So long Saucy Jack…for now | News, Sports, Jobs

After 23 years of performing in quite a lot of venues starting from native bars to live shows with upwards of 8,000 folks, the traditional rock trio has determined to unplug the amps and go on sabbatical.

Lead singer and bass participant Stacy Peterson is joined by guitarist Jim Poffenberger and drummer Andy Shelly.

“We’ve got been at this a variety of years. I imply a variety of years – 23 years,” stated Peterson. “It has come to the purpose we nonetheless love enjoying, however it tends to be a bit extra taxing now – we began to assume perhaps it’s higher to go forward and exit on a excessive word.”

Peterson does admit one by no means says by no means and is hopeful he’ll get to play on stage with Shelly and Poffenberger once more.

-Submitted photograph

Andy Shelly grew to become the drummer for Saucy Jack in 2008. The band has just lately introduced they are going to be happening hiatus in the meanwhile. Shelly stated he’s on the lookout for a possibility that may permit him to maintain enjoying drums.

“We’re simply not going to actively guide something,” he stated. “If any person got here ahead and needed us to do a giant present once more, I don’t assume any of us would balk at that. I do know I’ll share the stage with them once more. It’s by no means completed eternally.”

When Peterson stated going out on a excessive word – certainly they’re. They most just lately opened the annual Shellabration live performance in Fort Dodge for 38 Particular and Low-cost Trick. Earlier this spring, they have been the opening band on the Boone River Valley Competition, the place they opened for ’80s rock stars Nice White, Vince Neil and Evening Ranger.

“It’s actually robust to beat the alternatives now we have had as a band this yr,” he stated.

At first

Saucy Jack began in 1998. Peterson stated he and Poffenberger have been each auditioning for one more band and so they made a connection.

-Messenger photograph by Britt Kudla

Saucy Jack performs at Shellabration on July 2, the place they opened up for 38 Particular and Low-cost Trick.

“Jim and I hit it off – he requested what I needed to do, I stated I needed to place collectively a rock trio and simply have some enjoyable,” stated Peterson.

They contacted Dan Trimble, who owned Fort Dodge Music Heart on the time, to play drums.

“The three of us simply began enjoying collectively, working towards his retailer after hours,” stated Poffenberger.

Quickly thereafter, they got a possibility to play in entrance of a crowd.

Poffenberger stated it was the late Tony Tornabane, who owned and operated the Hayloft, who reached out to them and their first gig was opening for Jimmie Van Zant on Thursday, April 1, 1998.

-Messenger photograph by Britt Kudla

Jim Poffenberger, guitarist for central Iowa traditional rock band, Saucy Jack performs at Shellabration earlier this month in Fort Dodge. Shellabration was one of many band’s final performances.

“Tornabane is a key determine on this,” stated Poffenberger. “He gave us our first likelihood to play. I’ll at all times respect what he did for us.”

Tornabane should have been impressed with the newly shaped Saucy Jack as a result of he informed the trio if they may get sufficient materials for a complete evening’s efficiency, he would rent them to play.

Saucy Jack did simply that and so they quickly started to be common leisure on the Hayloft.

They quickly obtained a following from followers in Fort Dodge. In addition they opened up for Molly Hatchet at Laramar Ballroom and performed there a number of occasions as properly, along with different space golf equipment, small city bars and avenue dances.

They quickly started touring to some neighboring states because of connections Peterson had with some brokers he had beforehand labored with. They finally grew to become extra extensively recognized, enjoying to bigger crowds and venues.

What might presumably be thought-about their largest alternative got here to them by pure luck.

Poffenberger stated it was the day of Shellabration, he believes in 2007. 38 Particular was scheduled to open up for The Guess Who, however on the final minute have been unable to make the journey. Jim Reed, president of Shellabration, reached out to Peterson.

“All of it occurred so quick,” stated Poffenberger. “We did our set and it went over good. We have been a bar band going up towards a number of thousand folks, however we pulled it off. I at all times thought this was what this band was meant for – doing larger exhibits.”

Trimble left the band after shifting away in 2007. It was then that Peterson and Poffenberger thought-about retiring.

“We thought we’d name it good then – we had a fairly good run with 9 years,” stated Peterson.

That was when Andy Shelly, the band’s present drummer ,contacted them.

“We obtained collectively and jammed,” stated Peterson. “We have been offered. He’s implausible.”

“I used to be tremendous excited,” stated Shelly. “They have been a profitable band and we simply continued that.”

Shelly returned to Fort Dodge after graduating school, and it was throughout that point he obtained accustomed to Saucy Jack.

“I liked the music they have been enjoying,” stated Shelly.

In truth, it was after a present, Shelly had a dialog with Trimble.

“I stated I might like to play drums for a band like this sometime,” stated Shelly. “He smiled and stated ‘properly you by no means know.’”

Not solely did the band have a brand new drummer, they determined to convey out a barely totally different model of Saucy Jack.

“We determined to usher in new-to-us songs,” he stated. “We’ve got at all times been a traditional rock band, however we have been in a position to get ourselves to a different degree.”

Shelly stated they performed their first present collectively at a bar in Ames.

The second present he performed as the brand new drummer to Saucy Jack was so much bigger, nonetheless, as Reed didn’t overlook concerning the native band and invited them again to Shellabration, the place they opened for Chicago.

“That was my second present with them, that was a giant bounce,” Shelley stated.

Simply not an strange band

Peterson stated once they began Saucy Jack, that they had the thought to convey one thing totally different to the stage.

“We began out with the thought of we don’t need to play the identical songs that each band does,” he stated. “Numerous songs on the market are normal – you exit, hear a band and it’s the identical set checklist. We needed to search out songs we wish to play, that individuals might not keep in mind how a lot they like. That’s one thing not each band does. We have been pulling some obscure stuff out generally. Some songs that have been actually standard that some bands didn’t strive. It labored very well for us. We have been totally different in that sense.”

Certainly one of Peterson’s signatures is telling the group in between songs to “drink ’em up,” which grew to become standard amongst their fan base.

As their reputation grew, Saucy Jack discovered themselves with alternatives to open for some nationwide acts.

“When you get a style of that – of sharing the large stage with a few of these nationals, that’s what you reside for,” stated Peterson. “That may be a peak. There’s a large crowd. You see a variety of skilled musicians. It’s a variety of enjoyable.”

A spotlight for Peterson is opening for Loverboy.

“That was a giant one for me,” he stated. “That was one of many first live shows I had seen again in highschool. However this yr has been a few of my favorites, opening for large heroes of mine – Evening Ranger, Low-cost Trick and 38 Particular – these are a few of my favourite bands that as a child I used to be shopping for their music.”

No matter who the lead band was, Peterson is grateful for the prospect.

“All of them have been implausible,” he stated. “All of them with a barely totally different expertise, totally different crowd, totally different sound crew – and so they have all been actually good.”

Stacy Peterson

Peterson, who now lives in Ames and is initially from Farnhamville stated he has been acting on stage for about 40 years, beginning on the age of 12 enjoying drums, becoming a member of his dad, Jim Peterson.

“There have been quite a few nation bands I performed with again then,” stated Peterson. These bands included Caliber, Cedar Creek, and Rowdy.

His first rock band was 2 a.m. whereas in highschool. From there, he performed for different bands together with a frat band whereas in school on the College of Iowa his freshman yr after which carried out with the Supply Boys – a band he toured with on the highway for about six years.

Peterson has performed drums, bass and guitar in quite a lot of bands, bringing his musical abilities to every group he has performed with filling in the place ever he was wanted.

“I take pleasure in enjoying all of it,” he stated.

Peterson stated he’ll proceed performing. He’s presently with the band Burnin’ Sensations and in addition performs some solo acoustic exhibits.

“I’ll at all times be enjoying and singing someplace,” he stated.

Though Peterson’s resume is lengthy, he stated he’s very lucky to have the 23 years with Saucy Jack.

“I’ve been fairly fortunate to be with some good gamers and good folks,” he stated. “There isn’t any drama such as you see with a variety of bands. That has by no means been the case with this band. It has simply been straightforward. They’re proficient guys and it speaks properly of the actual fact of the recognition of the band there’s positively some expertise there and people guys embody it fully.”

Jim Poffenberger

Poffenberger stated as a teen, he determined enjoying sports activities wasn’t for him, so he determined to place a spotlight onto music.

It’s a interest that he describes became a bigger interest. Previous to enjoying with Saucy Jack, Poffenberger carried out with different bands within the Ames space. He had additionally been enjoying an acoustic-solo scene for a time as properly.

Poffenberger has determined he’s going to take it straightforward throughout this hiatus for Saucy Jack and simply felt it was time to decelerate.

“You play since you take pleasure in doing it,” he stated. “We’re by no means going to have a summer time like this and I needed to exit on a excessive word.”

Andy Shelly

To many Fort Dodge space residents, they might know Shelly as Dr. Andrew Shelly, DDS, the orthodontist at Shelly Orthodontics in Fort Dodge.

Shelly stated he obtained his begin as a musician when he began band in fourth grade. He initially started enjoying the trumpet, however after a brief two weeks made the change to percussion.

All through highschool, Shelly stated he made his extra-curricular give attention to music. He performed in a band whereas attending Fort Dodge Senior Excessive known as The Faction. That band, he stated, had 4 authentic songs.

Shifting on to school he continued to play with bands performing quite a lot of music together with heavy metallic, pop and grunge.

Throughout dental college, his drums collected mud, however as quickly as he might convey them again out, he did. He joined his church band and performed with them for a number of years earlier than becoming a member of Saucy Jack.

“I by no means would have guessed, once I was in highschool or youthful, that I might be in a band sometime that may open for world recognized acts like Chicago, REO Speedwagon, Low-cost Trick, 38 Particular, Granger Smith, Nice White, Vince Neil and Evening Ranger,” he stated. “I by no means would have guessed I might be sharing the stage with folks like that.”

Shelly stated he knew his time with Saucy Jack wouldn’t final eternally.

“I knew sometime it might come to an finish, I simply didn’t assume it might be now,” he stated. “I’m very grateful they took me on. It labored out nice and between the three of us, the chemistry was actual good, all of us get alongside.” They have been a profitable band and we simply continued that.”

Shelly stated he’s hopeful he’ll discover a new alternative that may permit him to proceed enjoying the drums.

“I’m not able to give up,” he stated.

Their followers

Peterson stated there’s a lot to be stated about followers of Saucy Jack.

“Lots of people in Fort Dodge space and throughout there have been with us since that first evening on the Hayloft and it’s actually cool they’ve caught with us,” he stated. “We are going to see you on the market someplace.”