By Brandi Makuski

Three years after parting ways, Stevens Point-based Tuscan Road is returning to the stage.

For now, at least.

The local country band said goodbye to their fans in a Nov. 22, 2014 tweet reading, “Happy trails…. to you…..”, but now, frontman Kevin Moore said the band is prepping for a series of three local gigs.

“It’s almost three years to the day; three Halloweens since we’ve been together,” said Moore, lead vocalist and guitarist for the band. “I felt like the time was right for a reunion, but right now we’re coming back just for fun.”

Moore will be joined onstage by bandmates Brian Boehlen (drums/vocals) guitarist Tom Salin and bass player Paul Bannach.

“The touring Tuscan Road was a four piece, and it’s the same four-piece you’ll see at the reunion,” Moore added.

Tuscan Road was fast-becoming a Wisconsin favorite, being awarded the Wisconsin State Country Band Championship at the 2011 Hodag Country Music Festival, and later voted the No. 1 Local Band on WISNs A-List Awards in Milwaukee. In 2012, Point Brewery became a formal sponsor for the band.

After that, the group shared a stage with multiple big-name country acts, to include Joe Nichols, Neal McCoy, Sawyer Brown, Lee Brice, and Thompson Square. Soon, Moore said, the band was being courted by professional music managers in Nashville.

“But that would mean being in someone else’s pocket,” Moore said. “That’s not what I wanted; it took me a long time to build this.”

Soon, Moore said the stress of touring and internal personality conflicts took their toll, and it was time for a break.

“I gave up everything in my life for this band, but I became someone I didn’t want to work with,” he said. “I didn’t want to be stuck in a rut of doing the same thing everywhere; I felt like if something didn’t change, then nothing at all would.”

Moore said the band has finalized its set list, which includes some new music. But he stopped short of dropping any hints as to the group’s future.

“This is it: this is a reunion for people who didn’t get a chance to come see us before,” he said. “After that, I don’t know.”

Tuscan Road is scheduled to play at The Bar in Wausau on Nov. 22; Rookies Sportspub in Stevens Point on Nov. 24; and Granite Peak Ski Area on Nov. 25. All three shows begin at 9 PM.

For the show at Rookies, 3425 Church St., doors open at 8 PM. Tickets are $10 in advance from brownpapertickets.com or $15 door.

Tickets and times for the Wausau-area shows can be found on the band’s Facebook page.