The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

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The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Breezy, Jayme and Rev Peyton
Breezy, Jayme and Rev Peyton
Background information
Also known as Big Damn Band
Origin Flag of United States Indianapolis Indiana, US
Genre(s) Roots music
Delta Blues
Label(s) Family Owned
Website http://www.bigdamnband.com/
Members
Josh "The Reverend" Peyton
"Washboard" Breezy Peyton
Jayme Peyton


The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a 3-piece American roots blues band, playing original music in the style of Mississippi delta blues musicians of the 1920s and 1930s.

Contents

[edit] Members

Reverend Josh Peyton - Guitar, lead vocals and principal songwriter.

"Washboard" Breezy Peyton - Washboard

Jayme Peyton - Drums

[edit] History

Josh "Rev" Peyton was born April 12, 1981 in rural Eagletown, Indiana. His brother Jayme was born in 1983. Their father was a seasonal concrete laborer during the summer, and fur trapper in the winter. Rev Peyton's first introduction to music was via his father's record collection of blues-oriented rock, including Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and Bob Dylan. At 13, Rev Peyton's father gave him an electric guitar and amp. Shortly after, Jayme Peyton started playing the drums and, with a bass player formed a band called Drive-Thru and played parties. A friend pointed out the blues sound of Rev Peyton's guitar playing, sending Peyton off on an exploration of the blues of BB King, Muddy Waters and Muddy Water's cousin Bukka White. Further exploration led to pre-World War II "country blues", and a desire to learn the finger-picking style of artists like Charlie Patton, but at the time Peyton was unable to master it, instead playing more pick-oriented blues. Peyton played a party following his high school graduation, and the next morning suffered excruciating pain in his hands. Doctors told Peyton he'd never be able to hold his left hand in fretting position again. At that point, he gave up on music and spent a year working as the desk clerk in a hotel.

Peyton sought other medical advice, and eventually the Indiana Hand Center operated on his left hand, and removed a mass of scar tissue. While recovering from surgery, Rev Peyton met Breezy. She introduced him to the music of Jimbo Mathis and the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and he introduced her to delta blues. When the bandages were removed, Peyton discovered a new flexibility in his fretting hand that enabled him to play in the "finger" style that had long eluded him.

Breezy bought a washboard, and started writing songs with Rev Peyton and Jayme Peyton. A trip to Clarksdale, Mississippi inspired them to resume playing music, and their first gigs were at Melody Inn Tavern in Indianapolis, Indiana. The band played blues festivals, and even headlined two nights at actor Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, and tours as the opening act for Mary Prankster.

Eventually, a 40 hour drive from Indianapolis to El Centro, California to open for the Derek Trucks Band and Susan Tedeschi convinced the band to devote themselves to music and touring full-time. They received an offer from a blues record label, but discovered that they had sold more copies of their independently pressed CD "The Pork'n'Beans Collection" at their concerts than the label had managed to sell of any of their other artists. Since that time, The Big Damn Band has been touring the United States, and a tour of blues festivals in Italy and Switzerland, pausing only for holidays and to record their next CD "Big Damn Nation" with producer Paul Mahern and Jimbo Mathis. Their 2007 tour includes opening dates for the Celtic punk band Flogging Molly.

Rev Peyton is a Kentucky Colonel.

[edit] Discography

Cover of 2004's The Pork'n'Beans Collection
Cover of 2004's
The Pork'n'Beans Collection

[edit] The Pork'n'Beans Collection

This first album is all original material, except for Charlie (or Charley) Patton's "Pony Blues". The album featured a less rough vocal sound, and is less reflective of the sound of the band in concert.

  1. My Soul To Keep
  2. Plainfield Blues
  3. Sure Feels Like Rain
  4. Never Seem To Mind
  5. Pork Chop Biscuit
  6. Ain't Got Nothin'
  7. Pony Blues
  8. Wejusgetinba
  9. One Bad Shoe
  10. Rich Man
  11. That Train Song


Cover of 2005's The Big Damn Band sampler
Cover of 2005's
The Big Damn Band sampler

[edit] Big Damn Band sampler

Sampler of songs from the album to appear the next year as well as re-recorded versions of songs from the previous album, this more accurately reflected the evolving style of the band and The Rev's lower, rougher voice. Packaged in a simple cardboard slipcase and sold at a lower price, was only available in concert.

  1. Aberdeen
  2. My Old Man Boogie
  3. Plainfield Blues
  4. My Soul To Keep
  5. Pork Chop Biscuit


Cover of 2006's Big Damn Nation
Cover of 2006's
Big Damn Nation

[edit] Big Damn Nation

Produced by Paul Mahern and Jimbo Mathis of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Recorded direct to analog tape with no overdubs, this album most accurately captures the sound of the band in concert. All original material, it includes re-recorded versions of several songs from the first album. The Reverend's voice is lower and gruffer in the style of 1930s American southern blues singers. Jayme Peyton's drum kit has simplified to a single 18" kick, cymbal and an 8" snare, placing the drums in a much higher register than average.

  1. My Old Man Boogie
  2. Long Gone
  3. Spreadin’ Your Love Around
  4. Boom Chank
  5. Worryin’ Kind
  6. Left Hand George
  7. Mud
  8. Another Bottle
  9. Aberdeen
  10. Plainfield Blues
  11. My Soul To Keep
  12. Sugar Man


[edit] External links

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