The Hawk In October was founded in the late autumn of 2007, and its first performance was November 19, 2007 at the Subterranean Lounge in Chicago. THIO has since played local venues such as Pint, Bernice's Tavern, Silvie's Lounge, Goose Island Pub in Wrigleyville, The Orphanage and The Elbo Room.
The Hawk In October is a five-piece Folk Rock / Acoustic band, with touches of Americana, Bluegrass, Country and 60s and 70s Rock. THIO is made up of incredibly talented musicians.
Ruibo Qian is a Shanghai-born singer/songwriter, raised in the U.S. She has a bluesy, boozy voice that can suddenly go quite soft and smooth. Ruibo's lyrics are pure poetry, and will lodge themselves in your head, not to be shaken off lightly.
Barrett Tasky is a multi-instrumentalist in the truest sense of the word; guitars, banjo, mando, but also piano, horns, drums, etc. Barrett has been featured in many other Chicago bands, past and present, including MWC, The Muddflapps, Jack Salamander, The Phil Circle Project, and The Good Name Band featuring Micki Croisant.
Matt Sobczyk has most recently been the bassist for a country music cover band called "Jin and Tonic." Matt has just left that band to spend more time with his new bride, Holly (an excellent drummer with "White Buffalo Is Born"), and to concentrate on "The Hawk...". He's definitely got the groove.
Marke Lester is another long-time player in so many bands around town. He's playing drums for "The Hawk...", and providing backing vocals as well. But he plays drums as well for Phil Circle, bass for "Labrador Dali," and guitars for his own project, "Exhibit A."
Jeff Churchwell has played solo, in an early duo called "Westerly," and in a 4-piece folk/rock band called "Melanie's Waiting," all in Chicago. Jeff is the songwriter and lead singer for "The Hawk...", and counts himself lucky to be playing with such talented musicians. Jeff is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he played no music at all for eighteen years. Coming to Chicago at the turn of the Millennium got him jump-started in a big way.
Hawk Emeritus
Cheryl Jennison is a trained musical theater and operatic performer, with an amazing mezzo soprano voice, and an excellent feel for the material we'll be performing. She is also one of three outstanding female singers featured in the Pink Floyd tribute band, "Think Floyd USA." We're sad to say Cheryl has opted to commit full-time to Think Floyd, so we bid her farewell, and say THANK YOU for lending us her beautiful voice for a little while.
