"Killer Whale is a project undertaken by Thomas Johnson, a Baton Rouge, LA native, that mixes the histories and melodies of the South with the Bay and the result is something surprisingly reminiscent of the 60’s and 70’s, complete with drawbar organs, introspective lyrics, and guitar riffs that soar above a churning rhythm section." 

-Do the Bay, San Francisco

Killer Whale, much like its creator, wanders between New Orleans, Austin, and San Francisco, bearing the melodic scars all that travel brings him. A mixture of folk rock, psychedelic electronica, with touches of surf rock and Caribbean fare, Killer Whale doesn’t subscribe to any one camp. Instead, it exudes them all.

It’s a sound kaleidoscope.

With that kind of concoction, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to think that the songs would be a melee, an atonal mishmash that harkens back to the days of being different for different’s sake. Under the leadership of another musician such might be the case, but Killer Whale melds everything together in the name of freaky good fun.

This is a band that entirely encompasses the beauty of laying back. They have a unique vision that subtly welcomes you into their colorful rhythms and rock n roll daydreams. They create a space that invites you in, tells you to make yourself at home and hugs you as you walk in the door.

Killer Whale is a musical outfit similar to a cold tasty beverage on a warm August afternoon. It can refresh your senses, rejuvenate your inner child, and still relax your muscles all at the same time. It’s something you might look forward to after a long and stressful day in this modern digital cloud.

Killer Whale’s sound can express that moment when you step into an unfamiliar world, yet you’re mind is on fire for what you’ve never seen before. It lets you be comfortable in embracing your new you, your new dance….your new day.

Perpetual Groove

Perpetual Groove caught everyone by surprise in 2015 when they returned to the stage after a two-year hiatus. The band performed eight weekends that year, over multi-night runs, to sold-out shows in some of their favorite cities across the country, thus ringing in a new chapter for Perpetual Groove. The band resolved to make a big change by taking the time to craft, and bring to focus, music that stays true to their creative vision.

That change is here on their new self-titled album. The band recruited producers Jason Kingsland and Tim Friesen to help them accomplish the most engaging and sonically-gratifying Perpetual Groove album to date. While recording at The Fidelitorium in Kernersville, NC and Studio MG in Roswell, GA, the band and producers engineered an album that will define Perpetual Groove for years to come. Seven new songs were written by the band specifically for this album representing all that life brings—loss, redemption, and hope.

Perpetual Groove continues to create a cultivated, unique experience for each live show. This new chapter for Perpetual Groove showcases the continuing evolution of their music and performances. This is a band that is fully realized and ready to bring their new sound, storytelling, and live experience to the masses.

Rising out of Savannah, GA in 2001, Perpetual Groove has grown quickly into a formidable international touring organization. Now based in Athens, GA, the band continues to ride an unending wave of momentum buoyed by an enthusiastic fan base and international critical acclaim. Fans of Perpetual Groove (or PGroove, as the fans like to call them) are known to follow the band from state to state, night to night, to experience their euphoric live show that features an ever changing set-list. Perpetual Groove's music has evolved into a genre-bending, highly original sound that touches upon jazz-rock, neo-psychedelia, R&B, trance electronica, progressive rock, and anthemic arena rock. Their large catalog of original music offers something for everyone, but the band is also known for their eclectic range of covers; including everything from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to Rage Against The Machine's "Bulls On Parade". The addition of an intense, retina burning, intelligent light show creates an atmosphere unlike any other, assuring fans they'll get a highly polished, yet different show each night.

Perpetual Groove released their first album, Sweet Oblivious Antidote, in 2003 on Harmonized Records after their first year of solid touring. Besides being the top seller for The Home Grown Music Network that year (it out-sold releases by Phish, Widespread Panic, and others), it was also voted HGMN Top Fan Pick for 2003. The buzz only got bigger on the 2004 follow-up record, All This Everything, which was produced by Grammy award-winner Robert Hannon. LiveLoveDie, their third record was released in March of 2007 and represents a significant evolutionary departure in style for Perpetual Groove. Teaming up once again with Hannon and Tree Sound Studios, the band set forth to create a darker sonic landscape without sacrificing too much of that "PGroove quality" thanks in part to Butler's warm, soaring vocals. HEAL, released in 2010, firmly established Perpetual Groove as more than a jamband with its focus on well-crafted songs. Honey Cuts, an EP released later in 2010, is the most accurate representation of the band's current sound, especially on the track "Cairo."

Perpetual Groove continues to tour relentlessly throughout the United States and is a staple in the US festival scene with performances at All Good Music Festival, Gathering of the Vibes, Wakarusa, Bonnaroo, Jam Cruise, High Sierra, Jazz Fest, Riverbend and their own annual gathering, Amberland. The band has also made appearances at International events such as Jam in the Dam and Caribbean Holidaze. Perpetual Groove continues to push the envelope in the music industry, touring behind the first ever 5.1 surround sound system and producing the first album to be completely offset by renewable energy credits.

Funk You

HAILING FROM THE EAST SIDE GA TOWN OF AUGUSTA, FUNK YOU IS AN OUTGOING BURST OF ENERGY THAT IS CONTINUALLY CLIMBING THEIR WAY TO THE TOP OF THE MUSIC SCENE. THIS "FUNK" ORIENTED OUTFIT PROJECTS MULTIPLE MUSICAL STYLES FOCUSING MAINLY ON DANCE DRIVEN GROOVES WITH POWERFUL CLEAN VOCALS. INCORPORATING INTRIGUING MUSICAL COMPOSITION, TASTEFUL LYRICS, AND CROWD CAPTIVATING LIVE PERFORMANCES, FUNK YOU IS SURELY TO MAKE AN IMPRINT ON YOUR MUSICAL TASTE.

Hailing from the Canadian prairies, Defunk has made a distinct name for himself in the electronic music scene. Defunk’s unique brew of funk, blues, soul and bass music has proven him to be a true connoisseur of genre blending. His innovative style has created a path for fans of all genres to venture into the bass music scene…and a niche that has left him virtually untouched. He melts the experimental with the familiar, pushing the envelope with each new release.

The versatility Defunk delivers in both his DJ sets and live performances has caught the attention of Pretty Lights, GRiZ and Gramatik. With a constantly changing set and rapidly expanding discography, Defunk consistently constructs a show brimming with allure and absolute magic.

One of the most impressive guitarists to emerge from the rich Bayous of Southern Louisiana in recent years, Tab Benoit’s guitar tone can be recognized before his Otis-Redding-ish voice resonates from the speakers. He doesn’t rely on any effects and his set up is simple. It consists of a guitar, cord, and Category 5 Amplifier. The effects that you hear come from his fingers.

Born on November 17, 1967, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Benoit grew up in the nearby oil and fishing town of Houma, where he still resides today. Musically, he was exposed early on to traditional Cajun waltzes and the country music broadcast on his hometown’s only radio station. Benoit’s father was himself a musician; as such, the family home was filled with various instruments. He began playing drums but switched to guitar because the only gigs to be had in rural Louisiana were held in churches and at church fairs, and organizers would not allow loud drums to be played at these events.

In the late 80’s Tab Benoit began hanging out at the Blues Box, a music club and cultural center in Baton Rouge run by guitarist Tabby Thomas. Playing guitar alongside Thomas, Raful Neal, Henry Gray and other high-profile regulars at the club, Benoit learned the blues first-hand from these living blues legends. He formed a trio in 1987 and began playing clubs in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

In 1992 Benoit released his first recording Nice and Warm on the Justice Label. The title track became a AAA Radio hit and Benoit’s touring career kicked into high gear. Nice and Warm prompted comparisons to blues guitar heavyweights like Albert King, Albert Collins and even Jimi Hendrix. Tab began playing two-hundred and fifty shows a year, a schedule he has kept up for over twenty years.  He recorded four albums for Justice Records before being signed to the Vanguard label, and became Louisiana’s Number One Blues export. Vanguard allowed Tab to produce his own recordings; Tab wanted to record the sound that he was trying to create and in 1999 Vanguard Records released These Blues Are All Mine.

Tab Benoit’s music evolved again after he signed with the Telarc International/Concord Music Group in 2002. He began to strip it down to a three-piece group, where he found more freedom as a guitarist. He was also on a mission in wanting to use his music and his energy to bring attention to Louisiana’s coastal erosion issues. Tab began to spend more time in the Wetlands and it was where he began to write his songs.  Wetlands was the title of his first Telac/Concord International release. The record combined many musical styles that are indigenous to Louisiana, while he began to play accordion lines and washboard on guitar. Wetlands was a mile marker that definitively marked Tab’s further musical progression into his own original sound and style.

Following the release of Wetlands in 2004 Benoit founded the Voice of the Wetlands non-profit organization (www.voiceofthewetlands.org) and began to use music and gather other musicians to use their platforms for getting the message out. He put together an all-star band that featured Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Vidacovich, Johnny Sansone, and Waylon Thibodeaux that became The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars.  The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars have released two CDs and occasionally tour throughout the country.

The Grateful Dead continue to have one of the most rabid and loyal followings of any band in history, and deservedly so: They wrote great songs, and they were excellent musicians and terrific improvisers who never played a tune the same way twice. The Stolen Faces deftly capture the spirit of the Dead, covering a wide variety of songs from the band’s expansive catalog and delivering them with the sort of energy and spontaneity that might have you thinking you’re standing in the Fillmore West in 1971. Led by bassist Christian Grizzard, the group features guitarist Jack Silverman, drummer Matt Martin, and a rotating cast of some of Nashville’s top session and touring musicians.

Epic Funk Brass Band is the newest sensation adding to the culture of Jackson MS infusing funk, pop, jazz, and Go-Go into a custom-made enhancement of second-line brass band tradition.

EFBB formed after being influenced by second line bands like ReBirth, Dirty Dozen, Soul Rebels and Hot 8 . Ingeniously, we want to incorporate all those influences by composing a reinvigorated sound for the Greater Jackson, MS area while integrating outside influences like Earth Wind & Fire, Frankie Beverly & Maze and The JB’s.

The Grass Is Dead are a force of nature in bluegrass and Grateful Dead music. More than merely paying tribute to the Dead, these hot pickers have been seamlessly weaving bluegrass, blues, rock and funk into a unique sonic experience. Pulling from such diverse influences as Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, John Hartford, Allman Brothers Band, Pink Floyd and so many others, The Grass Is Dead have created a sound that not only pays homage to roots music and the songs of the Dead and Jerry Garcia, but expertly travels through time and space to explore the galactic and psychedelic nature of music itself. After many years of regional gigging, the past three years has seen The Grass Is Dead aggressively touring nationally and sharing the stage with such great acts as David Grisman, Del McCoury, Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, Billy Strings, Peter Rowan, Donna The Buffalo, Jon Stickley Trio, Town Mountain and many more. This past year alone they played a number of highly regarded festivals such as Suwannee Spring Reunion, DelFest, The Aiken Bluegrass Festival, Rooster Walk, Suwannee Roots Revival, Hickory Fest, Wormtown Music Festival and Leftover Salmon’s Blue Ridge Jam. Look for more big announcements in 2019! 

"At the core of The Grateful Dead is the heart of American music, which is bluegrass and folk. You cannot hide behind these two genres. What you get in the studio is what you get onstage. And it's that vulnerability and honesty that sets the tone and attitude apart from the haphazard and polished nature of pop radio. Putting their music through the prism of string music, The Grass Is Dead showcases how Jerry & Co. buried innumerable gems of wisdom — sonically and spiritually — in the rich tapestry of their melodies and lyrics, all of which radiates in intimacy and inclusiveness of The Grass Is Dead when they stand in front of the microphone, and also the unknown night of curiosity and exploration that they seek out and grasp with such ease."  — Garret K. Woodward, Music Editor - The Smoky Mountain News 

“The Grass Is Dead allows me to play both traditional and Dead-like vibes on their show. It’s great energy and intent. Billy Gilmore and Steve Pruett are lifelong friends, and we know a million tunes between us. They really play bluegrass, yet they also are Deadheads. Their music is not just rock spiced up with bluegrass instruments. They have well-thought-out arrangements that draw on bluegrass but are accepted by even the most hardcore Dead fan. I never feel like I’m playing in a Grateful Dead cover band when I’m with them. Because of their intention and the way they put the songs together, it’s a real tribute to both bluegrass music and the Grateful Dead at the same time.”  — Rev. Jeff Mosier 

"Venable pulls off a stunner of gritty and/or sultry blues-rock tunes embellished with lots of tasty guitar solos" -Guitar Player Magazine

 "The hottest new guitarist in blues music" - Good Times Magazine

 “This album shines like a beacon...All in all, this is an exceptional album” -Blues Rock Review

 " The solos are almost compositions by themselves, she can play fast, bust she also plays musically...Venable is the real deal," - American Blues Scene

“Puppet Show illustrates Venable’s remarkable writing skills. This is a strong and vibrant album and highly recommended”  -Making A Scene

  "As their performance begins your mind isn't fully grasping what you are seeing and hearing on stage. You notice a level of established comfort that radiates from the young performer."- New York, NY (Top40 Charts)

 "Venable is the new face and sound (and fury) of time's up girl power." -Midwest Record Entertainment

 "Best New Artist: The Ally Venable Band (She may be working in a traditional genre — the blues — but Ally Venable does what she does well. And she’s still only    in her teens!) BLURT!" – BEST OF  DAVE  STEINFELD / New York, NY

There's something about Texas. Open up the history books and you'll find the Lone Star State at the eye of every rock 'n' roll storm. Pull up a stool in any bar-room and you'll still hear Southern gentlemen spin stories of ZZ Top, Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now tip a ten-gallon hat to the bandleader writing her own name onto the state's famed back pages, as Ally Venable releases breakout third album, - Texas Honey Debuted as #2 on the Billboard Blues Charts featuring Eric Gales and Mike Zito.

A Powerhouse from the Lone Star State, the Ally Venable Band has ignited excitement in the modern blues scene. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Ally Venable, started singing at an early age in church and at 12, picking up a guitar and finding her passion, established herself as a Texas Blues Guitar Slinger. Guitar Player Magazine stated that " Venable pulls off a stunner of gritty and/or sultry blues-rock tunes embellished with lots of tasty guitar solos."

She has received many awards including the East Texas Music Award in 2014 and 2015 for "Female Guitarist of the Year", three-time winner of the "Blues Band of the Year,” "Album of the Year,” and “Entertainer of the Year,” in 2018
2nd Place - Dallas International Guitar Show 10 Under 20 Contest 2015

Ally’s 2018 release ‘Puppet Show’ debuted at #7 on the Billboard Blues Charts, featuring Gary Hoey & Lance Lopez.

Each of Ally's bandmates are versatile on multiple instruments. As bassist, Bobby Wallace is a master of his craft and years of experience enhance the band. Drummer, Elijah Owings brings a steady, but dynamic sound to the band. Keyboardist, Fernando De Los Santos from Seville, Spain, brings a classic and energetic style when performing with Ally. They are the backbone of the band's Rockin' Blues sound, and they continue to represent the future of the blues.

Record Label: Ruf Records

Endorsements: Ernie Ball, Category 5 Amplification, Fishman Pickups, Knaggs Guitars, Galaxy Audio, Clothing from Everything That Blings

This New Orleans collective’s deliciously gritty sound exists in a realm of its own. Tearing through swampedelic rock with a taste of hill country blues and New Orleans groove, Deltaphonic infuses every note with a funky swagger. Their original songwriting oozes with rare talent to go along with their captivating stage presence and immeasurable entertainment value. 

“If you opened a lounge outdoors in a graveyard next to a swamp, this would be the only album you’d need on the jukebox … NOLA finally has an answer for the Black Keys and the White Stripes—dark Americana with history’s dust shaken off.” --OffBeat Magazine

"The band’s sophomore effort See Red is a resounding success. A rich and rewarding album that plays like a soundtrack to their very own wild, sprawling vision of an outlaw, modern south." --NOLA Defender 

Don Giovanni Records will release Youth Detention///(Nail My Feet Down to the South Side of Town), the third full-length album by Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires.

Call it Youth Detention for short.

A double LP spanning 17 songs, it is the band's most ambitious work to date -- a sprawling and visceral record given to both deep introspection and high-volume spiritual uplift.

Where The Glory Fires' previous LP Dereconstructed (2014) sought to dismantle one-dimensional notions of Southern identity and culture, Youth Detention has a similar, but more personal intent. "It's about dismantling myself and the narratives that I've taken on," explains Bains. "It's an examination of youth and the processes through which we begin to consider ourselves, our identities, and what various communities we belong to or are in tension with." Often, the songs detail moments in which cultural boundaries and biases become apparent -- scenes in which systems of privilege and oppression become visible, particularly as they relate to race, class, and gender. Everyday settings -- a church, a ballpark, a cafeteria -- are revisited again and again, to explore these fleeting moments of revelation from different perspectives and roles. It's a record defined by accumulation. Stories, images, and thoughts pile up to create confusion and cacophony in the narrative.

Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee at Battletapes with engineer Jeremy Ferguson and producer Tim Kerr, Youth Detention captures the band in raw form. Each song was cut live to tape, with the four performing in the same room without headphones or baffling. The result is thoroughly human, Lynn Bridges' mix retaining the band's live energy and looseness at the expense of a few out of tune strings. The Glory Fires' music draws deeply from punk, but also soul, power pop, country, and gospel. It's equal parts careful curation and geographic inheritance. "It's the sound of my place," says Bains. "I want to know it. I want to argue with it. I don't want to be a band from anywhere that could be doing anything. For me, that's what punk is about -- figuring out who I am and how to be the best version of myself. I can't do that by pretending to be something I'm not."

The songs are deeply rooted in Bains' experience of his hometown, Birmingham, AL. Youth Detention depicts a Southern city in the decades surrounding the turn-of-the-millennium: in the throes of white flight, urban disinvestment, racial tension, class struggle, gentrification, gender policing, homophobia, xenophobia, religious fervor, deindustrialization, and economic upheaval.

The lyrics could ring true anywhere, though. The South exists in the world and, like the South, the world is increasingly beholden to many of these same tensions and forces. The songs on Youth Detention are meant as small acts of resistance to those systems. Documenting minor moments -- the refusal to sit quietly through a display of bigotry, the act of quieting down and listening to somebody's struggle, sticking up for friends targeted for their difference -- that, hopefully, serve as the beginnings of a more profound awakening.