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bio

Rich textures created by the band have been described as “Plush Lonesome Western Blues”. Attracting a listener base whose musical taste transcends different genres, Majors Junction produces a diverse meld of country honky-tonk blues with folk undertones and hints of bluegrass pickin' and good old rock & roll. It is a unique sound that celebrates individuality and hard work, two qualities the band shares with its hometown of Chicago.

The band came onto the scene in 2003 with their debut release "A Desert Oasis". Local garnered praise has propelled the group to bigger gigs and a growing fan base.

Their latest release "Confluence" has been receiving rave reviews from the US and abroad. Providing upbeat rockers and smooth ballads the album shows off the songwriting and performance abilities that puts this band at the forefront of the Americana scene.

The husband and wife duo of Mike Mulcahy and Heather O'Brien provide the upfront harmonies that give the band a rich sound. Mulcahy writes the majority of songs for the band and is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of English. Moving from the serious to the satirical he provides a scope for the listener but will not disavow the intelligence of his audience. Other members of the band include multi-instrumentalist Michael Scott Duplessis whose tasteful playing transcends the guitar, piano and bass and Colin Williams who drives the beats on the drums and other percussive instruments. Colin also co-produced “Confluence“ with Mulcahy and has been with the band since its conception back in 2002.

Beyond the core of Majors Junction there is a family of musicians throughout Chicago that joins the band regularly to satiate any Americana palate. Upright bass player Roger Sherman, pedal steel ace Brian Wilkie, fiddle player Allie Kral and slide guitar player John Hasbrouck are just a few of the musicians that join the band live and in studio.

Majors Junction can be regularly seen and heard at Chicago clubs like Martyrs’, The House of Blues and The Hideout, and also perform at festivals like the Taste of Chicago and the Greeley Stampede in Colorado.

The new album "Confluence" melds together a pleasurable roots experience exploring some beautiful instrumentation ranging from mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel to horns, harmonica, piano, B3 and plenty of guitars and vocal harmonies. It is a musical treat that is leaving listeners awaiting the release of the bands third album expected soon.

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what they say...

"Every element on this album comes together perfectly. A strong country sound with influences of blues, bluegrass, Midwest rock and rich vocals makes it very unique. Fans of any music genre deserve the opportunity to discover Majors Junction."
--Mark D. US99.5 America's Country Station


"Mulcahy writes the sober achy ballads and kicky jumpers of the country music style, and he's good., ...Here's a man going down the road with a lot on his mind, but he's not in Kansas anymore., ...licks knock on Dylan's and The Band's door..."
--Jim Wallace, The Montpelier Bridge


what else they say...

"Chicago's Majors Junction are a tuneful roots act with energetic arrangements and dexterous musicianship. The groups latest record, Confluence, twists Americana into colorful new shapes without sacrificing an ounce of authenticity."
- -Seven Days, Vermont


“This band has it all going on. They sound original, fresh and very talented. Great Vocals, Great Harmonies, Great Songs and a Smooth Production on this release. Majors Junction style is just killer. The band is tight and delivers some of the coolest licks on their instruments that we have heard in sometime. They move from Southern Rock, to Roots/Americana Country and Blues as smoothly as butter on a hot plate. This band is just simply hot!”
--RootsMusicReport.com


Live in studio performance on Hambone’s Blues Party, “Sounds great, I like it a lot. Sort of has a “Band” sound to it.”
-- Scott “Hambone” Hammer of 90.9FM - WDCB College of DuPage


“… Album 2 is even stronger that their debut. They can sing, they can write and they have good taste in special guests.”
--Richard Milne of 93.1FM – WXRT


“ Al voordat er ook maar een noot geklonken heeft, is deze in een kartonnen klaphoesje gestoken cd al bijzonder. De afspeelbare zijde is zwart en er is geen groef, sorry, putje op te bekennen. De muziek op Confluence (North Of Nashville), de tweede cd van Majors Junction, is al even bijzonder. Het gezelschap uit Chicago laat een verfijnde vorm van altcountry horen, waarin diverse rootsstromingen ongemerkt samenkomen. Ze zijn nog het best te omschrijven als een merkwaardige samenwerking tussen saloonrockers en een salonorkest. Alsof ze de woestijn hebben verstopt onder een enorme lap rood velours. Eigenlijk zou inpakkunstenaar Christo een fantastisch decor voor deze band moeten regelen. Mike Mulcahy (gitaar/zang) is verantwoordelijk voor de composities van Majors Junction. Maar ook Heather O'Brien (zang/percussie) mag niet onvermeld blijven. Op deze plaat bestaat de kern nog uit vier personen die hulp krijgen van vele gasten, maar inmiddels staan er zeven namen op de MySpace-pagina van de band. Het prachtige Saved begint met orgel en piano, waarna blazers zich ermee bemoeien en de zang invalt: So this is what it's all about / Starbucks and going out / Trying to work with half your brain. Een nummer als Gunslinger heeft wel iets weg van Blanche, maar andere momenten denk je eerder aan de Band. De pedal steel van Brian Wilke kleurt meerdere nummers en dan hoor je ook nog af en toe een banjo of fiddle. Het voornaam klinkende Growing Up is prachtig en door de tempowisseling en afwisselende zang spannend bovendien. De productie van Mulcahy en drummer Colin Williams is ook zeer geslaagd. Een bijzondere cd. ”
--John Gjaltema, altcountry.nl - Netherlands and Belgium


"Cool stuff. Very tasty, fun, fun CD!"
- -Ray Randall, AmericanaRoots.com



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