Cody Beebe & The Crooks, a Roots Rock band made up of seven local musicians, launched their first true national tour on Saturday with a show at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Saturday was a triple celebratory event as it also marked Cody Beebe's birthday and the band's two year anniversary.

"It's a huge show for us," said Tyler Paxton.

Their two-moth tour will take them across the country and includes some big showcasing opportunities. In L.A. they'll be showcasing at Triple A radio alongside K.D. Lang and Iron and Wine, and in March they'll hit up SXSW at The Texas RockFest.  

They will also be playing at the conclusion of the Galveston Mardi Gras celebrations.

"We're really hoping to make an impact down there," lead singer Cody Beebe said.

"We're really excited to get down there. We're just excited to hear some good music and share ours," added pianist Aaron Myers.

The band said they're unsure what to expect but they've been told frequently by fans that their music will fit in with the Texas music scene.

Self-labelled as a "Steve Earle meets Pink Floyd band", the band takes gritty and emotional song writing and pairs it with intricate music.

"We call ourselves roots rock but we're a mix of country, blues, and rock," said Beebe. "For a lot of us we would get really bored playing in a tight boundaries and we want to be clear that we're not a pop country band by any means."

In December, the band used the power of their music to bring cheer and hope to those who need it most. Playing a concert at Nickelsville, Cody Beebe & the Crooks turned the spotlight on Seattle's homeless issues and launched a national campaign to give hope to all who are going through economic hard times with a deeply reflective song titled “Nine to Chain.” 

"It was an eye-opening and humbling experience to hear what they're going through," lead singer Cody Beebe said about playing at Nickelsville.

As part of the campaign, the band asked people to share their stories of hard times. These stories have been collected and are featured in the upcoming music video shot last month by Seattle-based video production company, Fueled Creative.

“This song is THE anthem for what is going on in the country right now, people need to hear it and see it," said Fueled’s Executive Producer, Bret Nielsen in a press release.

With their music video slated to be released in April and a national tour, 2011 is a big year for the band.

Unsigned and independent, Paxton said the members run the band like a business.

"We all have a task," he said. "We've put all our eggs in the basket. We're full time musicians and we all feel good about where we're at."

Their independently produced record "Friends of the Old Mil" was recorded last year with legendary producer and engineer Jonathan Plum (Candlebox, Blind Melon, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) and is available on iTunes and Amazon.

While the band names The Tractor and Nectar Lounge among their favorite venues, the dream is to play at the Moore.

"It's a big dream but it's attainable in the next few years," Beebe said.

For more information about the band and tour dates, please visit www.codybeebeandthecrooks.com