Mr. Blotto was born in Chicago as an off-night vehicle for musicians who loved each others playing but were in different bands at the time. The only rule was that they would only play what they loved. That philosophy continues today and has led Mr. Blotto into unique musical situations.

Mr. Blotto takes the Jam band asthetic into areas unfamiliar to the standard Jam Scene. They have been known to cover entire albums by Led Zeppelin and the Who as well as perform entire shows of Country and Reggae. Artists as diverse as the Grateful Dead, the Flaming Lips, Willie Nelson and The Velvet Underground have seen their material interpreted by Mr. Blotto in the 2000+ shows the band has performed in the last 15 years, yet covers only pepper the bands hefty catalog of original material stemming from five studio albums and other unreleased crowd favorites.

Dear Creek and the Barefoot Wanderers’ popularity is growing quickly. They are a folk/indie band influenced by blues, jazz and rock and fostered by the heart of the Appalachian music tradition. Their live shows are passionate, energetic, sincere and always a blast, complete with diverse instrumentation like a washboard, banjo, mandolin, melodica, the Appalachian dulcimer and three part harmonies. All members of the band are students at Shenandoah University, an established and growing music conservatory on the East Coast. They have received raving reviews from around the country.

“We like to perform with our hearts and play with our feet and arms.”-ZOO ANIMAL