NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE ONLINE AT http://www.beezwaxrecords.com/elwood.html
The Band was originated to perform for a one time Jam session for a local Charity Organization in November of 1988. The combination of crowd response and natural love for the Blues has kept the Elwood Splinters Blues Band together, with the reputation of being the hardest working Blues Band in the Michiana area. The Band has worked on bills with the Legendary Pinetop Perkins, Southside Denny, KoKo Taylor and her Blues Machine, Glenn Davis, Clarence Carter, Lonnie Brooks (Rolling Stones Recording Artist), Sugar Blue, Melvin Taylor, Bit Time Sara, Little Charlie and the Night Cats, Son Seals Blues Band, John Conley, Carl Weathersby, Little Ed and the Blues Imperials, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Fliers, and many, many more.
Still paying their dues, the Band performs in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Tennessee. Breaking into the Chicago Blues scene is not an easy task with so many talented musicians about, but the Band has performed by invitation only at the Anniversary Blues Jam at Chicago's B.L.U.E.S. Etcetera Club and has performed at Buddy Guy's Legends. They have also jammed with members of Muddy Waters Legendary Blues Band, Ed King And John Custer of Lynnrd Skynrd.
On July 14, 1991 the Band won the 2nd Annual Amateur Blues Talent Contest, Sponsored by the Blues Society of Indiana at Indy's Vogue Theater, making them the number one Blues Band in the State of Indiana. Labor Day weekend, 1991, the Band competed in the Willie Dixon's National Blues Foundation Competition in Memphis, TN where they placed in the top 10. While in Memphis, they performed at the Memphis Blues Festival, played on Beale St, W.C. Handy Park and at the New Daisy Theater.
In August of 1991, the Band taped a music special on Elkhart's "Music Michiana", WNIT Channel 34 which aired regionally.
The Band has raised Blues awareness promoting Blues Festivals locally and has just completed their 14th annual Maple City Blues Festival, which featured the Legendary Pinetop Perkins. More then 1200 people from all over locally attend the fest in LaPorte, IN, where the Band originated.
Playing everything from traditional to contemporary blues, plus quite a few well-received originals by Paul Thode and the rest of the band. The Elwoods are known to be funky, get down, high-energy performers. They believe that everyone should be part of the show And understand the universal message of the Blues.
Today the band consists of:
Paul "P.T." Thode on Bass and Lead Vocals
Tommy Barrett on Guitars
"Ole" Harv on Lead Vocals
"Detroit" Mike on Piano, Organ, and back-up vocals
David Lee on Saxes and Flute
Rob Hunter "The Hunter" on Drums and Percussion
