Luke
sometimes accompanied by:
Jacy Dowler
Zach Dowler
Tony Croteau
Tony Croteau Jr.
Tim Torguson
Influences
faith, hope, love: the ocean: mountains: culture(s):
Hayden, Third Eye Blind, The Frames, Counting Crows, The Jackson 5, The Temptations, Sinatra, Dean Martin, Rich Mullins, Bob Seger, Tom Petty, Sting, Live, The Gallagher Brothers, John Mayer, Pearl Jam, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Radiohead, Keith Green
Luke grew up the son of a marine. He moved around every three years. From Maryland to Missouri. From Montana to Hawaii. From California to Okinawa, Japan. Music was always a part of is life, taking piano lessons when he was in the fourth grade. When he was six he was given a walkman and two tapes : Beach Boys Pet Sounds and Elvis Presley’s Greatest Hits. He wore them out. Next he moved on to his grandpa’s jazz and big band records like Count Basie and Harry James. He later found his parents stash of records like Van Morrison and Lionel Ritchie. In the fourth grade he started piano lessons from Mrs. Mockett. He grew frustrated with the ruler slapping on his knuckles so he stopped playing the piano. At age twelve he discovered his mom’s old Yamaha guitar and started taking lessons. At the time it was a way to get a girlfriend, but it quickly became a part of life. It was 1994, Luke discovered the radio and would record hours of music for repeat listening. Bob Mould’s project ‘Sugar’ became the first CD he ever bought. He got his first electric and amp after 6 months of lessons. In 95, his family was brought to Okinawa, Japan. The guitar went everywhere with him, football games, buses, classrooms. It was then that Luke began writing his first songs. In Japan, Luke was introduced to punk and ska. For a school talent competition he and some friends formed a band, but no one would sing. They didn’t make it through the first round but the desire to play music with other musicians was birthed. He began writing songs in preparation for a band. It wasn’t until he moved back to the states that a band came together.
It was in a little Montanan town, senior year of high school Luke formed a ska band ‘The Royal Rangers’. In order to attract horn players, Luke advertised the band as a swing band. Ska and pop punk’s popularity had not yet made its way to the area. But after two demos, over 50,000 plays on MP3.com, inclusion on a national ska compilation, one local battle of the band’s victory and one more state wide battle victory, the band finished up a full album. Unfortunately the band broke up before the album could ever be released, but Luke assembled a new band ‘Three Minutes From Home’. This new project proved to be longer lasting and more ‘straight forward’ rock. The band’s tenure included 3 albums and over 400 shows including tours of Canada and Australia, radio play on hundreds of stations across the states and over 4,000 records sold. Luke’s songwriting had progressed from ska punk to power pop to darker indie rock, and then to a mixture of all three. In 2004, the band signed a development deal with a major label and began to dream of their dues paying off. With sugar plums dancing in their heads, it didn’t take long for reality of the music industry to set in. The relationship with the label never quite materialized but the band pressed on. Line up changes, two more years of touring, one EP and 3 vans later found Luke thinking about taking a break.
After a hiatus of doing mostly local shows with friends under the name Veteran Greene. Luke brought on some touring guys and in the spring of 2008 his band expanded with mini tours through out the northwest and Canada. Splitting time between his solo work and Veteran Greene seems to be working and with the addition of a booking agency, a new line up of musicians, an acoustic EP and a full length in the works, the band is hoping to win the hearts of new fans.
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