About Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler is an American rock band that formed in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1987. They are known for their extensive use of segues in live performances, and could be considered a key part of the re-emerging jam band scene of the 1990s, spearheading the H.O.R.D.E. touring music festival.
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.
The general public is most familiar with the group from their hit singles "But Anyway", "Run-Around", "Hook", the latter two from their 1994 album four which sold several million copies. Fans are allowed to record the band's concerts.
Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's mainstream success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002. In the years following, the band has attempted to work with a number of independent labels and record producers.
Blues Traveler's latest album, Traveler's Blues, was released in July 2021, and was nominated by The Recording Academy for Best Traditional Blues album in the 2022 Grammy Awards.
The genesis of Blues Traveler was as a high school 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 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".
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