Welcome to the Big Tent

UPCOMING GIGS

May 24 - Quinn & Tuites, Grand Rapids Michigan
Quinn & Tuite's will be celebrating their 500th Open Mic, and the Jukejoint crew will be on hand to play a short set. Some of our earliest appearances as a duo were at this venerable establishment (and Nate as a solo performer before that), and where we picked up the rumor that Paul Harris was playing pedal steel, and where open mic host Craig Van Otteren began sitting in with our group, so it is only natural that we would want to be in on the fun on this special night. Also playing are The Willeys, The Strain, 555 Blues, Dave Molinari, Mark Swanson, Cliff Thomas and the Significant Otters.

May 31 - Private Event

June 7 & June 8- Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts Weekend - City Stage 8:15pm
The Jukejoint Handmedowns have been playing at Festival for the past three years, and we'll be playing this year on the City Stage on Friday June 7 from 8:15-9:00 pm

In addition, we will be playing a special 'unplugged' set at the UICA Visual Arts Exhibit on Saturday June 8 from 2-3pm. Our very first public performance as a duo was in 2010 at the Visual Art Exhibit at the old Art Museum, and this will be the first time we will be appearing at this venue as the full quartet. See you downtown!

June 13 - Freedom Village, Holland, MI
The boys will be playing for the residents and their families at a picnic on June13 in Holland Michigan. A lot of their 'old timey' favorites will be on the program.

July 10 - Covington Woods Senior Apartments, Lansing, Michigan
The boys will be concentrating on their 'Old Timey' material for an hour long acoustic set for the residents at their monthly 'birthday party'.

August 3 - Private Event

August 10 - Michigan Beer Cellar, Sparta MI 8:00-Close
Our first time up in Sparta (aside from a few open mic appearances in past years), and this is a great room, with fine microbrews and artesian spirits. Come on down and join the fun.

September 14 - Fallasburg Fall Festival, Lowell, Michigan
The Jukejoint Handmedowns will be returning to the Fallasburg Fall Festival this year, and we'll be playing from 2:15-3:30, followed by our good friends the Willeys! A swell double header that can't be beat!

October 5 - TBA

October 12 - Private Event

LATEST NEWS

Recording News - The Jukejoint Handmedowns are IN THE STUDIO hard at work on their follow up CD (tentatively titled "Oh Me Oh My!"). And for those who may be interested in learning how we go about recording a CD on a shoestring budget, we have started a new blog to chronicle our progress on this new project. Click on this link to see step by step (and sometimes 'mis-step' by 'mis-step') procedurals, photos of the boys in the studio, and sneak peeks of audio samples from the recording session, updated every week until we put this puppy in the bag.

Some of the newer material is getting trotted out and previewed at our spring shows, cover artwork is 'in progress' (previews soon), and look for a release in the Spring/Summer of 2013.

Beer City Video - In conjunction with the 'Beer City USA' voting in May, the Jukejoint boys brewed up a special song to commemorate our home town pride. Amazingly it has become our 'most watched' video yet - Hop on over to YouTube and check it out. (and while you're there, check out some of our previous video productions, including a few animated music videos)



Meanwhile, our "Multiple Jammie* Nominated" debut CD "Everything But the Squeal" and is still available for $10 at any of our gigs, or you can also find it on iTunes for immediate download, or on Amazon.com, or physical discs and digital downloads are available at CDBaby.com. The disc is currently in the library at local alternative radio station WYCE (give em a call and make a request) and soon to be sent to a radio station near you (If you have a suggestion of where we might fit in, drop us an email with a suggestion). Click on the image below to see a larger version of the cover art. Reviews are In: Check out our demo page to read some of the rave reviews the cd is starting to receive.
*WYCE's local music award, we were one of the top 5 finalists for 'Best Roots Album', and were also nominated for 'Best Song ('Wings of Happenstance')', 'Best New Artist' and 'Album of the Year'.

LOCAL SPINS LIVE RADIO APPEARANCE: The boys appeared in the studio on John Sinkevics' "Local Spins" program on Wednesday July 11 2012 on Newstalk 1340 AM and is also available in podcast form, in case you missed it (Link Here to read a synopsis, listen to the podcast of the interview and see a video of the boys in the studio performing 'Oh So Blue').

NEW VIDEOs UPLOADED: We've been taking several HD videos of the band in action at several of our appearances this summer, plus several of our fans have also posted videos of us on YouTube, and more videos are popping up all the time, so Visit our promo page and check them out!

There are also a few live recordings posted from time to time on our demo page, including a recent 'Open Mic' performance at the Westwood (featuring our new Mandolin player, Craig) from 2012. Plus there are several in-studio demo recordings of original and cover material from our standard set list.

About Us

The Jukejoint Handmedowns were established in 2010 as a duo act by founding members Nathan James and Tim Foley. They describe themselves as a 'Big Tent' American Roots group whose eclectic set list mixes classic country covers, tin pan alley & jazz standards, 'countrified' pop tunes and original material. Expanding to a trio in 2011 with the addition of Paul Harris on steel guitar, and then to a quartet in 2012 when Craig Van Otteren signed on as Mandolin/3rd Harmony, this entertaining group continues to provide toe-tappin', honky tonkin' fun with their unexpected song choices, harmony vocals and laid-back acoustic instrumental arrangements. They are equally at home in a rowdy barroom, private party or swanky black tie event.

Nathan James - Nathan found a guitar in the closet and started playing in high school. Most recently a member of West Michigan bluegrass band 'Rusty Thimbles', Nathan has been playing in bands for the past 15 years, and also plays in a Bell Choir group through his church.







Tim Foley - Tim learned to play guitar on a high action Harmony Sovereign given to him by his uncle on his 13th birthday. A bass and cello were his 'mid life crisis' gift to himself, and he's been scratchin' away at both for about a decade. He's played in various pick-up bands around the area and on the side plays cello and bass with the St. Cecilia Adult Orchestra. Tim and Nate met at a Songwriter's Group Meeting in the spring of 2010 and formed the JJHD as a duo shortly thereafter.





Paul Harris - Paul's musical journey started with the gift of a Gretsch Country Gentlemen guitar for high school graduation. After 10 years playing guitar with local classic rock band 'Buffalo Cannon' he got the itch to play pedal steel guitar and now has found a home with the Jukejointer's as their steeler.








Craig Van Otteren - A good friend gave Craig an old Alvarez 6-string to learn on in the fall of '82. For the last 8 years it has served well as the house guitar at a Grand Rapids open mike. In 2001, Craig took a liking to his wife's "Kentucky" mandolin. He now gets his kicks singing harmony and playing a Bill Bussmann "Old Wave" C# model mando. Also a member of the groups 'The Willeys' and 'Charlie Cheney and the Significant Otters', as well as hosting a popular open mic at Quinn & Tuites on Friday nights.





Photos above courtesy of Regina Joy Photography - stop and 'like' her facebook page, and tell her the Jukejoint Boys sent 'cha.

The Jukejoint Handmedowns  ☀  Nathan James, Tim Foley, Paul Harris, Craig Van Otteren  ☀  616-516-7707