on their toes by Harrah's nimble piano work and sultry, sentimental originals, which run the gamut from loungey swing and saloon-style ragtime jazz to simmering rhythm and blues, and the occasional soul/pop torch ballad."
Hobart Rowland – Music Editor The Houston Press
“…Close your eyes and you’ll smell the smoke-filled rooms where forbidden lovers dance cheek to cheek to the sounds of today, riding the rhythm rails of yesteryear…”
Jinelle Boyd, Editor, My Texas Music
“…Her (Lizzie Harrah) smoky-smooth vocals drip all over the lyrics and melody with confidence, presence, and sincere conviction. She works it like the pro she is and flows in and around the music….He (Ruel Russell) and drummer Lee Hamilton nail down the rhythm section like a pair of psycho twins linked together at the groove. They are beyond tight. Together they are a band themselves.”
Bob Wall, Space City Rock
"Lizzie Harrah and Ruel Russell are the core members of this group that hailed out of Houston, Texas for many years, where The Madisons was one of the favorite acts in the region.
Lizzie Harrah is a musical story in and of herself. A composer (scoring and engineering numerous compositions for commercial advertising clients), recording artist (voice and keys talent for Timbuk3, Michael Jackson, and ZZ Top amongst many), and studio ace (having spent
seventeen years working solely for ZZ Top where she pre-produced, arranged, engineered, and mixed their studio sessions)."
GoTriCities