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BY TOM LOUNGES
Times Correspondent | Sunday, November 19, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
Taking their name from a popular John Mellencamp song, The Lonesome Jubilee, is a six-piece musical project anchored by singer Amy Davis and rhythm guitarist/singer/songwriter Mike Krupa.
A Highland native and 1999 graduate of Bishop Knoll Institute, Krupa was given his first acoustic guitar in the fourth grade.
"I've been writing songs and playing music for years, but until meeting up with Amy, I had never performed in public back home," said Krupa, "Kids I went to school with just weren't into Mellencamp, James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel and acoustic music like I was, so I pretty much kept my music to myself."
Krupa found like-minded musicians later in life at Purdue University Lafayette where he formed a student combo called, The Brown Dirt Cowboys, after an Elton John song.
Among the coeds who frequented Brown Dirt Cowboy gigs around campus, was Amy Davis of Lowell. Davis grew up singing in choruses and for years had aspired to try the band experience, but never found an opportunity or musicians willing to give her a chance.
"I met Amy through mutual friends on campus and I knew from them that she could sing really well," he said.
Krupa was also part of a local "open mic night" at a Lafayette music joint called Champs where Davis came to see him perform. Krupa said that it took nearly a year of trying before he finally coaxed Davis up on the Champs stage with him to sing.
"It all just fell together after that," said Davis, now 24, who ultimately wound up co-hosting that weekly open mic with Krupa for the duration of their last year at P.U.
Moving back to the region two years, the couple put together the Lonesome Jubilee project, which grew from a duo, to a trio, to the six-piece outfit it is today.
Rounding out the group with Davis and Krupa are Mike's younger brother Steve Krupa (keyboard and harmonica), Jim Eder (drums), Paul Cullen (bass), and John Prestipino (lead guitar). The latter three also perform locally on their own as The Shatners.
A typical Lonesome Jubilee set these days is split between the rock, pop and country music genres.
Their rock/pop songbook includes covers of hits by the likes of Tom Petty, Stealer's Wheel, Janis Joplin, Blind Melon, Sheryl Crowe, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Paul Simon, and of course, plenty of John Mellencamp.
Their country tunes are generally fresh from radio playlist artists like Sugarland, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley,The Dixie Chicks and Kenny Chesney. But Davis is also prone to doing Patsy Cline and she sweetly covers the late country queen faithfully.
So sweetly, in fact, that Davis made it through the first two rounds of competition for the 2007 season of USA Network's "Nashville Star" television program with her treatment of Cline's "Walkin After Midnight."
Ultimately, Davis became one of 60 finalists out of hundreds of national hopefuls.
"I did not get picked for Round Three (of the competition) in Nashville," noted Davis in a recent web site entry to the band's fans. "Oh well, I'll try again next year."
Visit www.myspace.com/lonesomejubileeband for more information.
The opinions expressed solely are those of the writer. Reach him at beatboss@aol.com.
onstage
The Lonesome Jubilee
When: 10 tonight
Where: St. John's Pub, 9623 Wicker Ave., St. John
Cost: $3 (21-and-older show)
FYI: (219) 365-7880
onstage
The Lonesome Jubilee
When: 10 tonight
Where: St. John's Pub, 9623 Wicker Ave., St. John
Cost: $3 (21-and-older show)
FYI: (219) 365-7880
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