Blues Traveler
Encyclopedia
Blues Traveler is a rock
band
, formed in Princeton, New Jersey
in 1987. The band has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues-rock
, psychedelic rock
, folk rock
, soul
, and Southern rock
. They are known for extensive use of segue
s in their live performances.
Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper
, guitarist Chan Kinchla
, drummer Brendan Hill
, bassist Tad Kinchla
and keyboardist Ben Wilson
. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "But Anyway", "Run-Around
" and "Hook
". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994.
Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity
put a damper on the group's success, and A&M
dropped the band in 2002. However, the band took this transition period as an opportunity to start in new directions musically, going largely independent and releasing on smaller experimental labels.
Recently, Blues Traveler recorded a "best-of" collection of older songs reinterpreted with acoustic instrumentation
called Cover Yourself
, released October 2007; a new studio album, North Hollywood Shootout
, was released on the Verve Forecast label August 26, 2008.
garage band
formed in Princeton, New Jersey in the mid 1980s. Harmonicist, singer and guitarist John Popper and drummer Brendan Hill formed a group they called The Establishment (later renamed Blues Band) with Hill's brother on bass and a rotating roster of guitarists. The band produced a few cassette tape
demos
. In addition to some original songs, their repertoire included upbeat covers
of "Gloria" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic
".
The group added guitarist and football
player Chan Kinchla. Although he was a promising athlete, Kinchla decided to commit to playing music instead after a knee injury. Popper met bassist Bobby Sheehan and the two became good friends, with Sheehan becoming the new bass player for Blues Band in 1987.
The quartet held a basement jam session
(later christened The Black Cat Jam) which spawned the core grooves for several songs on their first album. A black cat
happened to be nearby, and the group took this as a sign
and adopted the Black Cat as their mascot
figure.
The group changed their name to Blues Traveler, taking the latter part from the name of the primary demon
in the film Ghostbusters
, Gozer the Traveler.
and moving to New York City
, Popper, Hill, and Sheehan enrolled in the music program at The New School
while Kinchla attended New York University
. Blues Traveler began playing gigs along the New York-area club
circuit, sometimes nightly; the most prominent contract was playing Wednesday nights at a club called the Wetlands
. Another bar, The Nightingale, was a regular gig, and later became the setting for the song "Defense and Desire".
The group shared an apartment on Bergen Street in Brooklyn, NY, along with their high school friend, singer Chris Barron. A second band that Popper and Hill founded, called The Trucking Company, soon became The Spin Doctors
with Barron as their frontman. The two groups would often share the stage, playing non-stop concerts of multiple sets. Their first show together was at a Columbia University fraternity party and their second was at a Jamaican-themed restaurant near Times Square in New York City. During this time, Blues Traveler acquired a devout follower, Gina-Z (subject of the band's song "Gina") who first became an unofficial "band mom" and later a tour manager, and is involved with the group's business to the present day.
At one New York show they were discovered by an A&M Records
talent scout, Patrick Clifford
, and the band signed their first recording contract. By 1990 all members had dropped out of college classes. The group also attracted the attention of David Graham, son of the world-famous concert promoter Bill Graham
, and became one of Graham's many acts. Blues Traveler then started a relentless touring schedule, expanding their reach up and down the east coast
.
in 1990, with the song "But Anyway" getting airplay on college radio stations. The album included Joan Osborne
on backing vocals on two tracks.
A second album, Travelers and Thieves
, followed in 1991. Upon Bill Graham's death that year, they released a live EP
, On Tour Forever
, as a tribute to Graham, which featured guitar legend Carlos Santana
. The group was becoming well known in the new wave of jam band
s that was developing in the early 1990s.
Around this time, the mainstream national audience was exposed to Blues Traveler by television host
David Letterman
, who has introduced them as "[his] favorite band". The band has since made more appearances on The Late Show
than any musical artist. Letterman's band leader Paul Shaffer
has played on a number of Blues Traveler recordings.
In 1992, the group founded the H.O.R.D.E.
festival as an alternative to others such as Lollapalooza
, along with other bands such as Phish
and Spin Doctors. Blues Traveler began recording their third album, Save His Soul. Recording was temporarily interrupted by John Popper's motorcycle
accident, although the band resumed touring shortly thereafter with Popper in a wheelchair
. Two singles were released from the album, "Defense & Desire" and "Conquer Me", which reached #34 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
" became a smash hit and was followed by the catchy "Hook
". "Run-Around" won a Grammy Award
and broke a record for most weeks on the chart.
Blues Traveler appeared at Woodstock '94
and later became an opening act for The Rolling Stones
.
The band played on the 1995 season premiere of Saturday Night Live
as a last-minute replacement for Prince
. They were featured in an episode of the sitcom Roseanne
, and later recorded the show's theme song
for its final season. The 1996 comedy film Kingpin
featured the group playing their song "But Anyway" during the closing credits.
The group recorded the Johnny Rivers
song "Secret Agent Man
" for the film Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
and the Bob Seger
song "Get Out of Denver" for the film Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
, as well as Fats Domino
's "I'm Walkin'" for Rebel Highway
: Cool and the Crazy
. Several previously recorded Blues Traveler songs were included on film soundtracks, including The Last Seduction
, Speed, Very Bad Things
, White Man's Burden
, and The Truth About Cats & Dogs
. The band also appeared in the film Blues Brothers 2000
and on its soundtrack, playing "Maybe I'm Wrong", an original composition with a classic blues-rock sound.
Blues Traveler recorded the Sly & the Family Stone
song "I Want to Take You Higher
" for the NORML compilation album
Hempilation and the John Lennon
song "Imagine
" for the Lennon tribute album
Working Class Hero
. The original song "Christmas" was included on the benefit album A Very Special Christmas 3
.
The double live album, Live from the Fall
, was released in 1996. It featured recordings from the band's autumn 1995 concerts and showcased the strength of the band's live performances.
The next studio album, Straight On till Morning
, was released in 1997. It achieved platinum status
, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200
albums chart, but did not perform as well as four. The single "Carolina Blues" peaked at number four on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The band made an appearance performing in the 1999 independent film
Wildflowers
.
By the end of 1998, the band had prepared a concept album
called The Sun, The Storm and The Traveler, based on Aesop's fable
of The North Wind and the Sun
, and they planned to record it after a recess in the fall of 1999. That summer, John Popper had emergency heart surgery
due to artery
blockage, forcing the band to cancel their annual July 4th Red Rocks
shows at the last minute.
During the hiatus, Popper released a solo album with a backing band consisting of Dave Matthews Band
drummer Carter Beauford
and members of the group Cycomotogoat.
home, where he had been recording music with some friends the night before. Sheehan's death was ruled an accidental drug overdose
, with cocaine
, diazepam
, and heroin found in his system.
The remaining members of Blues Traveler convened and agreed that Sheehan would have wanted them to continue as a band. Auditions for a new bassist were held in concert, and included Chan Kinchla's younger brother Tad, who was unanimously determined to be the best choice for the role. Additionally, an open call was sent for a permanent keyboard player, a role of which Sheehan had often been a proponent. Ben Wilson of the band Big Dave and the Ultrasonics was chosen, and has since become a central contributor to the band's songwriting.
The band discarded their concept album material, instead releasing a smaller online EP, Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler's Tale of Sun and Storm
, and went to work collectively composing a new set of songs with the new lineup. The resulting album was Bridge, which had the working title Bridge Outta Brooklyn as a tribute to Sheehan (with both the acronym B.O.B. and his nickname "Brooklyn Bobby"). The songs "Girl Inside My Head" and "Just for Me" received airplay, but the album's sales fell somewhat short of expectations.
The live album What You and I Have Been Through and the compilation Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics
were both released in 2002.
for their next album, Truth Be Told
, which only reached number 147 on The Top 200 chart.
The band's 2003 Independence Day concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre were released on the CD Live on the Rocks and the DVD Thinnest of Air, and include Ziggy Marley
singing on his father's song "No Woman, No Cry
".
The band left Sanctuary for Vanguard Records
and released ¡Bastardos!, which was produced by Wilco
's Jay Bennett
and was touted as the band's return to music that they wanted to play. The album charted at 49 on the Independent Albums
, and a live EP of songs from the album
was released to independent record stores.
On September 19, 2005, Blues Traveler played their cover of Beetlejuice
's song "This is Beetle
" on the Howard Stern
radio show.
In April 2006, the band headlined the first annual "OH-Fest" concert in Oneonta, New York.
Blues Traveler have been featured on VH1
's Behind the Music
, A&E
's Private Sessions
, and Austin City Limits
. The group recorded the title track to the Sandra Boynton
children's album Dog Train, which was also used as the promotional music for the American Kennel Club
's National Championship event. The band's music has been used in video games (NASCAR 2000
) and commercials (Busch Beer). The songs "Business as Usual" and "Money Back Guarantee" are used as transitional music on the public radio
finance
program Marketplace
and its sister show Marketplace Money.
The group recorded "Rag Mama Rag" for the 2007 tribute album Endless Highway: The Music of The Band
, as well as "Free Bird
" for Under the Influence: A Jam Band Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In 2007, Blues Traveler released the album Cover Yourself
, a "best-of" album of previously released songs re-recorded and reinterpreted with acoustic instrumentation. It was released October 30, 2007 through Columbia/Red Ink Records. They did a national tour, with opening act Lisa Bouchelle a singer/song writer based in New Jersey. After touring together John Popper
and Lisa Bouchelle recorded the song "Only The Tequila Talking", which was released on her album Bleu Room with a Red Vase in 2010.
Blues Traveler appeared at the 2008 Lollapalooza
festival. At their June 2008 shows, the band debuted new songs off their new album North Hollywood Shootout
. The album, which features a guest appearance by Bruce Willis
, released in August 2008.
On more recent tours, they sell recordings of that very night's performance. Attendees can pre-purchase a copy of the show until 30 minutes into the performance and then pick up the CD after the show.
Independence Day shows at Red Rocks
Every year since 1994, with the exception of 1999, Blues Traveler has headlined a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
in Morrison, Colorado
on the American Independence Day, July 4. The band usually plays two consecutive nights, starting on July 3.
This tradition started in 1992 when Blues Traveler was opening for The Allman Brothers Band at the venue for two nights, July 3 and 4. The next year, the band booked the HORDE festival to play there on Independence Day, and in 1994 the current tradition began in earnest.
These shows attract fans from all over the United States. The band frequently debuts new songs and brings back older songs, fallen out of rotation.
The 2003 Independence Day concerts were recorded for a home video and live album release.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
in 1987. The band has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
, psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
. They are known for extensive use of segue
Segue
A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...
s in their live performances.
Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper
John Popper
John Popper is an American musician and songwriter.He is most famous for his role as frontman of rock band Blues Traveler performing harmonica, guitar and vocals...
, guitarist Chan Kinchla
Chan Kinchla
Chandler Kinchla, better known as Chan Kinchla, is the guitarist for jam band Blues Traveler....
, drummer Brendan Hill
Brendan Hill
Brendan Colin Charles Hill is the drummer for American jam band Blues Traveler.-History:Brendan Hill is one of the original members of Blues Traveler. In 1983, while attending school at Princeton High School in Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Hill met Blues Traveler harmonica player John Popper...
, bassist Tad Kinchla
Tad Kinchla
Thaddeus Arwood "Tad" Kinchla is an American musician, most famous as the bassist for the jam band Blues Traveler.He was born in Princeton, New Jersey, Kinchla is the younger brother to long-time Blues Traveler guitarist Chan Kinchla. He began playing the upright bass as a child after his brother...
and keyboardist Ben Wilson
Ben Wilson (musician)
Ben Wilson is an American musician, most famous as the keyboardist for the jam band Blues Traveler.Wilson attended the alternative Community High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, graduating in 1985. Wilson joined Blues Traveler in January 2000 following the death of longtime bassist Bobby Sheehan in...
. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "But Anyway", "Run-Around
Run-Around
"Run-Around" is a song by American jam band Blues Traveler, featured on the 1994 album Four. Blues Traveler won their first Grammy Award for the song in 1995.The song was the band's breakthrough hit, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" and "Hook
Hook (song)
"Hook" is a song by jam band Blues Traveler, from their 1994 album Four. The song peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song's title refers to a hook in music terminology: the catchy element or phrase of a song which makes it distinctive and memorable...
". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994.
Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
put a damper on the group's success, and A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
dropped the band in 2002. However, the band took this transition period as an opportunity to start in new directions musically, going largely independent and releasing on smaller experimental labels.
Recently, Blues Traveler recorded a "best-of" collection of older songs reinterpreted with acoustic instrumentation
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
called Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself is Blues Traveler's ninth album. It contains previously released songs reworked with acoustic instrumentation and, for some songs, different arrangements from the originals.-History:...
, released October 2007; a new studio album, North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout is American jam band Blues Traveler's ninth studio album, released on August 26, 2008, and produced by David Bianco, a 1996 Grammy winner...
, was released on the Verve Forecast label August 26, 2008.
Formation
The genesis of Blues Traveler was as a high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
garage band
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
formed in Princeton, New Jersey in the mid 1980s. Harmonicist, singer and guitarist John Popper and drummer Brendan Hill formed a group they called The Establishment (later renamed Blues Band) with Hill's brother on bass and a rotating roster of guitarists. The band produced a few cassette tape
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
. In addition to some original songs, their repertoire included upbeat covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Gloria" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a hymn by American writer Julia Ward Howe using the music from the song "John Brown's Body". Howe's more famous lyrics were written in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War...
".
The group added guitarist and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Chan Kinchla. Although he was a promising athlete, Kinchla decided to commit to playing music instead after a knee injury. Popper met bassist Bobby Sheehan and the two became good friends, with Sheehan becoming the new bass player for Blues Band in 1987.
The quartet held a basement jam session
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
(later christened The Black Cat Jam) which spawned the core grooves for several songs on their first album. A black cat
Black cat
A black cat is a feline with black fur. It is not a particular breed of cat and may be mixed or of a specific breed. The Bombay, known for its sleek black fur, is an example of a black cat. The all-black pigmentation is equally prevalent in both male and female cats...
happened to be nearby, and the group took this as a sign
Omen
An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change...
and adopted the Black Cat as their mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
figure.
The group changed their name to Blues Traveler, taking the latter part from the name of the primary demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
in the film Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
, Gozer the Traveler.
Early years
After graduating Princeton High SchoolPrinceton High School (New Jersey)
Princeton High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Princeton Regional Schools district, which serves all public school students in the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township...
and moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Popper, Hill, and Sheehan enrolled in the music program at The New School
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
while Kinchla attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. Blues Traveler began playing gigs along the New York-area club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
circuit, sometimes nightly; the most prominent contract was playing Wednesday nights at a club called the Wetlands
The Wetlands Preserve
The Wetlands Preserve was a live music venue in Tribeca, New York City, that closed in 2001. The club was located on Hudson and Laight Streets, near the Holland Tunnel...
. Another bar, The Nightingale, was a regular gig, and later became the setting for the song "Defense and Desire".
The group shared an apartment on Bergen Street in Brooklyn, NY, along with their high school friend, singer Chris Barron. A second band that Popper and Hill founded, called The Trucking Company, soon became The Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors is an American alternative rock band formed in New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits, "Two Princes," and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #7 & #17 respectively....
with Barron as their frontman. The two groups would often share the stage, playing non-stop concerts of multiple sets. Their first show together was at a Columbia University fraternity party and their second was at a Jamaican-themed restaurant near Times Square in New York City. During this time, Blues Traveler acquired a devout follower, Gina-Z (subject of the band's song "Gina") who first became an unofficial "band mom" and later a tour manager, and is involved with the group's business to the present day.
At one New York show they were discovered by an A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
talent scout, Patrick Clifford
Patrick Clifford
Patrick Clifford is a musician, songwriter, and producer of Irish and folk music, best known as a key member of Four to the Bar--a mainstay of the 1990s New York Irish music scene....
, and the band signed their first recording contract. By 1990 all members had dropped out of college classes. The group also attracted the attention of David Graham, son of the world-famous concert promoter Bill Graham
Bill Graham (promoter)
Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...
, and became one of Graham's many acts. Blues Traveler then started a relentless touring schedule, expanding their reach up and down the east coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
.
First albums
Blues Traveler released their self-titled debut albumBlues Traveler (album)
Blues Traveler, the eponymous debut album from Blues Traveler, was released on A&M Records in 1990. It establishes the band's trademark jam band sound featuring John Popper's harmonica...
in 1990, with the song "But Anyway" getting airplay on college radio stations. The album included Joan Osborne
Joan Osborne
Joan Elizabeth Osborne is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her song "One of Us". She has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.-Biography:Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky, a suburb...
on backing vocals on two tracks.
A second album, Travelers and Thieves
Travelers and Thieves
Travelers and Thieves is Blues Traveler's second album, released on A&M Records in 1991. The album was released in two different versions: an album-only version, and an extremely limited two-CD pressing. The bonus disc was called On Tour Forever...
, followed in 1991. Upon Bill Graham's death that year, they released a live EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, On Tour Forever
On Tour Forever
On Tour Forever is a live EP album released by Blues Traveler in 1992. Only ten thousand copies were produced, packaged as a double album with copies of the band's second album, Travelers and Thieves....
, as a tribute to Graham, which featured guitar legend Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. The group was becoming well known in the new wave of jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
s that was developing in the early 1990s.
Around this time, the mainstream national audience was exposed to Blues Traveler by television host
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
, who has introduced them as "[his] favorite band". The band has since made more appearances on The Late Show
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
than any musical artist. Letterman's band leader Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
has played on a number of Blues Traveler recordings.
In 1992, the group founded the H.O.R.D.E.
H.O.R.D.E.
Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere or H.O.R.D.E. Festival was a touring summer rock music festival originated by the musical group Blues Traveler in 1992. In addition to travelling headliners, the festival gave exposure to bands, charities, and organizations from the local area of the...
festival as an alternative to others such as Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
, along with other bands such as Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
and Spin Doctors. Blues Traveler began recording their third album, Save His Soul. Recording was temporarily interrupted by John Popper's motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
accident, although the band resumed touring shortly thereafter with Popper in a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
. Two singles were released from the album, "Defense & Desire" and "Conquer Me", which reached #34 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Mainstream breakthrough
The band's fourth album, titled four, was released in late 1994. The upbeat pop single "Run-AroundRun-Around
"Run-Around" is a song by American jam band Blues Traveler, featured on the 1994 album Four. Blues Traveler won their first Grammy Award for the song in 1995.The song was the band's breakthrough hit, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" became a smash hit and was followed by the catchy "Hook
Hook (song)
"Hook" is a song by jam band Blues Traveler, from their 1994 album Four. The song peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song's title refers to a hook in music terminology: the catchy element or phrase of a song which makes it distinctive and memorable...
". "Run-Around" won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
and broke a record for most weeks on the chart.
Blues Traveler appeared at Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94, often called the "commercial Woodstock" or "Mudstock", was a music festival organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969...
and later became an opening act for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.
The band played on the 1995 season premiere of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
as a last-minute replacement for Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
. They were featured in an episode of the sitcom Roseanne
Roseanne (TV series)
Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
, and later recorded the show's theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for its final season. The 1996 comedy film Kingpin
Kingpin (film)
Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
featured the group playing their song "But Anyway" during the closing credits.
The group recorded the Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
song "Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man (song)
"Secret Agent Man" is a song written by Steve Barri and P. F. Sloan. The most famous recording of the song was made by Johnny Rivers for the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the U.S. as "Secret Agent" from 1964 to 1966...
" for the film Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame or captive animals. This is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role...
and the Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
song "Get Out of Denver" for the film Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead is a 1995 crime film directed by Gary Fleder from a screenplay written by Scott Rosenberg. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Andy García, Christopher Lloyd, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Fairuza Balk, and Gabrielle Anwar.The film's title...
, as well as Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language....
's "I'm Walkin'" for Rebel Highway
Rebel Highway
Rebel Highway was a short-lived revival of American International Pictures created and produced by Lou Arkoff, the son of Samuel Z. Arkoff and Debra Hill for the Showtime channel in 1994. The concept was 10-week series of 1950s "drive-in classic" B-movies remade "with a '90s edge"...
: Cool and the Crazy
Cool and the Crazy
Cool and the Crazy is a 1994 film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi and starring Jared Leto and Alicia Silverstone as an unhappily married couple in the late 1950s who both lead separate affairs...
. Several previously recorded Blues Traveler songs were included on film soundtracks, including The Last Seduction
The Last Seduction
The Last Seduction is a neo-noir 1994 film directed by John Dahl.The movie features Linda Fiorentino as the femme fatale, Peter Berg as a small town man whose one night affair turns into more than he wanted, and Bill Pullman as Fiorentino's husband who is chasing her and running from loan sharks at...
, Speed, Very Bad Things
Very Bad Things
Very Bad Things is a 1998 black comedy directed by Peter Berg, based on the book by Gene Brewer. It stars Jon Favreau, Cameron Diaz, Christian Slater, Jeremy Piven, Daniel Stern, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Leland Orser.-Plot:...
, White Man's Burden
White Man's Burden (film)
White Man's Burden is a 1995 dramatic film about racism in an alternative America where black and white Americans have reversed cultural roles....
, and The Truth About Cats & Dogs
The Truth About Cats & Dogs
The Truth About Cats & Dogs is a 1996 American romantic comedy film, starring Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman, Ben Chaplin, and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Audrey Wells...
. The band also appeared in the film Blues Brothers 2000
Blues Brothers 2000
Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Directed by John Landis, the film featured Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameos by many musicians.-Plot:...
and on its soundtrack, playing "Maybe I'm Wrong", an original composition with a classic blues-rock sound.
Blues Traveler recorded the Sly & the Family Stone
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
song "I Want to Take You Higher
I Want to Take You Higher
"I Want to Take You Higher" is a 1969 song by the soul/rock/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, the B-side to their Top 30 hit Stand!". Unlike most of the other tracks on the Stand! album, "I Want to Take You Higher" is not a message song; instead, it is simply dedicated to music and the feeling one...
" for the NORML compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Hempilation and the John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
song "Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
" for the Lennon tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Working Class Hero
Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon
Working Class Hero is a 1995 tribute album to Beatles singer/songwriter John Lennon. It gets its name from a Lennon song of the same name. The album was produced by Lindy Goetz through Hollywood Records in support of the Humane Society of the United States...
. The original song "Christmas" was included on the benefit album A Very Special Christmas 3
A Very Special Christmas 3
A Very Special Christmas 3 is the third in a series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released on 23 September 1997, and production was overseen by Bobby Shriver, Al Cafaro, and Linda Feder for A&M Records.-Track listing:# "I Saw Three...
.
The double live album, Live from the Fall
Live from the Fall
Live From the Fall is American jam band Blues Traveler's first full-length live album, released on July 2, 1996 featuring highlights of the band's autumn 1995 tour.-Disc one:#"Love and Greed" – 5:15...
, was released in 1996. It featured recordings from the band's autumn 1995 concerts and showcased the strength of the band's live performances.
The next studio album, Straight On till Morning
Straight on Till Morning
Straight on Till Morning is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Peter Collinson and starring Rita Tushingham, Shane Briant, James Bolam, Katya Wyeth and John Clive. A reserved young woman finds herself attracted to a handsome stranger, unaware of his psychotic tendencies...
, was released in 1997. It achieved platinum status
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart, but did not perform as well as four. The single "Carolina Blues" peaked at number four on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The band made an appearance performing in the 1999 independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Wildflowers
Wildflowers (film)
Wildflowers is a 1999 drama film directed by Melissa Painter. It stars Clea DuVall, Daryl Hannah, Tomas Arana and Eric Roberts. It features former United States Poet Laureate Robert Hass reading some of his own poetry...
.
By the end of 1998, the band had prepared a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
called The Sun, The Storm and The Traveler, based on Aesop's fable
Aesop's Fables
Aesop's Fables or the Aesopica are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today...
of The North Wind and the Sun
The North Wind and the Sun
The North Wind and the Sun is one of Aesop's Fables . It is type 298 in the Aarne-Thompson folktale classification.-The story and its application:...
, and they planned to record it after a recess in the fall of 1999. That summer, John Popper had emergency heart surgery
Cardiac surgery
Cardiovascular surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease , correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease from various causes including endocarditis, rheumatic heart...
due to artery
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
blockage, forcing the band to cancel their annual July 4th Red Rocks
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
shows at the last minute.
During the hiatus, Popper released a solo album with a backing band consisting of Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
drummer Carter Beauford
Carter Beauford
Carter Anthony Beauford is an American drummer, percussionist, and founding member of Dave Matthews Band. He is known for his ability to adapt to a variety of genres, and both his ambidextrous and his open hand drumming styles. He plays the drums and sings backing vocals in the band...
and members of the group Cycomotogoat.
Sheehan's death and new lineup
On August 20, 1999, Bobby Sheehan was found dead in his New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
home, where he had been recording music with some friends the night before. Sheehan's death was ruled an accidental drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
, with cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, diazepam
Diazepam
Diazepam , first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche is a benzodiazepine drug. Diazepam is also marketed in Australia as Antenex. It is commonly used for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures including status epilepticus, muscle spasms , restless legs syndrome, alcohol withdrawal,...
, and heroin found in his system.
The remaining members of Blues Traveler convened and agreed that Sheehan would have wanted them to continue as a band. Auditions for a new bassist were held in concert, and included Chan Kinchla's younger brother Tad, who was unanimously determined to be the best choice for the role. Additionally, an open call was sent for a permanent keyboard player, a role of which Sheehan had often been a proponent. Ben Wilson of the band Big Dave and the Ultrasonics was chosen, and has since become a central contributor to the band's songwriting.
The band discarded their concept album material, instead releasing a smaller online EP, Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler's Tale of Sun and Storm
Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler's Tale of Sun and Storm
Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler's Tale of Sun and Storm is a collection of four studio tracks by Blues Traveler. The songs were released online as a free digital EP album in the fall of 2000....
, and went to work collectively composing a new set of songs with the new lineup. The resulting album was Bridge, which had the working title Bridge Outta Brooklyn as a tribute to Sheehan (with both the acronym B.O.B. and his nickname "Brooklyn Bobby"). The songs "Girl Inside My Head" and "Just for Me" received airplay, but the album's sales fell somewhat short of expectations.
The live album What You and I Have Been Through and the compilation Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics
Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics
Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics is a Blues Traveler compilation album, released in 2002.-Track listing:All songs by John Popper except where noted.# "But Anyway" - 4:09# "Gina" - 4:03...
were both released in 2002.
Recent years
Blues Traveler were one of dozens of artists who were jettisoned as part of A&M's corporate restructuring. The band signed with Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
for their next album, Truth Be Told
Truth Be Told (Blues Traveler album)
Truth Be Told is American jam band Blues Traveler's seventh studio album, released on August 5, 2003 .-Track listing:#"Unable to Get Free" – 4:23#"Eventually " – 3:51...
, which only reached number 147 on The Top 200 chart.
The band's 2003 Independence Day concerts at Red Rocks Amphitheatre were released on the CD Live on the Rocks and the DVD Thinnest of Air, and include Ziggy Marley
Ziggy Marley
David "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
singing on his father's song "No Woman, No Cry
No Woman, No Cry
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The song first became known in 1974 through the studio album Natty Dread. The live version from the 1975 album Live! is perhaps best known — it was this version which was released on the greatest hits compilation Legend. The original...
".
The band left Sanctuary for Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
and released ¡Bastardos!, which was produced by Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
's Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett
Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco.-Early life and work with Wilco:...
and was touted as the band's return to music that they wanted to play. The album charted at 49 on the Independent Albums
Independent Albums
The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels...
, and a live EP of songs from the album
¡Bastardos en Vivo!
¡Bastardos en Vivo! is a live EP album by Blues Traveler, released August 29, 2006. It contains live recordings of several songs from the band's album ¡Bastardos!, plus a rendition of the Charlie Daniels Band's classic southern rock song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"...
was released to independent record stores.
On September 19, 2005, Blues Traveler played their cover of Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice (entertainer)
Lester Napoleon Green , known legally as Beetlejuice , is a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show and a member of Stern's Wack Pack. He has appeared in feature films as well as performed voice-over work...
's song "This is Beetle
Beetlejuice (entertainer)
Lester Napoleon Green , known legally as Beetlejuice , is a frequent guest on The Howard Stern Show and a member of Stern's Wack Pack. He has appeared in feature films as well as performed voice-over work...
" on the Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
radio show.
In April 2006, the band headlined the first annual "OH-Fest" concert in Oneonta, New York.
Blues Traveler have been featured on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
, A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
's Private Sessions
Private Sessions
Private Sessions is a television series produced by the A&E Network featuring entertainers interviewed by host Lynn Hoffman. Most guests are musicians that perform one or more of their songs during the hour-long episode, but actors also have appeared on the show.In the United States, the show...
, and Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
. The group recorded the title track to the Sandra Boynton
Sandra Boynton
Sandra Keith Boynton is an American humorist, songwriter, children's author and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as over four thousand greeting cards, and four music albums...
children's album Dog Train, which was also used as the promotional music for the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
's National Championship event. The band's music has been used in video games (NASCAR 2000
NASCAR 2000
For the 2000 NASCAR Season bearing the same name, see 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.NASCAR 2000 is a racing simulator video game developed and published by EA Sports and co-developed by Stormfront Studios. The game was released on September 15, 1999 for the Nintendo 64, November 30, 1999 for the...
) and commercials (Busch Beer). The songs "Business as Usual" and "Money Back Guarantee" are used as transitional music on the public radio
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
program Marketplace
Marketplace (radio program)
Marketplace is a radio program that focuses on business, the economy, and events that influence them. Hosted by Kai Ryssdal, the show is produced and distributed by American Public Media, in association with the University of Southern California...
and its sister show Marketplace Money.
The group recorded "Rag Mama Rag" for the 2007 tribute album Endless Highway: The Music of The Band
Endless Highway: The Music of The Band
Endless Highway: The Music of the Band, a tribute to The Band, was released on 30 January 2007.-Track listing:All songs written by Robbie Robertson unless noted otherwise.#"This Wheel's on Fire" performed by Guster - 3:24...
, as well as "Free Bird
Free Bird
"Free Bird" is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
" for Under the Influence: A Jam Band Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In 2007, Blues Traveler released the album Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself is Blues Traveler's ninth album. It contains previously released songs reworked with acoustic instrumentation and, for some songs, different arrangements from the originals.-History:...
, a "best-of" album of previously released songs re-recorded and reinterpreted with acoustic instrumentation. It was released October 30, 2007 through Columbia/Red Ink Records. They did a national tour, with opening act Lisa Bouchelle a singer/song writer based in New Jersey. After touring together John Popper
John Popper
John Popper is an American musician and songwriter.He is most famous for his role as frontman of rock band Blues Traveler performing harmonica, guitar and vocals...
and Lisa Bouchelle recorded the song "Only The Tequila Talking", which was released on her album Bleu Room with a Red Vase in 2010.
Blues Traveler appeared at the 2008 Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
festival. At their June 2008 shows, the band debuted new songs off their new album North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout is American jam band Blues Traveler's ninth studio album, released on August 26, 2008, and produced by David Bianco, a 1996 Grammy winner...
. The album, which features a guest appearance by Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
, released in August 2008.
Concert recordings
Blues Traveler allows and encourages fans to record and trade live performances, provided that no money changes hands and no profit is made. The band has also given permission for live fan-made recordings to be hosted on websites such as Live Music Archive and eTree.org. Recordings available there span from 1986 through the present day.On more recent tours, they sell recordings of that very night's performance. Attendees can pre-purchase a copy of the show until 30 minutes into the performance and then pick up the CD after the show.
Independence Day shows at Red Rocks
Every year since 1994, with the exception of 1999, Blues Traveler has headlined a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
in Morrison, Colorado
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
on the American Independence Day, July 4. The band usually plays two consecutive nights, starting on July 3.
This tradition started in 1992 when Blues Traveler was opening for The Allman Brothers Band at the venue for two nights, July 3 and 4. The next year, the band booked the HORDE festival to play there on Independence Day, and in 1994 the current tradition began in earnest.
These shows attract fans from all over the United States. The band frequently debuts new songs and brings back older songs, fallen out of rotation.
The 2003 Independence Day concerts were recorded for a home video and live album release.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
||||||||
| 1990 | Blues Traveler Blues Traveler (album) Blues Traveler, the eponymous debut album from Blues Traveler, was released on A&M Records in 1990. It establishes the band's trademark jam band sound featuring John Popper's harmonica...
|
136 | — |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Gold |
|||||
| 1991 | Travelers and Thieves Travelers and Thieves Travelers and Thieves is Blues Traveler's second album, released on A&M Records in 1991. The album was released in two different versions: an album-only version, and an extremely limited two-CD pressing. The bonus disc was called On Tour Forever... |
125 | — |
|
|||||
| 1993 | Save His Soul
|
72 | — |
|
|||||
| 1994 | four
|
8 | — |
|
|||||
| 1997 | Straight On till Morning Straight on Till Morning Straight on Till Morning is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Peter Collinson and starring Rita Tushingham, Shane Briant, James Bolam, Katya Wyeth and John Clive. A reserved young woman finds herself attracted to a handsome stranger, unaware of his psychotic tendencies... |
11 | — |
|
|||||
| 2001 | Bridge
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:... |
91 | — | ||||||
| 2003 | Truth Be Told Truth Be Told (Blues Traveler album) Truth Be Told is American jam band Blues Traveler's seventh studio album, released on August 5, 2003 .-Track listing:#"Unable to Get Free" – 4:23#"Eventually " – 3:51... Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world... |
147 | — | ||||||
| 2005 | ¡Bastardos!
Vanguard Records Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary... |
— | 49 | ||||||
| 2007 | Cover Yourself Cover Yourself Cover Yourself is Blues Traveler's ninth album. It contains previously released songs reworked with acoustic instrumentation and, for some songs, different arrangements from the originals.-History:... |
— | — | ||||||
| 2008 | North Hollywood Shootout North Hollywood Shootout North Hollywood Shootout is American jam band Blues Traveler's ninth studio album, released on August 26, 2008, and produced by David Bianco, a 1996 Grammy winner... Verve Records Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve... |
— | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Live albums
- Live from the FallLive from the FallLive From the Fall is American jam band Blues Traveler's first full-length live album, released on July 2, 1996 featuring highlights of the band's autumn 1995 tour.-Disc one:#"Love and Greed" – 5:15...
(1996) - Live: What You and I Have Been Through (2002)
- Live on the Rocks (2004)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC |
US Adult |
US Mod |
US Pop Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs) The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||||
| 1990 | "But Anyway" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Blues Traveler | |
| 1991 | "All in the Groove" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Travelers and Thieves | |
| "Sweet Pain" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | "Mountain Cry" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993 | "Conquer Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Save His Soul | |
| "Defense & Desire" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1995 | "Run-Around Run-Around "Run-Around" is a song by American jam band Blues Traveler, featured on the 1994 album Four. Blues Traveler won their first Grammy Award for the song in 1995.The song was the band's breakthrough hit, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.... " |
8 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 183 | four | |
| "Hook Hook (song) "Hook" is a song by jam band Blues Traveler, from their 1994 album Four. The song peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song's title refers to a hook in music terminology: the catchy element or phrase of a song which makes it distinctive and memorable... " |
23 | 28 | 22 | 13 | 8 | — | |||
| "The Mountains Win Again" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1996 | "But Anyway" (re-release) | — | — | — | 17 | 24 | — | Kingpin Kingpin (film) Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray... (soundtrack) |
|
| 1997 | "Carolina Blues" | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | Straight On till Morning | |
| "Most Precarious" | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | |||
| 1998 | "Canadian Rose" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "Back in the Day" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Bridge | |
| 2003 | "Let Her and Let Go" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Truth Be Told | |
| 2005 | "Amber Awaits" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ¡Bastardos! | |
| 2008 | "You, Me and Everything" | — | — | — | — | — | — | North Hollywood Shootout | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "But Anyway" | Ken Fox |
| 1993 | "Conquer Me" | David Hogan |
| 1995 | "Run-Around" | Ken Fox |
| "Hook" | Frank W. Ockenfels III | |
| "The Mountains Win Again" | Ken Fox | |
| 1997 | "Carolina Blues" | Frank W. Ockenfels III |
| "Most Precarious" | Rent Sidon | |
| 1998 | "Canadian Rose" | Mark Webb |
| 2001 | "Girl Inside My Head" | Kevin Kerslake |
| 2008 | "You, Me and Everything" |
External links
- BluesTraveler.com - Official website
- Legally download live Blues Traveler shows from the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - Legally download live Blues Traveler shows from bt.etree.org
- Blues Traveler Taping Policy - states that distribution of Blues Traveler recordings is permitted
- Setlist Database @ bluestraveler.net