About Us

Barrelhouse Jukes is a Staffordshire / Cheshire based acoustic blues and roots band putting our own unique twist on classic blues and roots covers. So far there have been no deals struck with spiky gents at dusty crossroads....but to explain things a little bit further.....Barrelhouse Jukes....

Barrelhouse - Originates from the storage of barrels of alcohol

Juke Joint - is the vernacular term for an informal establishment featuring music, dancing, gambling and drinking, primarily operated by African American people in the South Eastern United States. The term 'juke' is believed to derive from the Gullah word joog, meaning rowdy or disorderly. Classic juke joints found, for example, at rural crossroads, catered to the rural workforce. Plantation workers and share croppers needed a place to relax and socialise following a hard week. Set up on the outskirts of town, often in ramshackle buildings or private houses, juke joints offered entertainment for weary workers.

Jukebox - A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually  a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media. The classic jukebox has buttons with letters and number on them that, when entered in combination, are used to play a specific selection. The term 'jukebox' came into use in the United States around 1940, apparently derived from the familiar usage 'juke joint'.
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 Pete Latham

 (Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Weissenborn, Mandolin and Vocals)

Pete has been playing guitar from a very early age, in fact he had a guitar bought for him on a holiday in Spain and from that moment he's never stopped picking up a guitar. Absorbing a wide variety of styles, his influences range from the earliest blues recordings of Son House, Robert Johnson and Odetta, on to Richard Thompson, Bert Jansch, Jorma and the Hot Tuna stuff, John Martyn and Bob Dylan. He's played in countless line ups since then and also currently performs with Jen Ogle in an acoustic folk duo and more information can be found at petelathamandjen.blogspot.co.uk


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Al Bruce

(Bass Guitar & Vocals)


Alan Bruce traces his playing career back to the 70’s as a teenager wanting to emulate his then hero Marc Bolan. The first song he learned to play was “Down the Dust pipe” by Status Quo. He claims to have been in the first ever tribute band in 1974 who played a set of 30 songs and 26 of them were Quo songs.
Alan began singing at an early age in school choirs, progressing to drums and percussion in high school alongside his out of school bass playing activities.
Various bands and line-ups came and went including playing with Heartbreaker in the early 80s - a voracious touring band, which played the Northern UK rock circuit with circuit contemporaries such as Twisted Sister.
Around this time he also got involved with local drama groups taking to the boards singing and acting in a number of shows over the years, in award winning productions. He also loves gadgets and gizmos of all kinds and photography is one of his passions.
More recently, and whilst recuperating after a serious illness he worked with Tony McKenzie on his ‘Eniac’ album, and joint project 'Berner Street'. Alan is currently recording a new album with Tony Mckenzie 'Gravity Waves' due for release soon. Al hopes to one day record his own album!

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Julian Ogle 

(Drums, Percussion, Vocals)



Jules plied his trade on the London Blues circuit in the late '80s under the guidance of renowned harmonica player Shakey Vick and award winning drummer Sam Kelly and has progressed through various bands in the North-West ever since, incorporating not just Chicago Blues but Rock & Roll, R&B, Soul and Jazz. Musical influences range from blues legends such as Jimmy Reed, Freddy King and Howlin' Wolf to the Rolling Stones, Savoy Brown, Groundhogs and his native Essex heroes Dr. Feelgood. Some of the drummers that have inspired him include Ginger Baker, Charlie Watts, Keef Hartley, Michael Giles, Nick Mason & Carl Palmer.

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