Coffee shop owner to perform with his band
December 10, 2015
Jackson Avenue Coffee will be rocking their shop at 7 pm this Saturday with classic rock n’ roll from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s from a band called Tequila Mockingbyrd.
The band has four members: Jeff Derrickson on lead guitar, percussion, harmonica, lead and harmony vocals, Diana Ingram on guitar and lead harmony and vocals, Tim Mills on electric guitar, and Dano Reible on the bass guitar, harmonica, and lean and harmony vocals.
Dano Reible not only performs with Tequila Mockingbyrd, but owns the Jackson Avenue Coffee as well.
The shop has a homey and inviting atmosphere open to the community whether it be for local musicians looking for gigs, artists wishing to sell their work, or a place to wind down and enjoy a hot cup of coffee.
All four members come from all over, but came together in the Charleston and Mattoon area to keep the birth of rock n’ roll alive and well.
When it comes to the member’s music taste, each of them drinks a slightly different flavor of tea.
However, the time frame of the music genres are all the same due to them growing up in these decades.
One influential music group that the entire band generally agrees on is The Beatles.
Jeff isn’t as big of a Beatles fan as the rest of the group because his tastes lean more towards the countryside of music rather than rock n’ roll.
Tequila Mockingbyrd formed their band two years ago, and this was the same year as the 50th anniversary of To Kill A Mockingbird.
Tim Mills former Eastern professor, and a fan of the novel, wanted to put a spin on the name, and the group decided to make this the title of their band.
The spelling of bird in their title also comes from a reference to another of the group’s music influences, The Byrds.
The group has had other members before, however these members did not long lasting so its mainly just been Tim, Jeff, Diana, and Dano in the past two years.
Reible said an inside joke within the group is to always tease Jeff, even Jeff teases himself, whether it be on or off stage.
He also said Diana is the rock in their musical family, while Tim is the quiet, but talented lead guitar player.
Each member of Tequila Mockingbyrd holds a different role in the band, and always engages with their audience, encouraging them to have a good time and to sing along.
“We like to get the audience involved and tell some jokes. Jeff says something stupid every once in a while, and we warn the audience that it isn’t us. But we’re having fun, it’s a fun dynamic.” said Reible.
The group plans to play about 22 songs on Saturday night, and Reible, flipping through a binder with various songs created in the mid to late 60’s, said that they’d be playing” Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues, along with many other songs from this time, and an original song written by Diana called “My Driving Song”.
John White, another rock n’ roll musician will open up for Tequila Mockingbird.
“Everyone’s welcome and we love people to come and sing and to have a great time with us. We’re a family type show, and we’re looking forward to it,”said Reible.
Abbey Whittington can be reached at 581-2812 or amwhittington@eiu.edu