Jelly Roll has been together since 1981!
Formally known as the Jelly Roll Blues Band, more formally the Jelly Roll Morton Memorial Blues Band, Jelly Roll grew organically out of a “lively” open mic nights at the City Park Grill in the late 70’s, the Park Garden Café, and the Sportsman in the 80s. Today, we are still playing all over celebrated as shaping Northern Michigan’s live music scene.
Maybe you caught us in the 80’s and 90s when we were the house band at the Sportsman in Boyne City, or at the Snowflake Lounge at Boyne Mountain, or Highlands… or maybe you caught us during the 15 years we played Sunday nights out at Legs Inn in Cross Village? ... Let’s not forget Horns Bar during the yacht races on Mackinac! So many gigs we can’t remember.
Original members include Johnny Storm (guitar), Bob Crosser (bass), Craig Stradtmiller (Piano/organ) and the “new guy” Bill Riesenbeck (Drummer who replaced Gram Fineout in the 80’s). Other members during that formidable time include Marty Ward, Newt Cole and Patty McPeak. After Craig’s retirement, the band performed for 5 years or so as a 3 piece before bringing in Kenny Mustang on Keys (Kenny as a teenager, incidentally, took piano lessons from Stadtmiller in the 80’s).