The Cheeksters

The Cheeksters were formed in 1990 soon after Mark and Shannon met by chance on a train in London, England. Mark hails from the UK, while Shannon was born and raised in Tennessee. They started performing music together as a duo with Mark on guitar and vocals and Shannon playing bass guitar. They soon released their debut album “ Stranger Things Have Happened “ in 1992, followed by “ Hey, What’s Your Style ? “ in 1994. The couple relocated to Nashville in 1996 and began working with producer Brent Little at his all analog studio Cream Puff Recorders. So far they have recorded four critically acclaimed albums at Cream Puff - “ Skating On The Cusp “ ( 1999 ) , “ Nineteen Sixty Five “ ( 2005 ) , “ Movers and Shakers “ ( 2007 ) , “ The Golden Birds “ ( 2011 ). Over the years The Cheeksters have performed extensively in the SouthEast US, as well as showcasing their talents in NYC and London. Their songs have been recently placed with the NFL and Coca-Cola for commercial use, gaining them wide exposure and new fans. The Cheeksters combine the best of what made music great in the 1960’s with a winning, fresh pop approach that delights audiences. In the studio the group has produced six albums of timeless, tuneful, terrific pop that has real staying power. Onstage the versatile four-piece band turns out its straightforward catchy pop confections, bringing to mind a swirling variety of influences : Memphis soul, Carnaby Street pop, swampy rhythm and blues, and more. They somehow manage to channel Burt Bacharach / Hal David pop, Dusty Springfield’s diva soul, T-Rex’s manic boogie and the pomp of David Bowie often in the same song without sounding derivative. The band line-up is made up of Mark Casson ( vocals, guitar, piano ) , Shannon Hines Casson ( vocals, bass guitar ) , Jay Moye ( piano, guitar ) and Mike Baker ( drums ).