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TJ Bahama - Lead Vocals, Hawaiian Shirts, Tequila Shooters
TJ started his singing career at The Baja Beach Club in Chicago in 1991. After leaving the music scene to pursue a career in finance, TJ was lured back into the spotlight after watching non-stop Jimmy Buffett videos at the Margaritaville Cafe in the Montego Bay Airport while on a layover to Sunset Waters Beach resort in Curacao. (Warning: Shameless Sponsor Promotion ahead...) www.sunsetwaters.com
TJ has won several vocal contests from Chicago to Peoria to St. Louis. ( Buffett fans have had to shake their head and clean out their ears as TJ's soaring vocals have caused more than a few die-hard Parrotheads to remark "he sounds more like Buffett than Buffett does!) Never content to be categorized, TJ still likes covering all types of music from Garth Brooks to Elvis to AC/DC. One of TJ's more memorable vocal moments came while vacationing in Las Vegas. While belting out Elvis Presley's "American Trilogy" at The Barbary Coast Casino's karaoke night, TJ literally brought the gaming tables to a stop as he delivered the final powerful crecendo of the song. Afterwards the host of the evening zipped over and remarked, "Of the hundreds of Elvis singers that have come through here-by far you are the best!" In the words of Waylon Jennings, "It's the singer, not the song."
Michael Garrett - Lead Guitar, Channeling, Photography
Michael Garrett started playing music at age 6 after being abducted by aliens from his home on the south side of Peoria. Started playing drums at age 6, moved to guitar at age 14. Professional photographer and juggler. Hobbies include drinking margaritas to excess, passing himself off as Eric Clapton in nightclubs and passing himself off as a Victoria’s Secret photographer on the beach. Musical influences include the Beatles and Frank Zappa. Mike joined the band after fronting as lead guitarist/vocalist for The Pink Flamingos for 13 years.
Wayne Johnson-
Wayne “Willy” Johnson plays fiddle, guitar, accordion and sings harmony with the Chicago-based Coco Loco band. His earliest musical influences include his father who played steel guitar in a local country band and the classic rock records of his older siblings. Willy’s parents bought him his first guitar at age six and took him each week for lessons. By the age of 10 he was teaching himself the piano and as a teenager, began writing songs. Willy left for California after high school to attend the prestigious Musician’s Institute in L.A. While living in California he played the Hollywood club circuit with the popular LA band “Grand Persuasion”.
Willy moved to the Midwest in the mid 90’s and since then has played with popular regional bands including RiverCity Junction, Shonna Bonds, Simon Webb & Cadillac Jack, Rock-N-Van, Kentuckiana Opry House Band, Bement Country Opry, and the Nashville North House Band. As a member of these bands he has opened up for several international recording artists including Tracy Byrd, Delbert Mclinton, Ray Stevens, and David Alan Cole. In 2000, Willy took a 2 year hiatus from the live music scene to write and record a collection of original songs called “The Journey”, under his full name “Wayne William Johnson”.
Willy enjoys traveling and has taken trips to various corners of the world including backpacking adventures across China and Russia. He also enjoys all styles of music – everything from rock to jazz to bluegrass.
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