Big Willy and the Part Time Lovers | home
About Us
Big Willy and the Part Time Lovers make their home in the hustlin' and bustlin' city of Lansing, MI. A strong group of musicians with a deep love for all styles of music, this band is dedicated to putting out nothing but the best blues that money can buy. With a sackful of original material, as well a firm grasp on all of our old favorites, Big Willy and the Part Time Lovers is definitely a band you are gonna want to get up outta the armchair, get into your favorite "Saturday Go To Drinkin' Duds" and go see. Just make sure you bring yourself one of them there designated drivers.
Big Will Rideoutt is keeper of the six strings for The Part Time Lovers. A rarity these days, Will has managed to create his own style and sound without forfiting any of the raw power that this blues band needs. Without the sweet sound of his Fender Tele', The Part Time Lovers just wouldn't be the same.
Jeff Thompson, known to the ladies as "Honey Child", is the man to watch ya'll. Influenced by the likes of Sonny Boy II, Little Walter, James Cotton and the reigning king of blues harmonica, Rod Piazza, Jeff has come up with one helluva sound. Monster tones that'll set you right up on the edge of your seat combined with a ton of smokin' hot vibrato and some real tasty chops is what this man uses to get you feelin' the blues deep down in your soul. I guarantee that when this man get's to blowin' some blues, he's gonna knock you right off of your feet.
This here is James "I F@#king Hate Everything" Norris. He'll probably like you though. Can never quite figure that guy out. Anyways, James is the brakeman on this runaway train. Playing the bass guitar the way it is meant to be played, James' gonna make you wanna get up and shake your tailfeathers 'til you just can't stand no more. And I'll tell ya, if it weren't for this man holding it all together, we'd all still be wandering around for hours after the show looking for our keys. Now wouldn't that be a dirty shame?
P.S. He's probably gonna hate me now for putting such a "GREAT" picture of him on the internet for the whole wide world to see. 
Say hello to our little friend. Frontman and ring leader for this big ol' travelin' circus is none other than.............Drum Roll Please................Jason Strotheide. Bet the anticipation there was just killin' ya!!! Known primarily as the bass player for such bands as Mike Espy and Yakity Yak and the ever popular The Automatic Blues Band, this bird has finally spread his wings and emerged as one of the Lansing areas best blues shouters. On a good night you can hear this fool beltin' it out for half a country mile. But if ya see him comin', you best lock up yer whiskey n' wimmen cause he's comin' to party. And last, but by far not the least, is Ed "Jelly Bean" White. Also known as the "Invisible Man", Ed is the driving force behind everything that Big Willy and the Part Time Lovers do. Seeing as most of the band has yet to learn how to tie their own shoes, let alone count, we really depend upon Mr. Jelly Bean to keep us in time with the rest of the world. And what a fine job he does.
