BIOS

John Lacy

Vocals/Bouzouki/Lap Steel/Guitar/Harmonica/Banjo

John was born in the desert of South West Arizona, and raised in the lion’s den of Southern California. Mom, the church organist, and Dad, in a barbershop quartet, played him records like the Oklahoma and West Side Story soundtracks. John’s older brother played him records by The Beatles and Jethro Tull. Then, one day, his brother played him “Johnny B. Goode” and everything changed. John and his buddy Rudy Mejarado discovered Doctor Demento and John found his way to the Clash, David Bowie, The Kinks, The Ramones for “a penny.” All that was before his brother took him to see his first Dead show. Innumerous Dead shows later, he has played around California in a variety of bands for the last 30 years; from punk to jam band to Irish folk. He grows with every style of music he gets to play. The result of this musical inclusiveness is an approach to writing songs that evade any particular style. Either way, it's a good time... Honest.

 

David Rasner

Vocals/Bottleneck Guitar/Mandolin/Percussion

Dave was born in Spain. In 1972, a hippie boarder who was staying at his Abuela’s house gave him a Mad Magazine and his first record: a heavily scratched copy of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. He also remembers how much he loved when his dad played Al Green’s Full of Fire and even better when dad put on his harmonica holder and played Jimmy Reed songs for Dave. When the family moved to the states and Dave started playing his dad’s guitar, dad finally let him have the 3 records he had wanted: Bobby Bland and B. B. King Together Again...Live, The Best of Muddy Waters, and Lightning Hopkins’ (Folkways Label). Those were his Mel Bay books. His dad also turned him onto the Ink Spots and Harry Belafonte. High School brought New Wave, Van Halen, The Stray Cats, X, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Two Tone into his life . The Vaughan Brothers shifted him off his whole musical axis; leading him back to the blues; and, eventually, to his sensei David Bernstein. Bernstein showed him Wynonie Harris, Little Willie John, Little Milton, et. al., Flint’s BBQ, and Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe meatball subs. But, everything changed when J. Sampietro gave him a copy of Ry Cooder’s Borderline. Everything. Ry remains Dave’s idol, his guitar teacher/guru, and his portal to the great underappreciated American songbook. Through almost all of this, John has been there for him. He really is his untucked soul brother.

 

Michael Wise

Drums

Born in the Central Valley of California in 2001, Michael Wise was raised by a gigging father who showed him the ropes and what it means to follow your passion. He grew up listening to Dave Mathew’s Band and Petra but High school changed everything for him. He was introduced to Jazz. Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, and Max Roach taught him feel. Then, it was the rush of Black Sabbath and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Then, when he had it all figured out, he fell in love with Roots Reggae. The economy of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh re-introduced him to feel and taught him the power of resistance and "I and." Michael has played with Green Machine, No Voodoo and a host of bands throughtout the valley. 
 

 

Tom hardin

Bass/Saxophone

Tom’s family came to Tulare County on wagon trains and has been farming ever since. When he was just five years old, he was struck by an epiphany that there was nothing happening around him. At all. Every time he put on the radio there was nothin' goin' down at all, not at all. Then one fine morning, he read the f***ing book, and his life was changed by rock and roll. Since then, he spent his childhood battling sax addiction, slapping strange bass every night, and looking forward to running away on a Phish tour. Early projects included playing trumpet for jazz big bands and joining forces with blues legend Cole Fonseca. When he wasn’t listening to reggae and bowling in college, he was playing bass with Mycology and other jazz combos. His degree from Cal finally prepared him for his lifelong dream of becoming a ski bum. He is currently recording his debut album and praying the state doesn’t cut off his groundwater. #buycutiesnothalos.