Artist Spotlight is a segment that we started to introduce our readers to some deserving up and coming artists/bands. They have made an impact on us for all of the right reasons. We think they kick ass, and we hope you do too! Let’s shine the spotlight on Detroit country rockers Ghost Town Marshalls.
Ghost Town Marshalls are Kimberly Spears (vocals/keyboards), Phil Figlioli (guitar), Ron Frank (bass) and Joe Goleski (drums/vocals).
Based just outside of Detroit, MI., and forming in the fall of 2022, Ghost Town Marshalls came together through a mix of long‑time musical partnerships and a bit of fate. Phil, Joe, and Ron had played together for years when a Facebook ad in December 2022 brought Kimberly in the mix to complete the band. When Kimberly went in for an audition, it was an immediate connection for her and the band. “People told me I was nuts for going to a stranger’s basement for a blind audition,” says Kimberly, “but it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made. We’ve been like family ever since.”
These four musicians have a shared love of the last five decades of great music. Their sound blends country rock with the spirit of 70s–2000s rock, outlaw country grit, the influence of iconic female voices, and the timeless energy of classic American songwriting.
We sat down with Kimberly from Ghost Town Marshalls for a short, but fun Q&A session.
Every superhero or villain has an origin and a band is no different minus the radioactive spiders and secret government experiments. What is the origin of Ghost Town Marshalls?
Ghost Town Marshalls started in fall of 2022 as a group of people who knew each other through other musical projects and wanted to start a country band. In December of 2022 Kimberly put out on a Michigan Musician’s Facebook page she was looking to join a band and went out to audition. That night the chemistry just clicked and we have been playing together ever since. Ron, Phil and Joe have played out for many years and Kimberly is newer to the gig scene but loving every minute. Kimberly mainly played in church up until that time and has heavy gospel influences and the guys have all done different projects in country and classic rock. Our collective sound reflects our collective musical influences which we believe is unique and authentic to who we are.
Band names can have a meaning or it can be a name pulled out of a hat. What’s the story behind Ghost Town Marshalls?
A friend of ours came up with the name and we ran with it. We created the logo and feel it represents us as a group. Country rock. All the elements of country through the ages with the western imagery and the skull pulls in the classic rock sprinkle we are known for. We are also fans of outlaw country and of course the name Ghost Town Marshalls and our logo with “Skully” as we call him incorporates that.
What are you currently working on?
We are currently working on writing more songs and playing out as much as we can! We simply love sharing live music with people and that is always our ultimate purpose with the band. We have worked very hard on the releases for 2026 and are shooting for more in 2027!
We love cereal, especially at night. For some odd reason, it seems to taste better then. Do you have a favorite cereal?
My all time favorite cereal is Waffle Crisp. It tastes like a Saturday morning with no school and nothing to do but play outside and watch cartoons to me.
If you have any tattoos, what was your very first one and does it have any meaning behind it?
My very first tattoo is a treble clef and bass clef on my left shoulder blade. I’m a piano player and those are the clefs piano music is written in. It means a lot to me because I feel like music is just in my veins and part of my identity so of course I wanted it permanently on my body. I have many tattoos and other musical ones.
