Blues Traveler
Biography
A New York-based blues-rock quartet formed in 1988 by singer/harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, bassist Bobby Sheehan, and drummer Brendan Hill, Blues Traveler were part of a revival of the extended jamming style of '60s and '70s groups like the Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin. Signed to A&M, they released their first album, Blues Traveler, in May 1990 and followed it with Travelers & Thieves in September 1991. Popper was in a serious car accident in 1992, leaving him unable to perform for a number of months. Fortunately, he recovered, yet he still had to perform in a wheelchair for a period of time. In April 1993, Blues Traveler released their third album, Save His Soul, which became the band's first to make the Top 100. Blues Traveler's aptly named fourth album, Four, released in September 1994, at first looked like a sales disappointment, but it rebounded in 1995 when "Run-Around," a single taken from it, became the group's first chart hit. "Run-Around" became one of the biggest singles of 1995, spending nearly a full year on the charts and sending Four into quintuple platinum status.
As the group prepared the follow-up to Four, Blues Traveler released the live double-album Live from the Fall in the summer of 1996. The group returned in the summer of 1997 with its fifth studio album, Straight on Till Morning. After completing his 1999 debut solo effort, Zygote, Popper -- who'd been experiencing chest pains for months -- was forced to undergo an angioplasty; weeks later, tragedy struck on August 20, 1999, when Sheehan was found dead in his New Orleans home. He was just 31 years old. The new millennium saw a newly charged Blues Traveler, and their sixth record, Bridge, appeared in May 2001. The next winter, Blues Traveler released the live What You and I Have Been Through. The studio record Truth Be Told followed in 2003, and another concert album, Live on the Rocks, appeared in 2004. The group returned to the studio in 2004, releasing the Jay Bennett-produced Bastardos! in September of the following year. In 2007, Blues Traveler released Cover Yourself, a collection of previous hits reworked with acoustic arrangements. The David Bianco-produced North Hollywood Shootout appeared from Verve Forecast in 2008. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

North Hollywood Shootout
2008

Cover Yourself
2007

Bastardos!
2005

On the Rocks (Live)
2004

Truth Be Told
2003

Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics
2002

Bridge
2001

Straight On Till Morning
1997

Four
1994

Blues Traveler
1990
how are they related to the rhcp???? I had a feeling that dave matthes band would be up there
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I really like this band. Too bad my favorite song by them (Hook) isn't what I thought it was originally about. It is very true anyway, the hook brings me back! That song reminded me of an ex until I read the lyrics.
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Not only is their music amazing, but they are the nicest group of guys you could ever meet! We took our 6 yr old to a show & the whole band was incredibly cool to her. They sound even better live than on studio albums & there's nothing like their energy onstage. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Blues Traveler!
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John Popper is an amazing harmonica player. I don't think there is anyone like him and there are some good players out there.
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comparing them to the grateful dead/led zeppelin is interesting. i don't htink they're anything like those bands, and i certainly don't think GD and LZ are anything alike.
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Who cares about the weight of people in the band? Obesity is on the rise in America because people don't listen to their bodies and continually shove grossly caloric meals down their throats. This band will always ROCK because of the MUSIC they made- not what they looked like.
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they were one the heavist bands in the USA,,, COMBINED WEIGHT of each member...alw a y s be a fan... Popper has such a great voice. They do play the Hook alot... great song but redundant is redundant,
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i can't believe they do not mention one of their older albums, i used to own, forget the name of it, but think it was Travelers and Thieves. It has some of my favorite Blues Traveler songs on it.. Onslaught,Iv o r y Tusk, Support your Emperor, Bagheera, Mountain Cry, Sweet Pain (i think that's the name of it) and a couple others i cannot remember the name of.
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Sneaky willow you must be a pre-teen because every single comment you have made has been useless and trashing all bands...go back and play with some GI- Joes and leave the comments to the educated few who actually care about the music...on another note, John Popper is one amazing harmonica player, Stand and Hook are incredible.
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LOVED JOHN ON THE EPISODE OF ROSEANNE!! GREAT!! VERY FUNNY. HES A HARMONICA GENIOUS.
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I first listened to them in a friends car and said: "thats a cool guitar solo"... then he told me it was a harmonica and I was like... ...oh... Their still awesome though, I dont know how he gets the harmonica to sound like that. Awesome Band!
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Seeing them for the first time tonight in Orlando at a tiny little club called The Social. Been waiting to see them for a long time. Cannot Wait!!
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Great in concert. Seeing John Popper play harmonica nonstop for half an hour, smoke a few ciggarettes then play another half hour of nonstop harmonica, hilarious. I don't know how he can do that but it was pretty crazy.
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every song gives you the chills. you know what I mean if u know what I mean.
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Popper and his band rocked Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Tuesday evening along with bands Collective Soul and Live. What an amazing concert it was! I've been listening to Live and Blues Traveler since I was in High School back into the mid 90's.
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Though it is a departure from their trademark style, Save His Soul is the preeminent Blues Traveler album in my mind; musically solid, and lyrically, nearly perfect. Each song is meaningful and relevant, tackling topics from generational power shift, to love, to lost loved ones, to environmenta l consciousnes s . Definitely worth several several re-listens.
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Traveler's and Thieves has to be the best album these guys did, "Sweet Pain" is so emotive and lyrical it is a masterpiece. I agree as well that John is a cool guy to hang with, very humble and self-effacin g . One track never on any production album so far is "Wierd Chick" (from an old demo), and aa4pc is correct, "Maybe I'm Wrong" can only be found online so far.
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"I sucked too many titties, i wanna bust all of your balloons, i wanna burn all of your cities to the ground...... . . . "
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Yummy! One of my all time favorite bands still to this day. I was made aware of this band with the album Four and what a memory I'm holding onto still to this day. Love them!!
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