Gin Palace Jester Biographies

The Gin Palace Jesters
"Chicago's original honky-tonk fools," the Gin Palace Jesters are purveyors of the finest in hard hitting hillbilly Honky-tonk, Country Boogie and Western Swing . Infused with a deep and sincere fondness for all traditional American musical styles, the sound of the Gin Palace Jesters could best be described as being akin to the sounds of Country Music's "Golden" age. Although a portion of their live performances come from their vast catalog of the Hillbilly & Country Hit Parade, these boys are not mere followers or imitators. They also posses the talent of 3 songwriters performing original novelty numbers, heartfelt love songs, honky-tonk weepers, drinking songs and dark ballads. Delivering 3 and 4 part country harmony, the Gin Palace Jesters prove that authentic country and cowboy music can still hold validity in both traditional songs as well as brand new originals. The Gin Palace Jesters are a true authentic American band often seen holding court where the thrones are bar stools, the lights are made of neon, the holy spirits are served on the rocks, and Hank Williams is King.

Dave | Katie | Ken | Casey | Rick | Gabriel

Dave Sisson

Born the son of a Coalminer's Daughter, "Pennsylvania" Dave Sisson fools around as the Jesters' twangin' hot electric, hollow body guitar picker. Borrowing from a club of guitar heroes he one day hopes to join , Dave uses the twang of Duane Eddy, the string bends of Don Rich, the hot leads of sidemen Grady Martin and Scotty Moore, the country "corn pone" of Billy Byrd, the finger picking of Merle Travis, the hillbilly jazz comping of Texas Playboy Eldon Shamblin and the Country Blues stylings of Zeb and Zeke Turner to create his own playing style which perfectly suits the bands sound. Dave made a national name for himself as the front man and chief songwriter of Rockabilly and Cowpunk trio Three Blue Teardrops, seeing the inside of honky-tonks and road houses of the lower 48 as well as Europe over the last 14 years. A self taught talent, Dave brings a "do-it-yourself" pioneer spirit and hard work ethic to the band. Lending an original song, musical idea and lead or harmony vocal, Dave believes in doing whatever it takes to entertain a crowd and ensure a good time for all!

Born in the "heart of hillbilly" Nashville, Tennessee, Casey Stockdon was merely a week old when he met Roy Acuff. From that auspicious brush with Hillbilly greatness his family moved to Richmond, Virginia where he was exposed to the sounds of Bluegrass and Old Timey music. At age 15 Casey got his first electric bass and began playing music in punk bands as well as taking banjo lessons but eventually landed on the upright bass learning on stage at the Old Packinghouse Cafe. After moving to Chicago, Casey played with various roots music acts including Twang Bang, Slink Moss and the Flying Aces, The Chicago Zither Orchestra, Hardscrabble, and was eventually seen playing barefooted with the Sunnyside Up Bluegrass Band! Seeing the dedication and lengths he would go to keep a crowd entertained, he was immediately invited to join the Gin Palace Jesters as the "honkytonk fool" on the Upright. Casey sings a great harmony vocal and cites Jazz Upright Bass legends Jimmy Blanton, Milton Hinton and Slam Stewart as his biggest inluences. Casey is also an animator and was fortunate enough to combine work and play together being credited for doing the animation on the Jimmy Martin documentary "King of Bluegrass".

Casey Stockdon

The first clue to Rick Murawski's future was seen at the tender age of 2 when Rick would play a 45rpm recording of Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" over and over and over. Between his mother's love of early rockers like Buddy and Elvis and his father's love of western music like Marty Robbins, Tex Ritter and the Sons of the Pioneers, his musical foundation was already on rock solid ground. Uprooted from Chicago to Arizona while his father pursued his cowboy dreams, the family eventually settled back in Chicago a few years later where his father finally did become a cowboy as a member of the Chicago Police Mounted Unit. At 11 Rick switched from guitar to drums after learning of the world's greatest drummer who also happened to be from Chicago and of Polish descent: Gene Krupa! Rick took to swing just like Gene winning the drumming slot in his high school Jazz band and a string of gigs and bands followed including an early 80's stint in a high school Rockabilly band with our very own Buddy Carter, later the DuValls and also Keith Baumann's Honkytonk Special. Rick most recently was considering selling his drumkit to become a "responsible adult" when catostrophe was narrowly averted by a Gin Palace Jester's callup!

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“What? Were you born in a barn?!”
“Why, Yes I was…got a problem with that?” snarls Fiddlin’ Katie Schadegg, born in a barn in San Clemente, California and raised in Orange County, to a couple of flower children who force fed her granola bars, Folk and Country music and desperately tried to get her to play "Red River Valley" on her fiddle. A self described “orch. dork” of 15 years who never had a cheeseburger until she left home at 19, Katie was classically trained and it nearly ruined her but luckily for the Gin Palace Jesters she pulled herself out of the violin world and into the fiddle world. Inspired by classical players like Itzhak Perlman and country players like Alison Krauss, Charlie Daniels, Bob Wills, Tommy Jackson and Bluegrass Boys Chubby Wise and Benny Martin, Katie is just a youngin’ with a bright future ahead of her...so long as she practices her scales regularly! Katie also holds Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline in high regard as singers and thinks Tim McGraw looks great in a pair of snug fitting jeans.

Fiddlin' Katie Schadegg

Kevin "Buddy" Carter

Ken "the Mayor" Mottet, The Otherside, Emcee Ken Mottet, MC Ken

Acoustic rhythm guitar playing Ken Mottet was just an Iowa farm kid huddling for warmth on a cold October night in his daddy's tractor when he first heard the strains of Johnny Paycheck and Conway Twitty clear and bright out of WHO-AM radio in the early 1970's. Memories like that and seeing regional stars like Leo Greco and his Western Pioneers, the Kenny Hofer Orchestra and a slew of Martin and Lewis movies set the wheels in motion and Ken knew he wanted to be a part of this thing called "show biz." In the early 1980's Ken followed Johnny Horton's call and headed "North To Alaska" to bust into television as an on air personality at Catch-22 Anchorage, Alaska where Ken whiled away the long winter learning to play guitar and writing songs. Moving to Chicago Ken followed his dream of being the next Lenny Bruce and began performing stand-up comedy at comedy clubs for a time while catching shows by touring rockabilly, country, jazz and lounge acts and was eventually asked to emcee the Big C Jamboree as well as be the VJ and host of cable TV's The Otherside. Affectionately known as "The Mayor" for his astute diplomatic and political skills as well as a tireless promoter of all things Ken refers to as "by Gawd hillbilly music" has earned Ken the kind of noteriety few ever acheive in a lifetime. Ken says, "To truly begin to know Ken you must first know Ersel Hickey," whatever that means.

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"Aww hell...I'll get to this bio thing Later." - Gabriel Stutz

Formed with an ear towards legendary bands of the Cowboy and Bluegrass genre's, where every member is seen performing instrumental and vocals tasks, the Gin Palace Jesters give a strong nod to the classic Nashville and Texas Honky-tonk sounds of the 1950s. Tempering their love of Honky-tonk with an enthusiastic energy for Western Swing, Rockabilly and Country Boogie mixed with an ambition to make a name for themselves performing original music, the Gin Palace Jesters are well on their way! A sure fire hit of any party, these merry melody makers bring their music wherever they can find a crowd to listen, dance and share a good time with!

© 2002 Gin Palace Jesters