We highlight Junebug and the Porchlights this month. The band was created by John “Junebug” Stuerke, who does lead vocals. The other members are Mike Elrod on lead guitar and vocals, Mark Laney on drums, John Viesman on keyboards, and Josh Dolde on bass and vocals. They have been around for 16 years, which is an excellent accomplishment for a band that bills itself as a blues band with a country problem (back child support, felony drug charges, alcohol issues, etc.). Their musical tastes run from Delbert McClinton to Sonny Boy Williamson to Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road. You certainly can’t accuse them of a lack of variety in their tastes.
If you’ve ever seen them in action, you know their performances are always fun-filled and slightly south of crazy because of their wigs, crazy costumes, and stage antics. Junebug has been a programmer at Kansas City’s community radio station, KKFI 90.1 FM, for 23 years. His radio show, Blues Kitchen, airs every Saturday morning on KKFI from 8:00-11:00 a.m., where you will get the best Blues education. He’s either seen, heard, or performed with a veritable who’s who of blues musicians and has great personal stories to match. They are the only band that has completed a Delta Trifecta Tour by performing at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in West Helena, AR, Ground Zero blues club in Clarksdale, MS, and Poor Monkey’s blues club in Marigold, MS, all in the same weekend. Wow!
Junebug stresses that the band is not trying to be anything other than what they are. Good press; bad press. It’s all press! His dad’s last words to him were “sure didn’t have much to work with.” Well, Dad, we disagree. In this writers’ opinion, your son has excelled in a craft that makes him happy and brings happiness to his legion of fans. Congratulations, Junebug and the Porchlights!