All About King Leo & The Growling Dogs
King Leo and the Growling Dogs formed it's official line-up in 2006.Originally starting as a three piece the band then graduated to four piece once we found guitarist Anders "Junior" Jensen.
King Leo and The Growling Dogs have played many shows throughout the South Island of New Zealand over the last two years, including Otago Arts Festival, Alexandra Blossom Festival, Dunedin Summer Festival, Cromwell Race Day and many more pubs clubs and events, an experience that has brought the band together musically to produce a high energy blues show.
King Leo & The Growling Dogs Band Members
Leo (king leo) LaDell - Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Leo grew up in the state of Virginia in the United States, and after exploring several instruments and musical styles throughout his youth, he found the Blues in his early 20s. At a B.B. King concert (with the Nighthawks opening) in the late 1980s, Leo heard live Blues for the first time, and it was a revelation. He took up harmonica, listening especially to Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson and Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. B.B. King's guitar and voice were inspiring, and Leo began listening to B.B. and other great Blues guitarist/vocalists, like Freddie King, Guitar Slim and Muddy Waters.Within a short time Leo was fronting bands on vocals, guitar and/or harmonica in Virginia. In this period (late 80s through early 90s), Leo opened for many national acts, including Delbert McClinton and Danny Gatton. He also traded licks with Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews band at Charlottesville, VA house parties.
After he moved to Colorado in the mid-90s, Leo fronted two successful Blues bands: Chicago Skinny and the Delta Sonics. With Chicago Skinny, Leo recorded his first CD (Keg O' Dynamte), and he wrote and sang most of the tunes on this disc. Listen to Me, a song Leo wrote and sang on Keg, secured the band a spot in the 1999 Musician magazine Best Unsigned Bands of 1999 competition. With Listen to Me, Chicago Skinny placed as a finalist - in the top 12 entries of over 2000 submitted nationwide. Another of Leo's songs, Beater Car Boogie, was featured on the nationally-syndicated radio program Car Talk. Keg O' Dynamite also received excellent reviews in several national Blues magazines.
In the Winter of 2003, Leo played guitar and harmonica for cajun legend Doug Kershaw on his national tour. Leo was also singing and playing guitar with the Delta Sonics at this time, and after playing guitar in Big Bill Morganfield's (Muddy Waters' son) band for New Year's Eve 2003, Leo played guitar for Bo Diddley and Pinetop Perkins (of the Muddy Waters band) at Denver, Colorado shows.
Paul Southworth - Bass
Paul is an experienced bass player who has performed with several New Zealand bands including The Pioneer Pog n Scroggin Bush Band, The George Street Patsys, Catgut & Steel, and of course King Leo and The Growling Dogs.His energetic double-bass & slap style combined with Thunder's drum style keeps the band's rhythm rock-solid.
Rob (Thunder) Falconer
Rob's spirited drumming drives the Dogs' beat.He brings taste, talent and a natural Blues feel to the band.
Rob has honed his skills playing and touring with a variety of New Zealand groups incuding, Operation Rolling Thunder, Alpha State, Mojazz and is always on call for session work for local and international artists.
Anders (Junior) Jensen
Anders is an exceptional guitar player imported from Norway.He has a powerful blues feel and tone to burn.
His addition to the band has added a new dimension to the feel of the Dogs providing some stunning lead work and heavy rhythm chops.
