From early days growing up in the southeast Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California under the tutelage of T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner to their emergence as central figures in the eclectic LA punk/rock scene of the early ‘80s to their current status as internationally-renowned influences in their own right, the Blasters have spent their lives exploring and expressing the deep and diverse musical legacy that is best described by the title of their first album: American Music.

A performance by today's Blasters--vocalist-guitarist Phil Alvin, drummer Bill Bateman, bassist John Bazz, and guitarist Keith Wyatt--reflects influences that range from George Jones and Carl Perkins to Howlin' Wolf, James Brown and Bo Diddley. The band's 1980 debut album American Music (Rollin' Rock) was a powerful collection of fresh, distinctive performances that shattered the artificial boundaries between blues, rockabilly, country, R&B and rock & roll. The next three albums for Slash/Warner Bros. (The Blasters, Non-Fiction, and Hard Line) increasingly featured the unique songwriting voice of original guitarist Dave Alvin as the band's lineup expanded to include pianist Gene Taylor plus saxophonists Steve Berlin and New Orleans legend Lee Allen ("the man who put a saxophone in rock & roll"). As the Blasters' fame grew, they began to draw accolades from artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton and Queen, and in turn the band encouraged and supported still up-and-coming LA musical peers such as Dwight Yoakum and Los Lobos

In 1986, Dave Alvin left the band to pursue a solo career, and over the next decade a series of renowned guitarists including Billy Zoom, Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann, Greg "Smokey" Hormel, and James Intveld filled the position. Phil Alvin simultaneously expanded his own musical efforts with the release of two acclaimed solo albums, Unsung Stories (Slash/Warner) in 1986 and County Fair 2000 (Hightone) in 1994.

In 1996, current guitarist Keith Wyatt joined the lineup and the Blasters continued touring steadily in the US and Europe before returning to the studio in 2004 to record 4-11-44 (Rainman). After the departure of drummer Jerry Angel, the band reunited with original member Bill Bateman and subsequently released their 2012 CD Fun on Saturday Night (Rip Cat). Meanwhile, the Blasters' catalog was renewed with reissues of American Music along with two Slash/Warner compilations (Testament and The Blasters Collection) and the live recordings Trouble Bound and Going Home Live (Shout Factory).

Blasters shows have been described as "a cross between Creedence and the Clash," with a display of passion and energy only deepened by decades of experience. For all of the ways in which the world has changed in the past few decades, one thing is still guaranteed: the Blasters play American Music.

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Jesse Dayton has been building a cult following around the globe playing festivals in North America and Europe for years with his guitar shredding, country-infused, Americana sound. As a critic's darling for his first record on Justice Records, Raisin' Cain (1995), and a number one Americana radio ranking, Jesse was hired at a young age to play lead guitar on some of the last recordings, and play live, by country legends Waylon Jennings, Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Willie Nelson & Glen Campbell and he's been featured in many guitar magazines. Sensing a shift in the music business climate, Jesse formed his own label in 2002, Stag Records, and began his most prolific recording period. While recording five solo records, one duet record, one live record, all on Stag, as well as two soundtrack recordings (Devil's Rejects, Halloween 2) for rocker/director Rob Zombie, Jesse managed to act in movies and music videos, produce several records for other artists (the latest being Supersuckers front man Eddie Spaghetti's "The Value Of Nothing" on Bloodshot Records), write two screenplays, and most recently wrote and directed a new horror movie, "Zombex," starring Malcolm McDowell, Sid Haig, John Doe, and Lew Temple ("Walking Dead). All while still performing 150 shows per year.

Jesse landed the part of Kinky Friedman in Ted Swindley's stage production of "Becoming Kinky: The World According To Kinky Friedman," which ran for a few weeks and also led him to releasing a record of Kinky Friedman original songs called "Jesse Sings Kinky" which has opened up a whole new chapter for him with more radio airplay than ever in his career. As his film "Zombex" just got back from Cannes Film Festival, Jesse will be releasing the Zombex soundtrack which is steeped heavy in the Louisiana/Texas music of his youth. Before JD starts on his next film, he'll be on tour "brangin' it" with his all-star band of hotdog Austin musicians, playing to his faithful fans called "Hardchargers" around the globe. Don't miss this show!!!

Website:

http://jessedayton.com/