STEEL CITY JUG SLAMMERS

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The Steel City Jug Slammers started in late 2012 with an inspiration to learn and recreate the sound developed and recorded by the original jug bands of the 1920's and 30's. Taking influence from bands such as the Memphis Jug Band, Cannon's Jug Stompers, the Louisville Jug Bands, and so on, the band eventually began to write songs of their own. The project's main focus was busking and playing unplugged where ever they could. The Jug Slammers soon recorded an EP.  The band's first single "Save My Soul" was featured on Animal Planet's Pit-bulls & Parolees in 2013 being played live by the band on TV. The subsequent music video was filmed and released the same year on YouTube featuring main cast members of the television show as well. The band's debut Self Titled album was recorded in New Orleans by Joseph Faison and released officially in 2014. The band was also featured in 2014 at the 10th Anniversary of the National Jug Band Jubilee where they had finally found a home for jug band music. The band's second single "She's Long Gone" was filmed during the making of the documentary "If You Don't Love It Change It" and released in 2015 and featured in the film as the director films his way across the entire united states. That same year the band was featured on NPR's Live From Here (then known as A Prairie Home Companion) and both songs were introduced to a national audience. The band also won the battle of the jug bands in Minneapolis and was dubbed their 2015 jug band champion. During this time the band was filmed and featured in the movie Jug Band Hokum. In 2016 the band was featured by Jerry Springer himself on his podcast and the band was yet again introduced to a wider audience. By this time the band had toured most of the country making life- long friends along the way, sharing their blend of rowdy jug band ruckus. The band was seeing radio play on local and national stations with their Self Titled record after their appearances on NPR and TV, combined with constant touring and in 2017 the band was honored and privileged to be inducted into the Jug Band Hall of Fame along side the heroes they had been inspired and influenced so heavily by. During this time at some point the bands second record was made in Nashville, TN. at The Bomb Shelter studio and remains un- released to this day. The Jug Slammers go through significant line up changes at this point marking the end of an era. The band re- introduced themselves and their next single "Mobile Shake" to the world in 2017 on Abby The Spoon Lady's YouTube channel featuring her playing spoons for the video. Work on the next album "Tall Tales" began. The album was recorded by Shane Hopson and released in 2018. A video for the next single "Mr. Steel" was also released and the song was featured on Radio Bristol for the bands first "Radio Bristol Sessions" appearance at the Birthplace of Country Museum. During this time the band toured extensively and was featured on the Brooklyn Folk Festival. In 2019 the band's line up expanded and work began on the third official studio album "Hot Butter". The record was made in Water Valley, MS. at Dial Back Sound where blues legends such as T- Model Ford, Junior Kimbrough, & R.L. Burnside recorded during the studio's Fat Possum Records years. Hot Butter features Grammy Award winner Jimbo Mathus of The Squirrel Nut Zippers on piano for several songs, and also features electric guitar and pedal steel for the first time in the bands catalog. The first single "Let It Roll" was released just before the album and the second single "Make That Money" was announced with the album release by The Bluegrass Situation. Touring for the album began and lead the band eventually to their first international tour dates in Canada for the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Two generations of jug bands also collided in 2019 as the Jug Slammers would join up with Jim Kweskin to form his backing band for touring and an appearance at the National Jug Band Jubilee. Jim founded the legendary Jim Kweskin Jug Band in the 1960's and is in many ways the father of the modern jug band movement. The band joined Mr. Kweskin on stage in Winnipeg to celebrate the life and music of Pete Seeger for his 100th birthday hootenanny, which the band considers a high honor. In 2020 the band founded The Alabama Jubilee Vaudeville & Old Time Variety Show which is a monthly showcase of music, dance, comedy, sideshow, and local art.