It seems like G. Love & Special Sauce visit the Cincinnati area a couple times a year; we can only assume that’s because they love us as much as we love them. This time, they’re coming ’round to promote the upcoming album Sugar, to be released April 22. Love and original Special Sauce members James “Jimi Jazz” Prescott (upright bass) and Jeffrey “The Houseman” Clemens (drums) — who play on Sugar — are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough self-titled debut album, featuring hits like “Cold Beverage.” The band’s first set will be that debut LP in its entirety.
G. Love is actually frontman Garrett Dutton, born and raised in Philly. Dutton discovered his passion for guitar and harmonica at a young age. A decade later, he realized college was not for him and shipped off to Boston where he began playing in bars and around town. The sound he brings with him all these years later is loud, rowdy and rustic — straight out of that bar scene.
While he may not grace the cover of Rolling Stone, win Grammys or make the MTV rotation with his blend of Blues, Folk, Rap and Rock, G. Love continues to pick up fans while touring and by making friends in slightly higher places. In 2013, he featured buddy Jack Johnson on his album On and On. And in 2010, he enlisted the production help of The Avett Brothers, with whom he recorded the bluesy, throat tightening “Fixin’ to Die.” It’s still unclear how this was not a massive hit.
G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE perform at 20th Century Theater in Oakley on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Details here .
