Bios

Jim Luke, vocals and harmonica

Jim Luke has been performing for over thirty years, in Florida and Texas since 1980.  He has been a bandleader in Houston and Austin, fronting The Midnight Flyer Band, the JumpCats, and most recently, the Juke Jammers, an Austin, Texas blues band.

Dawn Erin, vocals

Originally hailing from near Boston, Massachusetts, Dawn has lived and worked in New York City, Chicago and Austin TX. She is an avid horsewoman and rides American Saddlebred horses. She sings with a jazz quartet and is currently finishing writing her first novel “The Iron Horse”.  She has no children but is “momma” to 4 large dogs and spends a great deal of time hiking Austin’s parks with them.

Jon Chaney, electric guitar and slide

Jonathan Chaney, a native texan who has been playing guitar and loving music for over 15 years.  Graduate of Mclennan Comm College music program, along with a bachelors degree from Berklee College of Music. He is currently living in Austin, Tx and pursuing a career in performing.

He  is trained in all contemporary guitar styles and both classical and contemporary theory.  As a performer, Jonathan loves improvisation, jazz and blues.  Jonathan plans to continue performing and teaching for the rest of his life.

Johnny Schex, bass guitar

Born and raised in New Orleans, bassist Johnny Schex Jr. began soaking up the nuances of that musical city at an early age via marching bands in Mardi Gras parades. Taking up drums in his grade school band began the journey. Later, switching to guitar, he took lessons at  Roger Filiberto’s ‘ World of Strings ‘ under the tutelage of Les Wise. While living in the French Quarter in the late 70′s, he picked up the bass for the first time for a band named Zip. Then it was on to Delagado Community College where he majored in jazz and classical guitar, all the while playing the tuba parts on bass guitar in the concert band. One of the rock bands Johnny was involved with during this period performed at the World’s Fair on July 4th,1984 to record crowds. Also backed Oliver ‘ Who Shot the La La ‘ Morgan for numerous gigs in Fat City.

After graduating, Johnny relocated to Austin.Tx. Stints included playing the 6th St. scene with cover band In By Ten and a tour of Ohio with country rock band, Eastern League. Then in the early 90′s he co-founded the jazz combo, The Blue Monks. They had a jazz brunch residency at The Old Pecan St. Cafe and were regularly booked at The Ritz Theatre. Another highlight of this period was backing the legendary NO singer, Johnny Adams for a wedding.

Then in a decidedly conscious move back to the blues, Johnny teamed up with Jim Luke for the first time in 2003 forming The Blue Jacks, an acoustic blues trio. Since then, Johnny has  continued to lay it down for many outfits including The Stacey McCann Band, Big Stacy, etc., always striving to keep it bluesy, funky and jazzy. And with the formation of The Juke Jammers, it has allowed him to delve ever deeper into the styles of all the great blues bassists.

Gary “Soapy” Hopkins, drums

… BEEN THERE… DONE THAT PRETTY MUCH DESCRIBES MY MUSICAL HISTORY: SHOWBANDS, BLUES, COUNTRY, JAZZ, ROCK, ETC. My Playing history includes, but not limited to: HY’S GUYS (the best showband ever) FREDDY FENDER; BO DIDDLEY, WC CLARK; LeMaster (Vegas-showband).

I was raised in Indiana (Terre Haute area) graduated from Indiana State Univ. w/ a BS degree in Radio/TV. Having lived all over the country; Lynchburg,Virginia, Las Vegas, Arkansas, Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Johnson City ( Mayor too), and now settled in Austin and live real close to my daughter,grandson, and family…which is way cool!