Playing live in fact is where Cravin' Melon is at its best, so it's only fitting that the bio tells the story of the fans, as much as the band. From the fanatical FRC (Front Row Club) to newly indoctrinated "melonheads", the age range of faithful followers spans 3 generations. Instantly addicting, fun-loving melodies battered up with swaggering southern charm is the classic recipe for a down-home party with Cravin' Melon as the congenial hosts! The re-loaded rhythm section of bassist Rob Clay, drummer Gary Greene, (former percussion player for Hootie) and keyboardist Chad Barger, crank out the horse-power for the road-hugging vocals of lead singer Doug Jones, and the top-down guitar licks of Jimbo Chapman!
Formed on New Years Day in 1994 as a combining of members from Doghouse and The Next Move, Cravin' Melon was born. With only a few months of gigs under their belts, they signed to Carolina producer Dick Hodgin's M-80 Management company and embarked on a rigorous tour schedule through the Southeast that would last two years. On the strength of the band's energetic performances, Cravin' Melon sold over 20,000 copies of their indy release, "Where I Wanna Be". With word on the street about the live shows, and the band's cutting-edge presence on this "new fad" called "the internet", it wasn't long before the major labels came calling. In 1996 the band inked a deal with Mercury and in Jan, 1997 released its debut , "Red Clay Harvest". Constant touring coupled with the major-label release more than tripled their sales base. The next two years saw them emerging as a Southern power-house, packing clubs headlining the star-rich Jim Valvano celebrity V-Jam, and pocketing the 1998 South Carolina Band of the Year Award. Previous recipients include James Brown and Hootie And The Blowfish.
Mercury then released "Squeeze Me", a plate-full of hearty live renditions of fan-faves recorded live at the House Of Blue in Myrtle Beach SC. One listen to "Come Undone," and the Southern anthem, "Sweet Tea" and it becomes clear that the members of Cravin' Melon ( and certainly the fans) revel in the enjoyment of playing live. The seven tracks are filled with a perfect balance of rock muscle and spunky jams.
Corporate takeovers, mergers and general depression in the music industry led to the band's exit from Mercury in 1999. Undaunted, the band turned to Hootie's percussionist, Gary Greene, for the beat, and New-Boy, Chad Barger for keys, then resumed their relentless touring schedule. The match was an instant success as fans were awed at the energy level. In December, 1999, the band entered a small studio in Columbia SC to begin tracking what has now become their most definitive collaboration, "The Great Procrastinator". This 12 song disc released in Summer, 2000, instantly became the fan-faithful favorite, pushing the web-site over 100,000 hits. With an eclectic mixture of styles and sounds, the guys began another touring assault that would take them from New Orleans to Rochester NY sowing new melonseeds along the way.
