THE HERCULEONS

"consummate team players, syncing up brain waves with their fellow musicians. The keyboard waded into jazz waters, the fiddle pulsed, and the drums explored until they all locked in...Now connected, they were off and into a joyful couple of hours…” - Craig Havighurst/WMOT “String Theory”.

Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Doobie Brothers member, John Cowan, along with the legendary fiddler and vocalist Andrea Zonn, introduce their new musical adventure together – The HercuLeons. ("Johnny C came to me and said he wanted to be called the HercuLeons…It's a hint at musical 'heavy lifting' and a big ol' musical nod to the great and soulful Leon Russell") muses Zonn.

The band, led by Cowan and Zonn, features exquisite vocals and world-class musicianship. The HercuLeons music blends Appalachian, soul, rock, and jazz creating a unique blend of Pop Americana. 

The HercuLeons emerged as a creative project in the Spring of 2020, near the beginning of the long isolation and social distancing brought about by global pandemic. Finding themselves in a sudden live touring hiatus, longtime friends and collaborators John Cowan and Andrea Zonn, together with legendary producer and friend, Wendy Waldman, found a way to nurture their musical creativity, remotely, sending audio files back and forth amongst themselves, between Los Angeles and Nashville.  What began as a musical conversation has grown roots, nurturing a mutual love of timeless songs, finessed studio production and finally now, high energy performances. Their debut album will be released in 2023.

John Cowan, also known as the ‘Voice of Newgrass’, has been singing his heart out for nearly forty years, and his soaring vocals have only improved with time. A true innovator, John applies his powerful pipes to genres from country, bluegrass, and gospel to soul, jazz, and rock-and-roll – often within the space of a single concert. His ability to move fluidly through multiple styles, and carry mesmerized audiences on the journey with him, has set him apart as one of the most loved and admired vocal artists of his generation, not just by fans and critics but among fellow musicians as well. 

With his distinctive, rock-tinged tenor vocal and heart-thumping electric bass, John Cowan, along with fellow New Grass Revival band matesSam Bush, Courtney Johnson, and Curtis Burch, and later Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn, introduced a new generation of music fans to an explosive, experimental and ultimately, eponymous brand of bluegrass. One of the most celebrated and innovative bands, New Grass Revival,was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame during the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards on October 1, 2020.

Singer-songwriter-fiddler, Andrea Zonn, is a rare breed in modern music. Her precision and grace, encompassing her wide-ranging classical and traditional music styles, has brought Zonn to tour and record with legendary artists over the years, including James Taylor, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett and more. For her contributions to countless records, Zonn has been heralded as a Nashville Cat by the Country Music Hall of Fame. She’s also released 2 critically-acclaimed solo albums. "a fine vocalist and violinist who has played with some of music’s best.” (Americana One) 

Rounding out the stellar supergroup's lineup is Tom Britt - guitar (Leon Russell, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill…),  Jody Nardone - keyboards/vocals (Crimson Jazz Trio, Brian Setzer, The Floating Men…) and  Andy Peake - drums (Lee Roy Parnell, Delbert McClinton, Tanya Tucker…).