Peter Tork and Shoe Suede Blues

Peter Tork is a former member of the world-famous 1960s pop group, The Monkees. Peter has also put together a number of bands in the past, including The New Monks and The Peter Tork Project. He plays a myriad of instruments, including the 5-string banjo, piano/keyboard, drums, guitar, and bass. He performs on guitar, keys, banjo and lead vocals with SSB.

Arnold Jacks is a much sought after and well respected side man who can hold down a bass line with the best in the business. AJ joined Shoe Suede Blues in the winter of 2006 and hit the ground running. He is simply one of the most phenomenal bass players around.

Richard Mikuls has shared the stage and the recording studio with such legendary artists as Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, BB King, Ike and Tina Turner, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Pointer Sisters. Richard has also produced music for TV shows and movies such as Ellen, Home Improvement, Unhappily Ever After, Boy Meets World, Doctor Detroit, The Last Dance, as well as TV commercials for Paul Mitchell, Coors Beer, Isuzu, and Honda - Acura. Richard plays guitar and also adds some lead and back up vocals into the mix for SSB.

History

Long before "Peter Tork" became a legendary part of the prefab phenomenon known as the “The Monkees,” he was a well-respected musician/artist in the burgeoning New York folk and blues scene. Peter’s gift for playing a plethora of instruments generated high demand for his services as a sideman/back-up artist. Peter knocked around for several hungry years in the mid-60’s, hanging and performing with the likes of John Phillips, Steven Stills, Dave Van Ronk, Van Dyke Parks and Arthur Lee. The list goes on.

The fateful call, which would change Peter's life forever, came in June of 1965. Friend and confidant Steven Stills, not quite hitting the mark with his own audition, rang his buddy Peter, urging him to give it a go. Twice. Stills remarks to the producers that he knew 'just the man to fill the bill' were spot on. Peter aced the audition for a what was to become a ground breaking multimedia project centered on a zany, young, rock/pop band - styled as THE American answer to the Beatles. The results were stellar and changed the popular music and television biz forever.

Peter, never totally satisfied with prefab fame, though at the height of his pop icon status, stuck to his roots as a starving artist. He could forever be found jamming with bands, learning and honing his chops. Music legend Jimi Hendrix jammed with Peter on several occasions, calling Peter “The most talented Monkee."

Peter has continued his solo career through the years, performing with his own bands, writing and recording music, and also making numerous guest appearances on a variety of TV programs.

Peter realized a real love affair with the blues sometime during the 1990's. The result of that love is called Shoe Suede Blues.