| B i o g r a p h y |
The Sterling Koch Band (pronounced "Cook") is a three piece band from Pottsville, PA featuring internationally recognized lap steel guitarist Sterling Koch.
The band performs a high energy mix of danceable, Texas style, classic
blues/rock music containing both cover and original songs. The Sterling
Koch Band’s music is informed by it’s influences of George Thorogood, ZZ
Top and Duane Allman and features the soaring, slide guitar sounds of
Sterling’s lap steel guitar backed by the powerhouse rhythm section of Gene Babula (bass, vocals) and John Goba (drums).
Sterling only began to play the lap steel in 2004 as the result of a
neck injury, a herniated disk. He had previously played the conventional
6 string guitar for 35 years. Sterling specializes in playing slide
guitar blues on the lap steel guitar and is widely acclaimed as one of
the foremost propnents of the lap steel guitar.
Sterling has just released his 5th solo steel guitar album, “Let It
Slide,” which features the current band. The album has charted on
Billboard’s Blues Album charts, Roots Music Reports radio charts and
Living Blues and Blues Matters magazine’s radio charts. It is still
receiving radio play world wide as well as exceptional reviews from the
blues music press around the globe.
Sterling recorded his previous album "Slide Ruler" with legendary blues
bassist Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Johnny
Winter) and Grammy nominated drummer Chet McCracken (Doobie Brothers).
He and his touring band have opened for many nationally known acts
including Savoy Brown, Rick Derringer, Lita Ford, Popa Chubby, Joanne
Shaw Taylor and more. They have performed at many well known venues
including The Bitter End, Kenny’s Castaways and Cornelia Street Café
(all in New York City), the blues nightclubs Stanhope House and Bubba
Mac’s Blues Shack (both in New Jersey) as well as outdoor events
including Daytona Bike Week 2005, Pennsylvania Blues Festival, Jack's
Mountain Blues Festival, Fleetwood Blues Festival, several
Harley-Davidson Open Houses, Gathering Of The Tribes and more.
Sterling has released 5 solo CDs including "Let It Slide," “Slide
Ruler,” “Steel Guitar Blues,” “Steelin’ Home” and “How I Spent My Summer
Vacation.”