While working at Mugshot’s in Starkville, co-workers Garland Burton and Hunter Lawler thought about starting a small blues band. Since the bar Whiskey Blues was close to opening and there were no local blues bands in Starkville Burton and Lawler’s new band was the house band by default. They quickly gained other gigs as word spread about the band.
Originally playing only the blues to covering the likes of the Allmand Brothers to Al Green, Jimi Hendrix and the Band of Gypsies, The Who and Eric Clapton.
Originally the band included Jamison Hollister, of Mayhem String Band fame, on bass. Now, Hollister still makes guest appearances with the band on fiddle, keyboard and slide guitar.
The band is a three piece with Burton playing guitar, Lawler as the band’s bassists and lead vocalist and Chris Polk on drums.
The band is not only local in its makeup, but they mainly stay around the Starkville area.
Still, in the band’s two years together they’ve jaunted down to Mobile, AL, nearby Tuscaloosa and in the Delta to play.
They’ve played gigs ranging from private parties, wedding receptions, the typical bars, music festivals and even a recent fashion show in Starkville.
This past spring, the band played the Cotton District Arts Festival as part of the local lineup of musicians.
“We like to jam out and have a good time, it’s going to be great playing for such a big crowd,” Polk said.