Bond Street Blues Band traces its roots to a group of musicians who began jamming together in 1988. Known for a brief period as The Blues Band, Tom Schmidt, Chris Newman, Spud Siegel and Dave Neikes welcomed Joe Patenaude's return to town. Shortly thereafter, the guys changed the name to Blues Union and rapidly became popular with North Coast blues fanatics.

Members of Blues Union (pictured at left, from left) were: the late Chris Newman (drums), Joey Patenaude, Ron Baldwin (vocals), Tom Schmidt (lead and rhythm guitar), and Bill Uhlig.

Ron, also a saxophonist for previous bands, brought with him a plethora of vocal experience, ranging from jazz to 1960's top 40. The Impacts (later The Impact Express), a 60's band of which he and Bill were both members, enjoyed wide Northwest popularity. Together, they toured the Northwest and California, opening for and/or backing many well-known acts of the time. (You can read more about The Impacts in Bill's bio.) Ron is presently the head of his own sound reinforcement company, Red Raven Audio.

Bill Uhlig joined the ranks of Blues Union in March of 1990, after the disbanding of Cheezy Substance, a supremely yahoo bar band. Within its short lifetime, Blues Union had already seen a handful of bassists come and go. Bill's predecessor took a still-talked-about dive off the stage one night, which prompted the others to realize they needed a bass player who could hold his mud. After more than ten years with the band, it looks like Bill passed the test.

November of 1991 saw some major personnel changes with the departure of Tom Schmidt and Chris Newman, the arrival on the blues scene of Tom Peake, and the return of Spud Siegel, having left his latest project, Meloddity. Bond Street Blues Band came into being, and eventually, into its own. They soon released their first recording.

Tom Schmidt went on form other bands, such as Definitely Maybe, with the original Blues Band / Blues Union bassist, Dave Neikes. Tom often sits in with the current lineup when he's in town and has his axe in hand.

May of 1993 marked the departure of Ron, and the initiation into the band of Maggie Kitson with a well-received performance at the M&M Lounge in Gresham, Oregon. Maggie has been a professional songstress since her late teens, eventually landing in New Orleans where she discovered her true calling -- the Blues. She found herself amongst the biggest names in the blues business as she co-fronted Bryan Lee, Miss Maggie, and the Jump Street Five.

During Maggie's tenure with the band, they produced Eatin' Chinese, recorded live at the Hong Kong in Astoria during a long gig as house band. The compilation sold out almost immediately.

The band launched a state-wide tour, taking their distinctive musical renderings to Ashland, Eugene, Roseburg, Coos Bay, Lincoln City, and numerous rest stops in between.

Over the course of three summers, the ranks of the band swelled with the addition of the Horns of Bondage (saxophonists Calen Uhlig, John Kakkinen, and the late Jon Ogren) and the Bond Street Walkers (Janet Keim, Hope Harris, Jessica Sund, Libby Pattison and Myrna Uhlig) adding harmonized backup. With this full-blown sound, Bond Street again mounted the stage at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival and made appearances at festivals throughout the Northwest, as well as a 3 a.m. wrap party for the cast and crew of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV. (Rent the movie to see Tom Peake in pirate garb!)

The band soon recognized that Calen Uhlig was a talent not to be relegated to summers alone. Still in middle school when he began his seasonal involvement with Bond Street, Calen joined the band full-time about 1995. In addition to his innate prowess on that beefy baritone, Calen has followed in his dad's footsteps, becoming an outstanding bass player. He ocassionally fills Bill's Bond Steet backbeat shoes, whenever necessary.

On Halloween of 1994, Johnny Ward, longtime Portland bluesman, took over duties as the band's most recent frontman. By then, the band had played the holiday evening at the Driftwood Restaurant in Cannon Beach (the only night of the year they had music) for three years.

When not touring the British Isles, Mike "Sheckie" Metzner is yet another addition to the Bond Street lineup. He came on board to fill in for Spud, but his crooner's voice and keyboard prowess became a habit the guys couldn't give up.

Each of these talented musicians brings with them their own distinct style to round out Bond Street's solid base. With an even broader following, the band won 1996 nominations for the Cascade Blues Association "Muddy" Award in two categories. They continued to tour, adding numerous Oregon and Washington cities to their dance-frenzy conquests.

Throughout the various personnel changes, Bond Street's sound has evolved and coalesced into its current eclectic mix of Chicago, New Orleans, and Upper Left Edge blues styles. Former vocalists Ron Baldwin and Maggie Kitson can still be found fronting the band on special occassions.

Bond Street Blues Band has performed throughout the Northwest at numerous festivals, concerts and clubs, including a regular stint at the White Eagle in Portland. In addition to the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, the band has performed at the Seaside, Cannon Beach, Eugene, and Long Beach outdoor concert series', Clatskanie's Performing Arts Series, Gray's River Covered Bridge Festival, as well as prominent blues venues in Portland and throughout Oregon. During the summer of 2001, they appeared at the annual Columbiana Riverfest Celebration in Hood River, opening for Inner Circle. Look for them at future Riverfest events.

Bond Street's latest offering, Chickenshack Boogie Nights, was recorded in 2001. The band's current songlist includes classic blues material (from traditional to contemporary) with exceptional solo work on guitar, piano, saxophone, harmonica, and all backed by a rock-solid rhythm section.

You can also find many of the Bond Street members jamming at the Cannon Beach American Legion on Monday evenings from about 6:30 to 8:30, and playing with Los Comatosos, the Heather Christie Band, Johnnie Ward's Jug Band, Pagan Pancakes, Retta & the Smart Fellas, Richard Cranium & the Phoreheads, Beefsteak Mine, The Function, etc., etc., in various venues around the Northwest. Email for details!

Have a particular reason to know just when and where you (or someone you know) might not have been able to say no to dance-happy feet when they felt the irrisistable pull of that Bond Street musical mojo? Maybe we can help you narrow it down, in The Statistics. And don't forget to check out the Music pages to give Bond Street's latest CD a spin -- you'll see that Bond Street isn't stuck in the past.