Jim Suhler

His first exposure to music was by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and other British Invasion bands on Dallas AM top 40 radio station KLIF in the 1960s.

His major influences at that point were Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, ZZ Top, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin and Rory Gallagher among others.

Suhler played in an array of forgotten cover and original bands during these years, initially backing other vocalists or guitarists.

While later playing a Homewreckers set at a Memphis, Tennessee club called Huey's,[6] he was discovered by George Thorogood, eventually joining the Destroyers in 1999.

After the Homewreckers imploded in mid-1991, Suhler formed power trio Monkey Beat, with drummer Paul Hollis and bassist/vocalist Carlton Powell.

For the next few years, Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat toured throughout the United States and Europe, playing clubs, theaters and festivals for an ever burgeoning fan base.

Bad JuJu, which was produced by Jim Gaines[8] was the most fully realized Monkey Beat album to date, and released by Lucky Seven Records in 2001.

It was recorded in Nashville with Tom Hambridge producing, and included guest artists Elvin Bishop, Jimmy Hall and Joe Bonamassa.

Contributors to this album included Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson, Carolyn Wonderland and Jason Elmore.

Also on Suhler's resume is scoring the PBS documentary Larry vs. Lockney,[11] and having his compositions used in major motion picture releases and television worldwide.

In 2002, Suhler fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing two shows with AC/DC during their Stiff Upper Lip Tour, in Helsinki, Finland and Hamburg, Germany.

Suhler has also played publicly onstage with Les Paul, James Cotton, Hank Williams, Jr., Duke Robillard, Peter Wolf, Willie Nelson, Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Pinetop Perkins, Lazy Lester, Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, Son Seals, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Rivers, Joe Bonamassa, Cross Canadian Ragweed and others.

The acoustically driven Dirt Road was released by Topcat Records later in the year, shortly after his daughter's death.