Archtop Brownie
144 plays
12,291 views
12,291 views
Fred Blacksmith, Lance Brown, Brad Rodger and Dan Lopata love the blues. But our approach has something else - a vast collection of tongue-in-cheeck original tunes that spoof everything from male insecurity and sibling rivalries to seductions gone bad and the aging process. We think we are the perfect mix of art and entertainment - Musical, Insightful and Fun!Band/artist history
Although the rest of the band members contend that guitarist,LANCE BROWN (composer of “The Dan Ryan Blues”) is the genetic spawn of the Roswell incident of 1948, he was in fact just born in that New Mexico town some 61 years ago. A professional musician and actor for over thirty years it was the visage of him playing his vintage archtop Gibson guitar that inspired the name for the band.
A year ago, Lance went looking for a harmonica player. He put an ad on the bulletin board at the Old Town School of Folk Music and who should respond but a floral designer with an art degree BRAD RODGER. Brad, a student of the great Joe Falisko, joined Lance in attending various blues jam sessions throughout Chicago.
It was at one of these jams that the two were approached by bassist, DAN LOPATA a maintenance supervisor for a not-for-profit organization based in Oak Park. Dan was busy assuring the smooth operation of several facilities while attending blues jams in his off time. A singer and songwriter in his own right, Dan draws inspiration from his wife, three kids and four dogs while living in Bucktown, USA.
Now it gets interesting. Last January Lance and Brad were walking through O’Hare while returning from North Carolina where they served as accompanists to Chicago jazz singer, Bobbi Wilsyn. A fellow, noticing Lance’s very old guitar case, walked up and said, “Hey a guy that has a guitar that old must know how to play it.” It was the man who was fated to be our drummer, FRED BLACKSMITH. He scrawled his number on a piece of paper and said that he had been a road musician on and off for over 30 years. This is ironic in that he is now the senior pastor of the Abundant Life Christian Fellowship of Park Forest. Fred does nothing half way - be it pastoring, martial arts, rock climbing, skydiving or playing music. Currently he is living under the illusion that the rest of us will be OK.Have you performed in front of an audience?Play everything from private parties to outdoor concerts for park districts and block parties around Chicago. As night clubs go, we make a weekly appearance on Wednesday nights at a little Italian Restaurant called "The Baked Tomato" on the 4300 block of North Elston in Chicago. Our special moment happens every time one of the local radio stations plays our drive time ditty the "Dan Ryan Blues" which spoofs the traffic disaster created by the reworking of the Dan Ryan Expressway in our fair city.
Your musical influences
Our influences range from Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee to modern performers like Tom Waits, Dr. John and Ray Charles. We're not loud but not too soft either. We like to hit that middle ground where the instruments have presence but you can still hear the lyrics which to us are important.What equipment do you use?
Got a PA, some guitars, harmonicas and drums. Not really gearheads but the stuff is good.. you know, names like Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Hohner, Piaste, etc.Anything else?
Come visit our website at www.lancestunes.com
144 plays
12,291 views
12,291 views
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Lance
@lance brown
