Founded in early 2003 as the brainchild of five working men from Madison, Wisconsin, 8889 began with a simple goal: to create songs for people who love music, and to reach as many of these people as possible. Since then, 8889 has created a sound all its own, and whether you think it’s retro, beautiful, sad, sweet, bitter, passionate, or joyful, it’s honest, and there’s something in it for everyone.
What about 8889???
8889 IS:
Ross Benbow : Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Jason Teteak: lead vocals, keyboards
Mark Henkelmann: Bass guitars
Chad Bartell: Drums and Percussion
Casey Collins : lead guitars
BAND HISTORY
Founded in early 2003 as the brainchild of five working men from Madison, Wisconsin, 8889 began with a simple goal: to create songs for people who love music, and to reach as many of these people as possible.
From the start, keyboard player, songwriter and vocalist Jason Teteak wanted something special. And sincere. “I needed a band that would be the real deal - not just a band that would play at Grandma's birthday party,” he said recently, meaning no real disrespect towards his Grandmother. “That meant writing real songs, true songs, and getting real musicians to play them.” The first person he turned to was his younger brother, Jim Teteak. After Jason asked him for his help, Jim abruptly canceled plans to move to Florida and joined Jason as a sound engineer. “I had an offer in on some land with building plans for a new home in Sarasota,” Jim remembers. “I got permission for a work transfer to a location there when Jason called. I said ‘sure’ without really knowing why.” Together, the two brothers set out to find their band.
The Brothers Teteak first brought in bassist Mark Henkelmann, who had been an elementary school teacher with Jason’s wife. Besides being a good fit personally, Mark was a well-trained and experienced musician who had played in every situation imaginable, from jazz quintets and classical orchestras to the popular trailer-core outfit Rattbelly. The group next set out to find a guitarist. After catching his bio on a local musicians' website and inviting him in for an audition, the band hired singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter Ross Benbow, a Madison native who had been writing and recording his own music for years. Next came Jamison Stokdyk, a percussionist and recording engineer, who brought in a rock steady beat on the drums. Jamison not only gave 8889 a solid rhythm, but he added an amount of creativity that's usually not associated with drummers. To complete the lineup, 8889 brought in Mr. Casey Collins, a reformed glam rock guitarist with a love for textured playing, who joined the group on lead guitar. The group immediately started rehearsals, and, armed with an ever-growing body of new material, was on its way.
Since then, 8889 has created a sound all its own. Whether you think it’s retro, beautiful, sad, sweet, bitter, passionate, or joyful, it’s honest, and there’s something in it for everyone. With over two hours of all-original material, and an LP in the making, 8889 is just starting to bring the warmth and energy of its live show to southern Wisconsin.