Legendary Shack Shakers

Described by guitar legend Jeff Beck as “a cross between the Yardbirds and the Sex Pistols”, Legendary Shack Shakers has obviously earned quite a name for itself. The band’s hell-for-leather roadshow is infamous for its unique brand of Southern Gothic that is all-at-once irreverent, revisionist, soulful, dangerous, and fun.

Led by their wildly charismatic, rail-thin frontman/blues-harpist, J.D. Wilkes, the Shack Shakers are a four-man wrecking crew from the South whose explosive interpretations of the blues, punk, rock and country have made fans, critics and legions of potential converts into true believers.

With the recent addition of Atlanta guitarist Rod Hamdallah and drumming wunderkind, Brett Whitacre, the Legendary Shack Shakers have quickly become known for providing some of the best entertainment (live or otherwise) that you can get for your hard earned money.

Founding member Col. J.D. Wilkes is the band’s vocalist and also plays the harmonica. Wilkes is noted for his wild stage antics, which have been compared to those of Iggy Pop, David Byrne, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Mark Robertson currently plays upright bass, and Brett Whitacre is on drums. Duane Denison, member of recently reformed The Jesus Lizard (and formerly Hank Williams III) joined the band in 2008. Current garage blues guitar player Rod Hamdallah joined the band early 2012.

The group initially gained notoriety when GEICO used their track “CB Song” on their “Sunglasses” television ad. Horror novelist Stephen King would later list the same track as among his iPod’s Top Five in a 2008 Entertainment Weekly article.

The band regularly tours with The Reverend Horton Heat, who also appears as a guest guitarist on 3 tracks from their 2006 album, Pandelirium. Former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafraalso guested on the album’s opening track, “Ichabod.”

Robert Plant is a noted Legendary Shack Shakers fan, and hand-picked the band to open for him on his 2005 tour of Europe. Plant also named “Believe” his favorite record of 2005.

The band released their 6th studio album; AgriDustrial, on April 13, 2010 on their own Colonel Knowledge label.

Although not legendary upon being named, the band has grown into its own shoes over the last several years due to a grueling tour schedule spanning the globe. The band has toured with Reverend Horton Heat, Robert Plant, Rancid, The Black Keys, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, andHank Williams III, among others. In 2003, Time Out New York Magazine said The Legendary Shack Shakers were “Among Top Ten Live NYC acts of the year”. Jello Biafra of Alternative Tentacles and The Dead Kennedys called J.D. Wilkes “the last great Rock and Roll frontman.”News Of The World called them “The maddest, baddest, most outrageous band in America.. a rockabilly version of the Sex Pistols.” TheNashville Scene called Wilkes the Best Frontman in Nashville in a 2002 vote.