 
www.jimyrogers.com
www.patsmillie.com
"The
jammin'est band in Chicago!"
Blue Truth combines 1 part rock, 1 part blues, and 1 part soul and
shakes it up into a new blend that is guaranteed to satisfy. Hot and
sweaty vocals, searing guitar, cranking organ and pianos, with the
"bomb squad" rhythm section holds it all down and keeps it funky.
Their sets can go from fast rockin' blues to soul and funk and when
the jammin' starts, they can veer off into an improvised list of the
History of Rock with a little Summer of Love and some MTV classics
mixed in.
The Chicago Sun Times calls vocalist Jimy Rogers (legendary
blue-eyed soul singer with the Mauds) "a bundle of dynamite." The
Chicago Reader recently described him as the "sweaty soul-rock front
man personified."
Click HERE
for more on Jimy's history with the Mauds.
Guitarist Gary Gand has been called the "Jeff Beck" of Chicago rock
players, and his virtuosity is the product of over 30 years on the
Chicago music scene, both live and studio. Joan Gand, known for her
keyboard work in the 70's prog rock band Graced Lightning, and has
returned to her roots to play classic Hammond B-3 Booker T-style
organ and bluesy piano. This musical couple are the owners of Gand
Music and Sound,
www.gand.com
one of Chicago's premiere music stores.
New discovery Graham Nelson, a recent transplant to the mid-west
from the East coast, adds the icing on the cake with his soulfull
harp and vocals. Bass and drums are covered by the "bomb squad," one
of Chicago's most respected rhythm sections: R Kelly alumnus Joel
Treadwell on drums/veteran Steve Nevets on bass.
The Midwest "super group" has recorded two live CDs, a third on the
way, appeared on Comcast Cable, and are regulars at Gabe’s Backstage
Lounge, Reggies Music Joint and on the Midwest Blues & Rock Festival
summer circuit. Their music has been featured several times on Greg
Easterling's "American Backroads" radio show. Jimy Rogers was
recently interviewed on the WGN radio show, the Secret History of
Chicago Music, and featured in the Chicago Reader.
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Born in Detroit, Pat Smillie, was the first of two
children born to young parents Ronald (an iron
worker) and Rose Marie Smillie (an administrative
assistant at General Motors). Some of Pat’s earliest
musical memories included sitting in front of the
radio with his dad to listen to the music of classic
Detroit-based artists such as The Temptations,
Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Mitch Ryder. Pat’s
interest in singing and writing songs developed
through his early teens while making music with
assorted friends and relatives. In 1986, during his
junior year at Detroit Catholic Central High School,
Pat joined his first rock & roll band!
In 1992, Smillie moved to Chicago. He soon began
sitting in at various blues clubs across the city.
In 1994, he met a popular south side
guitarist/vocalist named Vance Kelly at the
Checkerboard Lounge. The group’s musical versatility
and Vance’s natural charisma on stage made them one
of the city’s
most popular draws. Kelly soon took Pat under his
wing, and during this period, Pat performed with
Kelly’s band in many of Chicago’s south side blues
lounges (e.g., The Checkerboard Lounge and Lee’s
Unleaded Blues). In 1996, Pat Smillie booked his
first headlining gig at The Tyrone Davis
Entertainment (with Tyrone’s blessing).
In 1996, Pat accepted a Wednesday night residency at
The Checkerboard Lounge. His group opened for r&b
vocalist, Andre Williams during his comeback
performance at The Beat Kitchen. Williams co-wrote
such soul music classics as “Jail Bait”, “Shake Your
Tail Feather” and Alvin Cash’s “Twine Time”. Since
then Pat Smillie has served as a supporting act for
blues legends such as Koko Taylor, Robert Cray,
Bobby Rush, and original “Blues Brother” Dan Aykroyd
(who performed at The Vic Theater with Jim Belushi
and their “Have Love Will Travel” Revue). In 2001,
Chicago R&B legend, Tyrone Davis, joined the band on
stage during a gig on Chicago’s west side. Pat and
his background vocalists provided back-up vocals for
Mr. Davis as he performed “Turning Point”, “Turn
Back the Hands of Time”, and “Mom’s Apple Pie”.
In May 2003, Pat and the band celebrated the release
of their first full-length CD, Letter to Hampton
(Fat Bank Music). By March/April 2004, the CD
reached the #21 slot on Living Blues Magazine’s TOP
25 album chart after garnishing airplay on blues
radio shows across the country.
Pat Smillie’s most recent CD release, Down by the
River (2007), is available for purchase through his
website:
www.patsmillie.com
Tickets
are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
Price does not include ticket service fee.
BUY TICKETS |
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