JERRY MERCER
and the JerryCo Band
This group is more than a band, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime historical event. It’s the ultimate tribute to the remarkable musical adventure and unmatched career of the
amazing musician and man that is Jerry Mercer!
video
about
The JerryCo Band is the dream line up that Jerry Mercer always wanted to assemble and now he has done it.
Jerry’s career anchoring the April Wine sound, for over 4 decades, is only part of the story … (see Jerry’s bio for full details)
Jerry knew he wanted to represent all the music in him, not just the powerful April Wine catalog. He knew he was going to need a flexible group of musicians who could match his energy output.
His first acquisition was his long-time friend, the stellar vocalist/bassist from Offenbach, Breen LeBoeuf. Breen shared a stage with Jerry during his last two years with April Wine and also with Offenbach. A fan favourite, Breen handles most of the lead vocals and along with Mr Mercer, anchors JerryCo Band’s rhythm section.
Jerry’s next addition was a bit of a coup. After 30 years apart, he convinced fellow April Wine band mate Gary Moffet, guitarist, composer, producer and arranger, to be the rhythm guitar guy in his dream band. Gary and Jerry’s many years playing together gives them almost a sixth sense about how to lock down a groove and that groove is back like they never missed a beat. The 2017 induction of Mashmakhan’s hit "As The Years Go By", penned by Pierre Senecal, into the Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame provided the perfect opportunity for Gary to devise an exciting new arrangement of the classic song for the band’s set list. To round out his dream group, he looked to a jam band that he'd had a long relationship with, The Big City Band, which provided the amazing Kelly Watling on guitar and keyboard wiz, Doug Short. Doug is the deft wielder of all things key-wise, including his amazing chops on the Parisian accordion. Lead guitarist and second lead-vocalist Kelly Watling is the icing on a formidable cake.
Jerry and the band have put together a spectacular repertoire, drawing from Jerry’s many musical experiences and of course featuring JerryCo Band’s own presentation of April Wine classics.
This group is more than a band, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime historical event. It’s the ultimate tribute to the remarkable musical adventure and unmatched career of the amazing musician and man that is Jerry Mercer!
"Jerry's live solo in 'Letter From Zambia' had all the primal power and drama the title suggests, and seemed to tell a story. Decades later, his influence remains in my ideal of what a solo ought to be."
- Neil Peart on drum solos for Rhythm Magazine UK, March 2014
