Southern Groove Society

The members of the Southern Groove Society have fairly eclectic musical tastes and this is represented in their music. Imagine equal parts funk, blues, straight ahead rock and improvisation, throw in some intelligence and wit, and add a sprinkle of country and bluegrass for good measure, and you've got a blueprint for what the Groove Society does best. Their live performances continue to push the boundaries of their own music and keep the booties shakin' with soulful grooves that can't be denied.Southern Groove Society was formed in Chapel Hill, NC during the fall of 1998 after a series of jam sessions caused members of two existing, but not active, bands to come together and pursue their common musical interests. Drummer David "Earl" Daniels and bassist Martin Jarrard had been playing together in Quarter Roy since 1991, and guitarists Dave Ivey and Steven Stewart had been playing together since 1995 with a succession of rhythm sections in the Conqueroots. The lineup was solidified with the addition of Stewart's sister Jessica on vocals, and the band immediately started working on its first batch of original material.From 1998 to 2000, the band tore up the roads of North Carolina. Early bookings were in Wilson and Chapel Hill, with the band receiving strong hometown support in both places. After a hiatus during the summer of 1999, the band continued to learn the art of live performance and live improvisation. They recieved two big breaks in the fall when given the opportunity to open for both Schleigho and The Slip at Chapel Hill's now defunct Room 4 (Go! Studios). The word of mouth generated by those two shows were enough to earn the band spots at some of the better venues in Raleigh, Wilmington, Greenville, and festivals around the state, including opening SMILEFEST 2000 in the NC mountains and headlining Rockit's Thursday Night Jam Series in Wilmington with other acts such as Stir Fried and Astroglide.The band entered TGS Studios in Chapel Hill in December of 2000 completed a five song demo in early January 2001 called "If It Ain't One Thing..." which most of the songs featured on this page are from.Southern Groove Society played its last official show on 3/22/2002 at Peasant's Cafe in Greenville, NC. Since then the members of the band have pursued other musicial endeavors and have gotten together for a couple of reunion gigs mostly at private parties and benefit shows. You never know where a Southern Groove set could happen. One thing is for certain though - when SGS takes the stage, the dance floor will be packed!Thanks for stopping by. We hope you enjoy the tunes, and we hope to see you at our next appearance, wherever that may be!