ELECTRIC WOODSHED was formed in Blacksburg, VA in 1987 by guitarist/singer Craig Counts, originally of Lebanon, VA, and bassist Stu Salmon of Flint Hill, VA.  After experimenting with several lineups, the band started to click when joined by guitarist/singer Dan Dunlap of Fairfax, VA and soon after, drummer Bill Jackson.  This is the lineup that started the Shed’s reputation as a hot rockin’  blues act, built around the dueling guitars of Counts and Dunlap.

In October of 1989, the band’s search for a fuller sound led them to hire keyboardist Jonathan Barker.  The following month, they were hired to back up the legendary Bo Diddley at the Iroquois in Roanoke, VA.

Drummer Bill Jackson departed the band in 1990, not wanting to keep up with the band’s increasing travel schedule.  Filling in on short notice was Tim Taylor.  Not missing a beat, the band played college towns throughout the state with this lineup.  In 1994, the band took a break as Salmon moved to Murfreesboro, TN to attend the recording industry program at Middle Tennessee State University.  Counts followed later that same year to be the talent Salmon would record for his school projects.  By July ’95, the rest of the band visited to record a song penned by Counts, Salmon, and friend Ben Williams, titled “Tennessee.  In November of that year, the band returned to Studio B at MTSU to record a Dunlap song called “Useless”.

With these two songs on tape, the band decided to write and record enough additional material for a CD.  In late ’95, Counts returned to Blacksburg to begin writing for the upcoming record.  It was at this time that the band began playing with harmonica player/percussionist Sterling Smiley, adding yet another dimensions to the Shed sound.  As rehearsals began in ’96 on the new material, Salmon left the band to attend to personal matters.  With no obvious permanent replacement available, a total of four bass players lent their time and talents to the Woodshed record.  The last of those four, Louisiana native Chuck Doyle, played on the only cover song on the CD, a Freddie King number  titled “Pack It Up”.  Six tracks recorded at Flat Five Studios in Salem, VA were added with the two from the Tennessee sessions to make their self-titled CD, released in ‘98.

Doyle handled the live duties on bass until his departure in the summer of ’98.  This left the bass position open once again, and the Shed’s future uncertain.  This uncertainty was pleasantly solved in late ’98 when bassist Greg Bump joined the Shed.  The funkiest Shed bass player to date, Bump had the juice needed to jump start the band.  This revival was almost complete when Berklee College of Music alumnus Jeff Pertchik replaced Jonathan Barker on keys, and now Jonathan is back playing with the Shed again sounding even better than before.  After Tim Taylor left as the Shed's long-time drummer, Sal Coppoli filled in temporarily.  After Sal, Blacksburg native Peter Nowlin took over the drums superbly with his hard hitting jazz and blues influence until Pete became unavailable.  When the Shed entered the new millennium, fortune delivered drummer extraordinaire George Penn, a long-time jam partner.  With the new energy of recent additions and past players, and the rocking traditions of the core members, ELECTRIC WOODSHED is alive and well with their best lineup ever.