The Yard Dogs The Yard Dogs Website

The Yard Dogs are one of Florida's hottest bands, performing uplifting and entertaining music which blends Zydeco, blues, blue grass, Cajun, country, folk and rock which they call "Florida Swamp Music". The Yard Dogs unique sound is due to the mixture of three eclectic musical instruments and musicians. Charlie Kuchler on accordion and keyboards is a lifelong musician and has performed with C.J. Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco and Jimmy Buffett. He has performed at such venues as the House of Blues, Milwaukee's Summerfest and Ohio's famous Put-In-Bay. He has shared the stage with U-2, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon and others. Along with being an accomplished musician Charlie has also been a booking agent, national talent buyer and promoter. Kip Lawrence performs on a guit-jo which is 6 string banjo with incredible percussive qualities and started performing when no one else would play his songs. He was part of the Key West Songwriters Fest before founding the SW Florida Songwriters Fest and the SW Florida Folk and Blues Fest. In 1999 he recorded a solo CD "Alone With A Song" and toured the East coast after receiving radio air play. He has co-written songs with Johnny "Rockaday" McKenzie and Austin Church who wrote Jimmy Buffet's "Brand New Country Star". He has shared the stage with hit makers Gretchen Peters ("Independence Day") and Chuck Cannon (writer of many of Toby Keith's songs). It's hard to believe a graduate from West Point would end up playing a bass instrument called a Rhumba Box, harmonica and a scrub board for a living, but that's just what Brian Travis did. Brian has developed as a musician by accompanying fellow performers on stage at gigs and open jams. He also learned to use 3 chords to write numerous entertaining and poignant songs. He was soon in a duo that played weekly at the musical Mecca known as Bert's Bar in Matlacha, Florida. That's where he met Charlie and Kip at an open stage jam session. As the 3 played together they developed a huge following and are drawing large crowds at many SW Florida venues. The Yard Dogs live show is upbeat, entertaining and fun. Charlie and Kip dance through the crowd, via wireless microphones, exhorting the audience to a frenzy while Brian holds down the bass and occasionally steps out front with his blues harp and scrub board. You never have a dull show with the Yard Dogs. Just ask one of their many fans. The Yard Dogs have played many of the top venues in Florida including Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa and The Green Parrot and Schooner's Wharf in Key West. In August of 2005 they performed at the Wisconsin State Fair. They also have sold over 1000 copies of their first CD "Live at Bert's Bar". Their second CD "Welcome to Paradise", released in November 2004, is selling briskly. They're 3rd CD "Matlacha Reeboks" is now available at all Yard Dogs shows. It's always Mardi Gras with The Yard Dogs…they even bring the beads!!!!