Peter Joly Making Waves Since Release

Article Contributed by August Forte | Published on Sunday, February 26, 2017

Chicago singer-songwriter Peter Joly has been keeping busy since the release of his solo, self-titled debut in October 2016.

Joly, who has been performing and recording in Chicago since 1993 (initially with the bands Big Breakfast and For Pilots), partnered with producer/musician (and former Big Breakfast band mate) Jon Williams for the release "Peter Joly," and it was Williams who recruited some of the city’s top musicians to record the album. Josh Piet of The Hoyle Brothers was brought on to record upright bass; Ryley Walker contributor Charles Rumback was enlisted to play drums, and Joe Adamik (Iron & Wine) and Gerald Dowd (Frisbie) recorded additional drums and percussion. Other musicians (including multi-instrumentalist Williams) joined Joly (guitar, vocals, harmonica) on backing vocals, fiddle, pedal steel and a variety of other instruments.

Joly and his fellow musicians celebrated the album’s release with a packed show at Chicago’s revered Hideout on November 26, 2016, and he has been gigging steadily since at the Berwyn, IL venues The Outta Space and Fitzgerald’s.

Tracks from Peter Joly have received airplay on WLUW, UIC Radio, WXRT, WGN and 103.9 The Fox, while the album has garnered acclaim from local, national and international Websites including Radio One Chicago, The Alternate Root, Independent Clauses, JP’s Music Blog, Mother Church Pew, Beehive Candy and The Modern Folk.