band Archives - The Baytown Project

No surprise that music runs in the Kilgore family

David Berkowitz — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 21:02:42 +0000

“Just a week before my 17th birthday, my son, Ashton, was born. Having him at an early age wasn’t really scary because I had such a supportive family. And I was really excited about becoming a father.

Jeremy Kilgore hangs out with his son, Ashton, before a show.

“Before Ashton’s mother became pregnant, I got into trouble quite often. Nothing serious. Just typical teenage behavior, I guess. But one day I got this feeling like I had something to lose. In that moment, I decided that I needed to quit putting myself in situations that could potentially take me away from the family I was starting. I was very happy about being a dad.

“Just like I knew as a teenager that I would be a musician, I also knew that one day Ashton would play drums for me. When he was maybe a year old, I sat him in my lap, held a pair of drumsticks in his hands and tried to play the drums. I encouraged him as he grew older to do anything he wanted, as long as it was something productive. He went on to learn guitar and drums. It was just something he had a natural talent for.

“When he was a senior in high school, I told him if he graduated I would start a band with him. So that’s what we did. He got his diploma and we started Tode. Our first show and his first time on stage was opening for a well-known band called Drowning Pool.

“Being a musician has been a roller coaster of fun and excitement. It’s been scary and sad at times. I’ve done a lot and shared the stage with many of my favorite bands, like Bad Company, Fuel, Drowning Pool, Shinedown and Puddle of Mudd. But having Ashton on drums is what highlights it all for me.”

— Jeremy Kilgore

Jeremy’s younger son, Brandon, also plays guitar. In addition to doing solo shows and performing with the alternative rock band, Tode, Jeremy sings for the Pearl Jam tribute band, Lemon Yellow Sun.

Related:

This guy was born to play the guitar

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Musicians, comedians with stars in their eyes

David Berkowitz — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 02:11:36 +0000

His goal: “Just to not have to work. If I can go touring around, that would be great.”

“The name of our group is Lady Lydia and Her Double D’s (Dexter and Dave). We also do a little standup comedy.

“We kind of just forced all our friends to come watch us. They’re like, ‘Oh, y’all don’t suck.’ We’re like, ‘Oh, thanks.’ That’s a compliment. We’ll take it.

“We have real jobs, until this takes off and we become millionaires.”

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Sometimes it’s like jamming with the Beatles

David Berkowitz — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 21:23:22 +0000

When he’s not building or playing instruments, he’s involved in industrial instrumentation at his job.

“I started playing old-time music 25 years ago. My grandpa always listened to the old-time string bands, and I’ve always liked that kind of music. I’m in a couple bands now.

“You won’t find a banjo like this in a music store. It’s a replica of an 1852 Ashborn banjo. From start to finish it took me a couple months to build, but I was in a hurry.

“You go to an old-time festival, and the best people in the genre are up on stage playing. When it’s over, you go backstage and jam with them. It’s like going to a Beatles concert, and at the end of it Lennon and McCartney say come on back and let’s play some tunes. I’ve done some of that.”

— Chuck Chandler

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Why the trombone? The cool sounds, of course

David Berkowitz — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 20:51:46 +0000

“I tell other kids what instrument I play and they say, ooh, what’s that?”

“I like basketball, track, and I’m in the band. I was in elementary school when the junior high band came to play. From then on, I wanted to play the trombone.

“It might not be one of the more popular instruments that kids pick, but I like it. It’s fun to slide it. You can make some really cool sounds.”

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