Joe Ross & The Bird Watchers

Bio:

Joe Ross & the Bird Watchers

"Juke-joint jumpin' honky-tonk swing!" since 2007.

"I like to call our music Honky-Tonk Swing. From Louis Prima to Johnny Cash, from the country twang of Hank Williams to the country twang of the Rolling Stones with a tip of the hat to Gram Parsons and Bob Dylan along the way. Picture Bob Dylan singing Hank Williams songs with Louis Jordan on sax, and some tasty dixieland horn breaks like an old Jimmie Rodgers record." -Joe Ross

The Bird Watchers are a honky-tonk dance band rather lazily led by Joe Ross in between playing gigs with hoe-down favorites, The Haggis Brothers, and his long time duty as bassist with legendary paisley rockers, The Green Pajamas.

With Joe Ross singing and strumming on his Gibson jumbo, a dual horn section comprised of Seattle legends: saxophonist Ronnie Pierce (who actually has played with legends including Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstein, Mills Brothers, Hank Williams) and Dixieland veteran Bert Bertram on trombone, Sean Wheatley (also of Haggis Brothers) on standup bass and Chris Thomas (aka C.T.) of Suicide Jack on drums.

As a drunk in the audience once said, "The Bird Watchers kick ass, woohoo!" And it's true, whether you're tossing back drinks or kicking up your heels on the dance floor these guys are almost always appropriate.

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Member Since:

April 22, 2008

Members:

Joe Ross - guitar, vocals
Sean Wheatley - bass, vocals
Ronnie Pierce - saxophone, clarinet
Bert Bertram - trombone, vocals
C. T. - drums

Frequent flyers:
Jerry Muhasky - bass, vocals
Charlie Neff - cornet
Craig Flory - saxophone
John Terpin - trombone
Matt O'Toole - mandolin, vocals
Jeff Kelly - guitar, vocals

Many musicians have gotten the call. The following have graciously appeared as Bird Watchers:
Beri Pulovski - drums
Ed Portnow - drums
Kelly VanCamp - drums, vocals, hamonica
Bill Shaw- drums
Rod Moody - guitar
John Thompson - pedal steel

Favorite guests:
Gail Hebert - vocals
Helen Anne Gately - Elvis vocals
Rachelle Write - vocals
Tom Bennett - guitar, vocals, drums
Erik 4A - guitar, vocals
Allecia Clemons - guitar, vocals
Billy Joe Huels - trumpet

Influences:

Jimmie Rodgers, Louis Armstrong, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Louis Prima, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Louis Jordan, Dylan, Byrds, Gram Parsons, etc.

Sounds Like:

Bob Dylan singing Johnny Cash songs with dixieland horn breaks; or Hank Williams singing Dylan songs with Louis Jordan on sax.

Record Label:

Unsigned