In a society where style often trumps substance, the City Council is an anomaly. Hailing not from a big city or from an indie college town, the City Council is composed of four musicians who all grew up in the small town of Canton, GA, sandwiched both geographically and musically between Atlanta’s eclectic rock and roll scene and the old time and bluegrass music that thrives in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Raised around traditional blues, boogie, and old time country, Scott Puckett (guitar/vocals), BJ Richardson (keys/guitar/vocals), Brian Hekman (drums/percussion), and Drew Lawson (electric and upright bass) have together strayed out to discover the noisier sounds of modern rock, alternative, and even jazz – each individual driven by his diverse influences.

After forming in 2005, the group quickly landed a job as the house band at a local bar, and the buzz was immediate. A loyal, local fan base was hatched. The fledgling band cut its teeth by playing a mixture of select covers from such diverse artists as the Allman Brothers Band, Django Reinhart, the Meters, and Merle Haggard to sellout crowds weekly. The raucous crowds and wild nights also drew negative attention from the local city council, which put enough pressure on the bar owner to scare him out of the music business for a while, thereby ending the band’s first standing gig. Undeterred, however, the band began packing in crowds at various clubs and bars around the Atlanta area and, with a humorous irony, even adopted the name of the civic organization that momentarily put them out of work: the City Council.

Eventually, the City Council started writing original songs and sneaking them into set lists. With songs ranging from humorous ballads and feel good alt-country stomps to fresh straight-ahead rock and roll, the City Council is never afraid to blur the boundaries of various musical genres. The Outer Edge describes the originals as, “a collage of well written intricate tunes performed by exceptional musicians.” An overwhelming fan reaction inspired the City Council to delve deeper into the nascent original material developing in rehearsals and live shows, leading to the release of the band’s self-titled debut CD in March of 2008. The result of over one year’s effort in the studio, The City Council is the sound of a young band leaving its bar band image behind, finding its artistic voice, and coming into its own. Showcasing the band’s diversity, the CD truly offers something for everyone.

North Georgia Living Magazine hit the nail on the head calling them one of “North Georgia’s hottest bands” and the magazine also says, “When the City Council puts on a show, they make sure they give their audience, themselves, and their songs everything they have. Their shows are fun, energetic, and soul touching. This phenomenal band puts on shows you will never forget, playing great music that stays with you long after you hear the song”