Stacygained aloveforlivemusicatayoungagelisteningtohisfather, Jim(Beau) Peterson asheplayedwithmanycentral Iowabands.Hewasfiveyearsoldthefirst timeheperformedonstage.HesangBill Haley's RockAroundtheClockwith his father'sband,TheStrangers. Fromthatmomenton, hewashooked onmusic. Alwaystapping anddrumming oneverythinginsight, heprobablydrovehisparents cn=izyuntiltheygothimhisfirstdrumset.
Stacybeganhiscareer asamusicianplayingliveattheageoftwelveasadrummer inhisfather'sbandcalledtheMoonlighters.Healso playedwithJiminthecountry band RowdyandvarietybandCaliber.Stacystartedhisfirstrockbandinhigh schoolcalled2AM, andtheyplayedmanyareaclubsandschooldances. Afterhigh school, Stacyturnedhisattentionto learningto playguitar. Basically self-taught, hesethissightsonbecomingasinger/guitarplayer.Hefeltthiswould givehimmorefreedomto choosewhat songshewouldliketoperform, aswellas buildhisexperienceasafrontmanandrelatingtoa crowd.
Stacyexperienced touring full-time withtwo different bands, first as adrummer withTheOutriders,and second playingbass, guitar, anddrums withTheDelivery Boys.HereallyenjoyedmeetingsomanypeoplefromstatesallovertheMidwest, makingfriendsthathestillhas contactwithtoday.Aftermanyyearsontheroad, Stacywasreadytobeaweekendmusicianagain.Hebeganhislongeststintwith anyband yetwhenhestartedSaucyJack. Asarockandrolltrio theystrivedtoput on rockshowsthatbuilta solidfollowingnotonly in Iowa, butalso inneighboring stateswheretheywouldoccasionallyplayfor fairs andstreetdances.Theyhave justcompleted27yearstogetherasaband.
Otherwell-knownbandsthatStacyhasperformedwithincludeBurnin'Sensations (10years),hiscurrentbandMidnightRadio (1 year), andfillinworkwithStanding Hampton. Stacyhasbeenblessedwithmany opportunitiestoopenfornational actsincludingMollyHatchet, MarshallTuckerBand,HeadEast, TheGuessWho, Chicago, REOSpeedwagon, Loverboy, Firehouse, GreatWhite,VinceNeil, Night Ranger, .38 Special, and CheapTrick.
Amusiccareerspanningoverfortyyears,nowadaysStacycontinuestoplay occasionalsoloacoustic,MidnightRadio,SaucyJack, andBurnin'Sensations showswhilealsoenjoyingsometimewithhisfamlly.
Stacy hasoftensaidthathehasbeenblessedwith opportunitiestoplaywithmany talentedmusiclans, andthathelovessingingforaudienceswhenever hecan.He attributeshissuccesstohisparentsandhiswifeDarafor theirpatience,support, andunderstanding.
TIowa songwriter Chad Elliott blends folk roots, rock, swampy blues and soulful writing to deliver music that is unmistakably original. His live performances have been honed by over 25 years on the road performing an average of 200 shows each year. He has penned more than 2,000 songs in his career.
Elliott has worked with many of the best musicians and shared the stage with artists of the highest caliber in many genres, including Jimmie Vaughan, Survivor, Counting Crows, Eric Church, Lonestar, Odetta, Tom Paxton, Loudon Wainwright III, R.L. Burnside, Greg Brown, Ruthie Foster, Verlon Thompson, Bo Ramsey and Mary Gauthier.
Through the years, Elliott has been influenced by many genres of music. This passion is reflected in his diverse recording projects. Elliott released his 22nd album, Rest Heavy: The Sun Studio Sessions, in 2018. "This album just oozes soul, truth, and seems rather timeless as it could have been recorded almost any time in the last fifty-sixty years." - Jim Hynes, Elmore Magazine (US) review of Rest Heavy. With Rest Heavy, Elliott shows his love of roots-rock, soul, and blues music with a rocking band behind his artfully crafted songs and gravelly delivery. Elliott, performing on acoustic guitar and harmonica, is joined by his full band, The Redemptions, including Tommy Lewis, Travis McFarlane, Kevin Boehnke, Joseph Cafaro, and Jim Van Dorn. The self-produced album was recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, TN by Ples Hampton.
Hampton said, “It was honestly one of the best sessions I've ever had up here. This is gold.” The album earned The Redemptions a spot in the Sun Studio Sessions documentary featured nationwide on PBS during the recording of their next album, King Pelican, in 2019.
Chad Elliott released his 25th album, Singing River, on May 17, 2021. He traveled to Muscle Shoals, AL with famed Iowa musician and producer Bo Ramsey to lay the tracks. Singing River was recorded at FAME Recording Studios, where music legends Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and many others laid renowned songs into the fabric of time. Ramsey, who produced Singing River, lent his signature sound on guitar. He was joined by two original Muscle Shoals Swampers, Spooner Oldham and David Hood. The new Americana/roots/blues mix that arose in Singing River is exactly the sound Elliott was hoping to create. With 26 albums under his belt, Elliott's writing is highly respected among his peers and fellow songwriters. His songs have won multiple awards. (Woody Guthrie Song Contest, Kerrville NewFolk, 3rd Place International Songwriting Competition, International Blues Challenge Semi-finalist).
