Melissa Ellis & The Fellas Blues Band from Knoxville, TN

Melissa Ellis and the Fellas bring out the deep, raw emotional sounds of blues and soul with touch of southern spice. Front woman, Melissa Ellis, has been likened to great blues/soul/roots vocalists such as Etta James, Janis Joplin, Beth Hart, and Brandi Carlile, all the while embodying her own raw style like Nina Simone and Norah Jones as she covers keys and rhythm guitar. Mel is supported by a strong backbone of "Fellas": Matt Clyde carries percussion with a style notably inspired by Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, Buddy Rich, and Carter Beauford. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Rev. Landon Amonett ("The Rev.") covers bass with his quirky, unique character and his love for the Delta Blues. And finally, lead guitarist John Johnson . With great tone and style, it's clear his influences are heavily rooted in blues and blues-based music. As members of the Smoky Mountain Blues Society, Melissa Ellis & the Fellas specialize in a blues/southern soul sound, but incorporate other genres as well based on our individual musical backgrounds and our song selection consists of familiar blues, jazz-pop, and pop-rock standards, soulful oldies with a "blues" feel, and a few originals that lend to a spectacular set that people will find themselves tapping their toes or singing along to--covering a wide span of decades. With us, you get a high level of professionalism and a fun performance that is unmatched by our competition. We carry a contagious energy for celebrations and performances and can easily dial it down a notch to create a more intimate and chilled atmosphere to be enjoyed! We work hard to guarantee a top notch event for all of our clients. Some call it blues or a shade of blue, but we prefer calling it southern soul. “Melissa Ellis has long been a staple of our concert music series here at the Cumberland County Playhouse. Her smooth sounds and comic wit keeps our audiences laughing and entertained. It is always our pleasure whenever we are able to get her on to one of our stages, her music fills an outdoor theater setting perfectly…blues under the stars, a perfect way to spend a summer evening.” ~Sam Hahn, Concert Producer, CUMBERLAND COUNTY PLAYHOUSE