Band Bio
The Delta Kings were formed in 1993 in Champaign, Illinois when founding members Bill Humphrey (bass) and Kenny McNichols (guitar & vocals) recruited Cody Sokolski (guitar & vocals), a freshly transplanted New Yorker. After a couple of unsuccessful tries, the band found human rhythm machine Terry Hawkins (drums) and the Delta Kings were complete.
Playing four sets a night to tough roadhouse audiences up and down the Central Illinois' area, the band realized they had turned into a crack rhythm oriented blues/rock'n'roll band. Next thing you know, the Delta Kings started writing their own songs. Much to their joyous surprise, audiences actually liked the band's original material, at times, even screaming out requests for the stuff. Hearing about a fellow who had a 16 track studio in his dining room, the Delta Kings thought, "Hey, let's record this stuff, just to hear what we sound like." Blitzing through 25 songs in six hours, the band was ecstatic with the results. No one knows how six hours in a dining room ended up at Streeterville Studios in Chicago, being mixed by Fred Breitberg of numerous Alligator Record credits. But it did. The result of that mysterious process was their first cd release in 1997, "Damn Thing Bites". By 2000 they had released "Done Fell Out The Back," a collection of rarities & out-takes, and in between, two limited edition live recordings. "Live at the Farmer City 4th Of July Music Festival" and "Night Of The Living Groove."
With the release of "Roadhouse Hullabaloo," two things were done differently. More time was put into the actual recording process and the songs were chosen to more closely reflect the diversity of the band's repertoire. Sharing stages with acts like Bobby Blue Bland, Delbert McClinton and BR 549, as well as playing over 500 one nighters at Central Illinois roadhouses, biker bashes and festivals, the band has shaped & honed a song list of originals and select covers that span the breadth & depth of American Roots Music. Blues, R&B, Country, Rockabilly & Rock'n'Roll are the humble, but noble streams which The Delta Kings draw from to create their funky brew.
"Roadhouse Hullabaloo" The next chapter in The Delta Kings' story.