Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Garcia.
Eric, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I became fascinated with the harmonica when I was 17 and heard James Cotton play on the Muddy Waters album,
“Hard Again”. Took some lessons from the late great Fleet Starbuck and went from there. Over the years I became quite proficient but thought I would only play harmonica with people. However, I began to realize that I had my own musical ideas. That and the fact that I had been a Literature major in college and always wrote poems and stories quite well culminated in some songwriting. Then I soon realized that it would be futile to try to get a decent band together to play some harmonica player’s songs. So I had to start singing. That’s when I put together my band, JUke, about 13 years ago. I’ve been fortunate to have some of the best musicians in Miami play in my band at one point or another. People come and go for various reasons. That’s life. But right now I feel I have my strongest lineup.
The fact that I can’t really write music cause me to learn some music theory and to play the guitar. After seeing this phenomenal one-man band named Ben Prestage, I realized that I could just make my own music that way and not worry about any bandmates learning the songs or schedules. After some experimentation, I started Uncle SCotchy. My one-man band. I sit on a Cajon and play it as a kick drum w a pedal. I have a snare drum in a box that I play with a pedal w my left foot. Then I sing, play guitar and harmonica. It’s been as fulfilling as it has been challenging.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My music is generally dubbed “Blues” by most people for the lack of a better term. I like to call it “Post-Blues” because it is definitely rooted in Blues music, but it’s an evolution of it. I don’t sing about waiting for a woman at a train station or working out in the fields because I have exactly zero experience with any of that. But I have had some horrible losses in my life that I sing/write about. I also have had a very questioning stance on religion, and I like to bring that in. Even get playful with it on some songs.
But at the end of the day, everything we play has to be authentic and heartfelt. Otherwise, I would have stopped years ago. That’s why on our latest band logo I tagged it with “Purveyors of the Truth.”
How can artists connect with other artists?
There’s really no excuse to not connect with other artists unless someone has some social anxiety issues. Which would be a valid excuse, but my advice would be no help.
Not to sound all old and “Get off my lawn!”… but when I got into this, there was no internet, and I basically went out all the time to see as many bands as I could and meet people that were like-minded. Now you can just pick up your phone and go as far as you want while just sitting on your toilet.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
The easiest way to remember would be to just simply Google, “Juke, band, Miami” or “Uncle Scotchy”. The band website is www.jukepostblues.com. Uncle Scotchy just has a Facebook page /unclescotchy. Juke has 3 albums on Spotify as well. Simply search there. We don’t sell our music.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jukepostblues.com
- Phone: 305-926-1171
- Email: eric@jackalopetalent.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jukepostblues1
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jukepostblues
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/unclescotchy
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