The Hogtown Allstars

June 20, 2024

Built with some of the most experienced players in the global blues music industry, the Hogtown Allstars is headed by Downchild Blues Band alumni Chuck Jackson, Pat Carey, Gary Kendall, Jim Casson and Tyler Yarema with Maple Blues Band alumni Teddy Leonard and Howard Moore. Individually and with these bands, the members of Hogtown Allstars have won more than 20 Maple Blues Awards, 5 Juno Awards and numerous international blues and jazz music awards.

Inductees into both the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Blues Museum Hall of Fame in addition to a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maple Blues Awards, Downchild Blues Band is one of the planet’s foremost, most fêted, longest-running blues outfits – but add to this members of legendary bands Fathead, Powder Blues, The Cameo Blues Band, David Vest & The Willing Victims, The Swingin Blackjacks, Braithwaite & Whiteley, Johnny Rawls, The Robin Banks Blues Band, The Mighty Duck Blues Band and Lance Anderson’s The Last Waltz – and you’ve got a BLUES SUPERGROUP that cannot be underestimated.

Originally conceived in 2013, the Hogtown Allstars started as an opportunity for a collaborative outlet for Toronto-based musicians who have spent decades dedicated to the blues as an art form that defines their careers. After surpassing the first challenge of coordinating everyone’s schedule to hit the studio, Hog Wild was recorded over 2021 and features 8 new original songs composed by the members and 2 covers.

The Hogtown Allstars are:

  • Chuck Jackson lead vocals/harmonica
  • Gary Kendall bass/vocals
  • Pat Carey tenor & baritone saxophone
  • Teddy Leonard guitar/vocals
  • Jim Casson drums
  • Tyler Yarema piano/organ/vocals
  • Howard Moore trumpet/vocals