Once a band, always a band, former members of Next of Kinn could say. The rocking country, oldfashioned funk and classic rock combo recently re-formed to rekindle the magic from when fans voted the group best live band of 2001 for Illinois Times Best of Springfield. Chuck Blankenship (vocals, guitar), Joe Kath (vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin), Jason Mrakava (guitar) and Brett Tabit (vocals, drums) – all former members of Still Kick’n and all but Kath, alumni of NoK – joined forces with founding Next of Kinn member Jeff Hughes (bass, vocals) to put the band back in business. Filling out the real deal package comes soundman Kevin Hughes to give the group, “the unique chemistry to guarantee an excellent time.” Always an extremely popular bunch with a raucous and rabid fan base, the reincarnated rockers are “fueled up, fired up and ready to fly with only one request in mind: Enjoy the ride!” completing the process with the old slogan, “nobody loves you like your Next of Kinn.”
Once a band, always a band, former members of Next of Kinn could say. The rocking country, oldfashioned funk and classic rock combo recently re-formed to rekindle the magic from when fans voted the group best live band of 2001 for Illinois Times Best of Springfield. Chuck Blankenship (vocals, guitar), Joe Kath (vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin), Jason Mrakava (guitar) and Brett Tabit (vocals, drums) – all former members of Still Kick’n and all but Kath, alumni of NoK – joined forces with founding Next of Kinn member Jeff Hughes (bass, vocals) to put the band back in business. Filling out the real deal package comes soundman Kevin Hughes to give the group, “the unique chemistry to guarantee an excellent time.” Always an extremely popular bunch with a raucous and rabid fan base, the reincarnated rockers are “fueled up, fired up and ready to fly with only one request in mind: Enjoy the ride!” completing the process with the old slogan, “nobody loves you like your Next of Kinn.”