Biography

Crazy Chestur was born in a barn. Jim and Lori Gilmore’s barn near Shepherd, Michigan has been home to regular rehearsal sessions since 2013 when the guys first got together to form a ‘folk-rock’ band. Musical director Tom T Ball leads his crew through song arrangement sessions punctuated by detailed discussions of far-reaching topics. Distilled grains are occasionally sampled, but not until most of the work is done. Surrounded by open fields, wooden walls, vintage artifacts and modern farming equipment, these guys have developed a wooden, earthy sound fitting their primarily acoustic instrumentation. Crazy Chestur was indeed born in a barn.

Jim, Rob and Charlie have worked together off and on for decades in bands like Spice, No Brand Blues Band, Pepper Pie and The Bluegills.
Andy and Charlie have been jamming music together since their high school days in Bay City. Andy is also working on a new recording with folk-blues troubadour, Andy Cohen. Many of Andy Rogers’ photos grace the walls at The Ark in Ann Arbor.
Tom and Charlie also work together in Jive at Five, a favorite at summertime music festivals. Tom is long-time host of Homespun on CMU Public Radio and has been involved with Wheatland Music Organization since the early days.
Charlie’s songs have been performed and recorded by several artists, including blues legend, Larry McCray.

Crazy Chestur’s 2015 album Harvest Party, featuring mostly original material, was listed among ‘Best of 2015’ by Roots Music Report.

In October 2022, under the direction of producer, Michael Crittenden, aka The Colonel, Crazy Chestur recorded five songs for their new release 5X5, including three originals and two covers. The first four tracks have been fan favorites at live shows for several years.
Crazy Chestur’s dynamic live shows have made them a favorite among music lovers around the Mid-Michigan area. Booking: cw.piano@yahoo.com