The Nighthawks

⬇️ THE NIGHTHAWKS ⬇️
DISCOGRAPHY 1976-2022 (46CD/DVD)

 BIOGRAPHY 

The Nighthawks, America’s self-styled ‘favourite bar band’, have been pumping out their gritty brand of blues and roots rock for over 30 years.

The band was formed in 1972 by Mark Wenner (harp/vocals), Jimmy Thackery (19 May 1953, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; guitar), Jan Zukowski (bass) and Pete Ragusa (drums).

The quartet eschewed the laid-back country rock style of many of their contemporaries, forging a terrific live reputation as one of the few blues bands of their era to tour nationally. They also supported and backed blues luminaries such as Muddy Waters, John Hammond, Otis Rush, Walter ‘Shakey’ Horton, and Elvin Bishop.

The Nighthawks recorded several albums for Rounder Records during the 80s. Backtrack, released in 1988, was a document of the original quartet’s 1986 ‘farewell’ tour. Thackery embarked on a solo career, while Wenner, Zukowski and Ragusa recruited Jimmy Hall (vocals/saxophone/harp; ex-Wet Willie) and Jimmy Nalls (guitar) to complete the new Nighthawks line-up.

Hall and Nalls were subsequently replaced by Danny Morris (guitar) and Mike Cowen (keyboards). The latter left in 1992, and two years later Morris was replaced by Pete Kanaras. The new guitarist made his recording debut on 1996’s Pain and Paradise.

The Nighthawks celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2002 with the release of the rollicking in-concert set Live Tonite! (NB: Not to be confused with the 60s blues band formed by Sam Carr, Frank Frost and Big Jack Johnson.)