Jake & Elwood

This show has been in operation since 2002, and and the boys have performed all over the UK and across Europe. 2010 / 2011 held engagements for the band at Scotland’s prestigious Highland Games (as headliners) as well as performances in Dusseldorf, Germany, Torrevieja, Spain, (with Dave Finnegan’s Commitments) and even MALAWI, AFRICA.

Joliet Jake Blues began life as William Smith-Eccles, a young drummer from a small mining village in the heart of Derbyshire. He was raised in the 60?s and grew a passion for music, putting together his own band of friends to share his love. As Jake grew older and responsibilities became a part of life, he decided to try his hand at comedy alongside his close friend Mark, and together they became the double act Eccles and Ritchie. They toured their act throughout the UK for many years.

During the late 80?s the cult film The Blues Brothers was a hit sensation across America and soon to be a success in the UK, and this is when ‘Jake and Elwood Blues Revue‘ was born. It started out as part of their comedy routine, adding a lively touch, but they were soon to find that their Blues Brothers Show was to take a different turn.

In 1989 Jake decided to put his heart and soul into the new show and created the first Blues Brothers Production to tour UK theatres. During this time he encountered a problem when he received a letter from Dan Aykroyds attorneys trying to stop him using the name Jake Blues, and that’s when William Smith-Eccles became Joliet Jake Blues, by law! He began to wear his trilby hat and Ray Ban shades religiously, and it soon became a part of him and was renown for his look, next to arrive after his deed poll papers, was his driving licence and passport, complete with his picture, of him wearing his shades!! From this moment on he was officially the only person in the world (as far as we know) to have sunglasses on his passport and driving licence and the rest is Blues History.