Award-winning production company Left/Right is to produce one of the first original series for the forthcoming Magnolia Network, a joint venture between Discovery, Inc. and former Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Home on the Road is a six-episode series that follows husband and wife Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano Ramirez as they tour North America with their band JOHNNYSWIM, complete with son Joaquin (4) and daughter Luna (12 months) in tow.
The series will premiere as part of the network’s initial slate of original programming set to launch in October 2020.
Left/Right’s Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, and Anneka Jones are executive producers on the show, with Gino Tomac as Co-Executive Producer.
Left/Right also produce Discovery’s Life franchise, including Hawaii Life, Caribbean Life, and Island Life for HGTV, and The Zoo, The Zoo: San Diego, and The Aquarium for Animal Planet.
The Magnolia network will launch on October 4, 2020. Allison Page is the President of Discovery’s joint venture with Magnolia, the home and lifestyle brand led by Chip and Joanna Gaines, overseeing all programming, development and operations for the multiplatform media company that will comprise of linear television network Magnolia, and a TV Everywhere app. A subscription streaming service will debut at a later date.
Each week in Home on the Road, Abner and Amanda will dive into the culture, stories, and food of the city they’re touring. Viewers will be invited into the life of this magnetic family as they balance marriage, a growing family, and the everyday challenges and victories of pursuing their dream – all while working to establish their very own, unique sense of Home on the Road.
The series will highlight JOHNNYSWIM tour stops in Dallas, Jacksonville, Long Island, Chattanooga, Charleston, and Waco, Texas. Additional programming details will be announced in the coming months.
Known for their alternative sound, rock-like energy, and pop ambition, Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano Ramirez have been touring together as JOHNNYSWIM since 2005, captivating crowds around the world with their soulful anthems steeped in singer-songwriter tradition. These days, Abner and Amanda—accompanied by their two kids and their eight band and crew members— pile onto a tour bus for several weeks at a time, traveling the country in what they call “a small apartment on wheels.”
Chip and Joanna Gaines said: “Amanda and Abner are magnetic. Ever since we met them a little over five years ago, we’ve been drawn to the way they navigate family, community, and life on the road. They’re not just musicians, they’re storytellers and together, they are a true picture of the relentless pursuit of following a dream and making it a reality; but their dream doesn’t stop with them—it’s extended to their family and fans and everyone they meet.”
Abner and Amanda said: “When you’re on the road as much as we are, time spent at home starts to feel a lot like vacation. We decided early on that we want to spend as much time together as possible…so when we go on tour, we all go on tour. We’d be lying if we said the idea of traveling the country with your bandmates, a four-year-old and a 12-month-old wasn’t a little bit scary, but it’s all we know. No matter what, we’re going to make home on the road.”
Led by Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver, Left/Right are the award-winning New York based production company, with a slate that also includes “The Circus” (Showtime), New York Times series The Weekly (FX/Hulu), Ride with Norman Reedus (AMC) and Slow Burn (EPIX).