Bobby Llama formed in the fall of 1994. With all of its members attending and involved in music at St. Olaf College, home to one of the nation's leading undergraduate music programs, the band amassed a loyal regional following in southern Minnesota. In February 1997, they released their self-produced/self-titled debut CD; Bobby Llama successfully captured the infectious raw energy of their live shows and transferred it to the studio setting. More specifically, the album contained a mixture of their trademark "jams," rich vocal harmonies and an uplifting groove.
Quotes from the original web site:
"I think the band has a really good, unique sound, and the vocals are good too. This is how I'ld describe it: Folk with a taste of funk, jazzy; with a little 10,000 Maniacs tossed in on the side. The kind of music you can groove to, with your babe on one side and a Ketlle One Vodka on the rocks with a wedge of lemon on the other."
- Eric Addeo, Midwestern Musicians Guild
"Contemporary alternative music meets Paul Simon's Graceland . . . intellectual, cerebral music that is really well executed . . . Simply put, an amazing display of musical joy."
- Willy Wisely, Willy Wisely Trio
The band had opened for or appeared with Soul Coughing, Semisonic, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Samples, The Why Store, Buckwheat Zydeco, Everything, The Honeydogs, The Getaway People, Citizen King, The Big Wu, Spymob, Jiggle the Handle, Mango Jam, Greazy Meal, Three Minute Hero, The Atoll, Hypnotic Clambake, Natty Nations, Wallace Hartley and the Titanics, Eighthead, The Blue Rags, Little Blue Crunchy Things, Tim Mahoney and the Meenies, G. B. Leighton, Mike Henderson and the Blue Bloods and many more.
The band won Sam Goody/Musicland’s “Best Unsigned Band in America” competition in 2000, but disbanded when Ellis left to follow a solo career.
The band continued for a short time with Canadian singer/songwriter Katey Morley as their new frontgirl, and released a third album titled "The Pachyderm Sessions", but then broke up to continue individual pursuits.
Bobby Llama Bio by Minnewiki; The Minnesota Music Encyclopedia
Here is recent video of Ellis performing "Angel" live...
