Scotch Hollow began when Mark Verbeck met Carley Martin while they were both attending Berklee College of Music. The music he made on guitar, slide and ukulele was a perfect match for her full range vocals. Their mutual love for the blues, traditional country and roots music brought them together to form the successful Scotch Hollow. After graduation they toured regionally and played in Nashville for a couple years. When the wind blew them north in 2008, they temporarily switched their name and direction with the funk rock band named Bandit Runner. After a short run, Mark unfortunately came down with a severe case of tendonitis that put the brakes on all musical pursuits for the next 2 years. Determined to not be thrown off course, Mark, using various apps on his Ipad, continued writing music and eventually found himself with a whole catalogue of new music. After he was majority of the way healed, Mark contacted his friend and former band mate Albert Dingnus to start arranging his songs for physical instruments. To their surprise, music seemed to flow out of them like water from a faucet and the beginning of the New Scotch Hollow started to develop. After allot of hard work, practice, and gigs; Mark, Carley, and Albert found themselves with a new band, sound, and a fresh new EP that would show the world who Scotch Hollow exactly was.

OLD GRAND DAD is an ethylene soaked 4-piece from Chicago, Illinois. Bred for rockabilly, these freaks have started sneakin’ out by the light of the moon to taste the rest of the “Devil’s music.”

California bass man Cody “Goose” Siragusa and Hoosier drummer deluxe Danny Lee Beasley shared a love of the old man’s music and a serving job in Wrigleyville; enough said. Their duet turned trio with guitarist and North Avenue homeboy Colin Brennan, a bastard of city and country but Irish enough to break a string each night. Then somehow Chauncey Davis-Mauney snuck in from Mississippi with a harmonica and the room was full.

Road tested and dancer approved, OGD is an all-singing, all-writing, washer pitchin’ electric hayride on fire. BYOFireworks. Goose handles the matches. 

Featured on WXRT’s Local Anesthetic with Richard Milne and on WGN’s Pretty Late with Patti Vasquez.

OLD GRAND DAD IS:

​CODY “GOOSE” SIRAGUSA, Bass & vocals

DANNY LEE BEASLEY, Drums & vocals

​COLIN BRENNAN, Guitar & vocals

Lou Shields is an Artist, Musician, Teacher and Skateboarder who has been living and working in the Chicago area his entire life. He has also traveled extensively and draws on life experiences when making his work. His music is rooted in pre and post war 20th century America with a 21st century perspective. He has a deep appreciation for Delta Blues, Country Blues, early Country and beyond. Shields continues that tradition with respect in the 21st century and transcends any specific genre. He released his first EP in the Spring of 2011 but has been making music for over 20 years.

Lonesome Tony French has been playing blues and roots music in and around Chicago for the last twenty years.