Drivin' South

Band Members:
James: Born and raised in Waukegan, James was the product of a family of prodigious musical ability, with a mother who excelled at piano and siblings all of whom are in bands or other preformance endeavors. But unlike the rest of his family, James was drawn to the blues and R&B, finding in that music the groove that made him move, and a spirit that captivated his own soul. And it also let him perform in colorful vests -- a little known passion of his. With piercing lyrics, and an unmatched intensity and focus, James drives the mood of the band and the crowd at once into a unified force that can threaten to bring the house down! He is the quintessential frontman, and he is Drivin' South's voice!

Scott: Scott's love for the guitar started around the time Drivin' South got its start. A self-taught musician, his addiction to guitar began back in 1991. Scott spent many a night travelling around to open-mic nights at many different dives, bars, and clubs.Through the years he has been most strongly influencdd by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddy King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Tab Benoit, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, and Buddy Guy. His love of music started with the blues, which provided him with the challenge of developing a skill similar to his favorite artists. Formerly the guitarist for The Eric George Band, Scott has been fortunate enough to open for many well-known blues artists such as Ronnie and Lonnie Baker Brooks, Matt Guitar Murphy, Sun Seals, Walter Trout, and Billy Branch. Playing around such artists has deepened his sense of and respect for the guitar. Scott's reputation as a quality musician has been built on appearances at Buddy Guy's Legends and other Chicagoland venues. Scott plays vintage Fender Telecaster guitars through Fender amps.

Myles: Myles started playing guitar at the age of 13, teaching himself to play along with his parents' large collection of records spanning many different styles. He joined his first band, the punk rock outfit Gainsay, out of Waukegan, IL, at 14. He played in Gainsay for five years until the band broke up in 1994. Playing in Gainsay taught him valuable skills that would push his later development such as putting song elements together, lyric writing, and above all, the ins and outs of live performances and touring. After Gainsay disbanded Myles turned his attention to the blues, relentlessly playing at home with blues records, trying to improve his skills. Two years later he began jamming with Scott in his parents' basement. Soon, Scott asked Myles to join a band he was in -- the band that later became Drivin' South -- and Myles has been playing with them ever since. Myles continually works to improve his playing through theory lessons and good old fashioned hard work. His favorite musician is Wes Montgomery, but his playing is also heavily influenced by Albert King, B.B. King, Freddy King, Jimi Hendrix and Kenny Burrell.

Tony: Being a drummer can be a thankless job. The times are long and quiet in between the perceptive fans who take notice and comment on the ever solid, and never dull, driving beats that create a stage for the music to stand upon. Tony started in high school band, and never again let the sticks drop. He was the drummer for the Eric George band, prior to that band's break-up, along with current Drivin' South guitarist Scott Miscenic. That familiarity lends additional chemistry to the already harmonious bond between the bandmates. Today he also continues to make appearances with the local Orchestra in between his times with the band. His mastery of the drums and his ingenuity in developing lines is so much a part of the band's writing process that it is almost criminal that his work can get forgotten when the troupe is tearin' it up in front of a crowd. But the band never forgets, and neither should you!

Jeff: Jeff's interest in music started with classical guitar before he eventually moved on to electric guitar in college, where he spent most of his time developing as loud of a sound as possible. But in 1991 he stumbled on a bass guitar and was hooked. He spent that summer playing along with his collection of Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, working to be more than just another frustrated-guitarist-turned-bassist. After college, he would divide his time between bass and guitar in an experimental muscial collective where his primary focus was creating sonically chaotic jams. Then one day in the mid-90s, an odd chain of events found Jeff playing bass in James' basement with some other musicians. Several years later, that chance encounter led James to look Jeff up when Drivin' South was in serach of a new bassist. Excited about the opportunity to play in an established band he quickly signed up -- what comes next, time will tell. Jeff plays American Fender Jazz basses through SWR amps and whatever cabinets he can find.

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