Bluesy R&B Unfiltered: Tribz Bring Southern Heat & Indigenous Power With “Long Black Cadillac”
Sometimes the funkiest, fiercest music comes from the most unexpected places — like a garage jam during COVID that led to Long Black Cadillac, the newest release from Indigenous Bluesy Rock collective TRIBZ. This tight four-piece unit is more than just a band — they’re a genre-melting powerhouse of lived history, raw groove, and unshakable heart. And in an industry that still doesn’t know where to place bands like them, TRIBZ is carving out their own lane — with whitewall tires and a V8 engine.
Composed of Errol Starr Francis (vocals), Earl Johnson (guitar), Donny Hill (bass), and Dave Davidson (drums), TRIBZ blends their deep roots in Six Nations and Hamilton with decades of blues, Motown, southern rock, reggae, and R&B lineage. Juno winners and nominees, Indigenous trailblazers, and genre-defiers — they’ve shared stages with everyone from King Biscuit Boy to AC/DC, Big Sugar to Blue Rodeo. But their most important legacy is the one they’re building together, now.
The single Long Black Cadillac is as much a statement of intent as it is a sonic ride. “We want the listener to come for a ride in our Long Black Cadillac,” the band says. It all started with Earl’s riff in Dave’s garage.
“We jumped into the groove,” they recall. From there, the lyrics took shape — fun, soulful, and drenched in southern imagery. Lines like “Silky black stockings be lookin’ so fine, I can’t hide what’s on my mind” and “Since the day you came around, my bad boy image came crashing down” marry cheeky nostalgia with heartfelt confessions.
The track pulses with sweat and swagger, pulling listeners into a world where moss hangs from trees, stilettos click down humid streets, and love rides shotgun in a long black Cadillac. Errol’s smooth-as-honey vocals glide across the beat, channeling his Juno-winning soul/R&B chops with a gospel-tinged grit. “Errol takes us to places where Georgia peaches grow and that Southern Belle is waiting for us to get back to where we used to be,” they explain.
Each member brings their own fire:
Errol Starr Francis (Adopted ASMINTI Metis member) is best known for the Soul/R&B hit “Angel,” and delivers every note like it’s a sermon.
Earl Johnson (Six Nations Tuscarora) cut his teeth with King Biscuit Boy and Moxy, and his blues-rock attack is fierce and fluid.
Dave Davidson (Hamilton native) toured globally with The American Rogues, anchoring every beat with the depth of four decades.
Donny Hill (Six Nations Mohawk) has played with Murray Porter and the cast of RUMBLE, his fretless bass laying down seismic soul.
TRIBZ is fiercely proud of their Indigenous heritage. “Earl and Donny are Six Nations tribe members. Errol is an adopted member of ASMINTI,” they affirm. “We were all born on Turtle Island.” Their work doesn’t just entertain — it uplifts the power of Indigenous music in the present, outside the boxes and expectations.
Why are people falling in love with TRIBZ? Because their sound defies categories. Because their funk is raw, their stories are real, and their spirit is unstoppable. And it’s catching on — one groove at a time. As they put it: “Take me home, Long Black Cadillac.” This band is on the move — and the world is along for the ride.