Thirsty Perch Blues Band

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Phillip A.: BASS & VOCALS

George Fergusen: PERCUSSION

Chris Collins: GUITAR & VOCALS

Chuck Luscombe: HARMONICA & VOCALS

Dan Lomas: GUITAR & VOCALS

In the late summer of 2008, the Thirsty Perch Blues Band solidified their lineup and built their foundation as a Powerhouse Electric Rockin Blues Band that can best be described as a howling hurricane of a five piece ensemble.

Their truly diverse musical influences are the driving force behind a proprietary sound that simply can`t be matched by your average blues band on the local scene.

GRAND RAPIDS — Members of the Thirsty Perch Blues Band have been through it all with other bands over the decades, from playing rock ’n’ roll covers to country music to jazz.

So, when the five veteran musicians found their groove playing original “rockin’ blues” songs, they knew they had a foundation for something special.

“We didn’t know what it was going to sound like,” said guitarist, singer and lead songwriter Chris Collins, who assembled the band a few years ago.

“I think we’re just lucky to have five guys from different backgrounds. ... That’s what makes the original music so good because you’ve got all these different influences. That’s how we came up with this proprietary sound, I think.”

That “proprietary sound” has earned the Grand Rapids blues band plenty of attention: It won the 2009 Jammie Award from WYCE-FM for best blues album of the year for its debut CD and was a finalist last year in the Detroit Blues Society International Blues Challenge.

Collins, guitarist Dan Lomas, harmonica player Chuck Luscombe, drummer/percussionist George Ferguson and bassist Phil Lindstrom plan to record a live album in April, followed by a new “full-length” studio recording at Michael Crittenden’s Mackinaw Harvest Music.

“With us, it’s really all about original music,” said Collins, 55, a food broker who has been playing in bands since he was a youngster in Lowell.

“This was put together to put out albums and pursue a career, whatever that would be, in original music.”

That doesn’t mean the group doesn’t play covers live: In addition to originals, its repertoire includes songs by Paul Butterfield, Walter Trout, Little Walter, Jeff Beck, Tommy Castro and Gov’t Mule — in other words, “things that aren’t real mainstream.”

Collins also maintained the band puts on a show that is “pretty high energy for old farts,” which is the reason the band members love playing festivals and big events, such as August’s annual Cowpie Blues Festival in Alaska, southeast of Grand Rapids.

Last year, the band also opened for blues-guitar powerhouse Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the Muskegon Bike Time celebration.

Band members have built up their fan base across Michigan and continue to jam regularly in Lowell, often bringing in other musicians from Chicago, St. Louis and Grand Rapids.

“Instead of bowling, we jam,” Collins said. “That’s what’s fun. That’s how we developed our style.”

E-mail John Sinkevics: jsinkevics@grpress.com

Official Website: Thirsty Perch Blues Band