Jake Fleischli formed the Tractor Kings as a two piece in 1998 with Rebecca Rury on drums. Playing local shows in the Champaign-Urbana area the two piece gained a following, and recorded it's first album Sunday Night with Joe Stover that was released in 2001.
Jake reformed the band in 2002 to record the bands second album Gone to Heaven at Matt Talbott's (of Hum/Centaur) Great Western Record Recorders in the small railroad town of Tolono, IL. Gone to Heaven was released in 2003 and shortly after Jake up and moved the T. Kings project to Chicago. With long time friend and musician Mike "R.M." Rackey (Morningsides) on pedal steel and guitars, Watseka native Marty Gray on drums, and Mary Neidringhaus (Suede Chain) on bass and violin played in and around Chicago frequently. The following year of touring and shows winded down with a show at CMJ that left Jake with unsettled feelings toward the music industry.
Collecting his thoughts and his 12-string guitar, Jake moved back to Champaign to reform the Tractor Kings, yet again, with Ben "Creech" Uchereck (Bloody Knuckles/Blackouts) on the drums, Aaron "Jibbski" McCallister (Monster Honkey/Emotional Rec Club) on bass and Steve Uchereck (Blackouts/Living Blue) sitting in on guitar when he wasn't touring with The Living Blue. Ben left the band in 2006 to play full time in the Beauty Shop and Josh Lucas took stepped up and took over the drum department. The band plowed on playing local and regional shows until 2006 when they added Johnny "Chemical" Davidson as a full-time guitar player.
With a full lineup and sound, the band returned to Tolono for another round at Talbott's Great Western to record the third and upcoming album "Homesick". Soon after the record was finished being tracked, Josh left the band to pursue more culinary interests up north, leaving the door open for the return of Chicago-era Tractor Kings drummer Marty "Farmboy" Gray to move down to Champaign and take over.
Now in 2008, the band's new album will be released on the Parasol Label Group's Spur Records imprint in Fall 2008. Meanwhile the band is four-tracking new songs in the "beer bottle graveyard" of Jibbski's basement. With hopes to do more touring and out of town shows in the future, the band moves on, amiably gracing stages and totally abusing bar tabs.
Jake reformed the band in 2002 to record the bands second album Gone to Heaven at Matt Talbott's (of Hum/Centaur) Great Western Record Recorders in the small railroad town of Tolono, IL. Gone to Heaven was released in 2003 and shortly after Jake up and moved the T. Kings project to Chicago. With long time friend and musician Mike "R.M." Rackey (Morningsides) on pedal steel and guitars, Watseka native Marty Gray on drums, and Mary Neidringhaus (Suede Chain) on bass and violin played in and around Chicago frequently. The following year of touring and shows winded down with a show at CMJ that left Jake with unsettled feelings toward the music industry.
Collecting his thoughts and his 12-string guitar, Jake moved back to Champaign to reform the Tractor Kings, yet again, with Ben "Creech" Uchereck (Bloody Knuckles/Blackouts) on the drums, Aaron "Jibbski" McCallister (Monster Honkey/Emotional Rec Club) on bass and Steve Uchereck (Blackouts/Living Blue) sitting in on guitar when he wasn't touring with The Living Blue. Ben left the band in 2006 to play full time in the Beauty Shop and Josh Lucas took stepped up and took over the drum department. The band plowed on playing local and regional shows until 2006 when they added Johnny "Chemical" Davidson as a full-time guitar player.
With a full lineup and sound, the band returned to Tolono for another round at Talbott's Great Western to record the third and upcoming album "Homesick". Soon after the record was finished being tracked, Josh left the band to pursue more culinary interests up north, leaving the door open for the return of Chicago-era Tractor Kings drummer Marty "Farmboy" Gray to move down to Champaign and take over.
Now in 2008, the band's new album will be released on the Parasol Label Group's Spur Records imprint in Fall 2008. Meanwhile the band is four-tracking new songs in the "beer bottle graveyard" of Jibbski's basement. With hopes to do more touring and out of town shows in the future, the band moves on, amiably gracing stages and totally abusing bar tabs.
