Biography

Chris Stalcup: vocals, guitars
Kenny McLinskey: guitars, bass
Jared Cobb: drums, percussion
Jimi Vollrath: bass, harmonica, backing vocals
Brent Griggs: guitars, banjo

Hidden among the unending tangles of kudzu, tucked back among the towering Georgia pines and buzzing power lines, sits a haggard little shack that seems to lean comfortably to one side. A dog lumbers by, chasing away a flock of stubborn geese before resigning himself back to the shade. It’s hot out, southern hot, where movements become as slow as the speech and the rare breeze is wet as waves.

From the leaning shack comes the smell of open fire, of meat cooking on open fire, of sweat, stale beer and last night’s whiskey. Then come the sounds. A snare drum smacks like a fastball to a well-oiled mitt, a crisp acoustic guitar begs for company in misery and a pedal steel melts the kudzu into retreat. There’s a band of musicians tucked away in that shack, and they’re hard at work.

This is the musical home of Georgia rock band Chase Fifty-Six. This is where twanged insta-classics like “Mary Jane” and “Let it Go” were first penned and performed, where rock rumpuses like “Wasting Time” and “Goodbye Princess” got their first sweaty kick in the ****. This dilapidated shack, in all its mosquito-bit sweltering glory, is where their newest record, Allatoona Rising, was born.

While the album – eleven tracks of blistering alt-country/Americana/rock music that will now simply be branded Georgia rock – was born here, it was reared throughout the state of Georgia, from the slick studios of downtown Atlanta to the fly-infested bluegrass trailers of Lavonia. It came to be during the drought of 2009 when the entire Southeast was cracked, chapped and thirsty and the lakes’ exposed underbellies strained water supplies and choked tense politicians. The process was quenching.

“I’m more proud of this record than anything we’ve ever done,” says Chase Fifty-Six vocalist and guitar player Chris Stalcup. “This is the first time we’ve really come together and created something that is, well, it’s us. It took a lot of work to get us all to this point, but we had a blast doing it and I think the good times are just getting started.”

There’s no doubt Allatoona Rising has the strength to stand on its own, but anyone who has ever seen Chase Fifty-Six perform on stage – whether in a crowded, ****-stained bar or at a crowded, ****-stained outdoor biker fest – can tell you: It’s the live show that sets the hook.

“I played in numerous rock bands around the South,” reflects bassist Jimi Vollrath, “and it seemed like our shows would always cross paths with Chase Fifty-Six. They would usually pretty much steal the show, regardless of where they sat on the billing, so I always kind of secretly wanted to join them. Then the opportunity came up and I jumped at it.”

And now it’s your turn to jump at an opportunity. Join Chase Fifty-Six in their quest to conquer the South. Review the album, book the gig, see the show, do the interview … and shout it from the top of the pines.

The drought is over. The lakes are rising. The shack is hot, sweaty, cramped and loud. But there’s always room for one more.

Come on in.





Please direct all inquiries to: publicity@chasefiftysix.com