Biography
From Good Homes comprise a seasoned collection of eclectic roots-rock players based in New Jersey, where they carved out independent success in the recording industry. The lineup features Todd Sheaffer on vocals and acoustic guitar, Brady Rymer handling bass and vocals, Jamie Coan covering acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle and vocals, Dan Myers on saxophones, percussion, melodica and vocals, plus Patrick Fitzsimmons at the drums and on vocals. Their lyrics and overall folk-rock and blues-rock approach, marked by upbeat and positive energy, emerged as a deliberate counterpoint to the hardcore punk environment that surrounded them during the late 1980s. The ensemble stands apart through its distinctive instrumentation and arrangements that emphasize melody.
Operating with a grass-roots strategy, the musicians cultivated their audience gradually through consistent live shows, expanding a substantial mailing list and loyal following via extended performances. They first took the stage in neighborhood venues near their home base in northwestern New Jersey, then extended their reach during the early 1990s southward to the Jersey Shore and northward into New York City. Sheaffer, Rymer and Fitzsimmons, who had attended the same high school, developed their skills in group playing and songcraft simply by rehearsing often together. The original trio performed under the name the Dogs until Dan Myers and Jamie Coan completed the roster. The final moniker came from a judge’s decision to assign community service rather than harsher penalties to all five after they performed past closing time at a bar in Sparta, N.J.
Securing an early foothold at the Wetlands club in lower Manhattan during the 1990s allowed the band to attract larger audiences and appear alongside Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews, Joan Osborne and Rusted Root. In August 1994 they issued the self-produced independent album Hick Pop. RCA Records soon extended a contract, leading the group to record its debut Open Up the Sky at Kingsway Recording Studios in New Orleans with producer Don Smith, whose prior credits included Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones; the album appeared in spring 1995. A self-titled release arrived in 1998.
Operating with a grass-roots strategy, the musicians cultivated their audience gradually through consistent live shows, expanding a substantial mailing list and loyal following via extended performances. They first took the stage in neighborhood venues near their home base in northwestern New Jersey, then extended their reach during the early 1990s southward to the Jersey Shore and northward into New York City. Sheaffer, Rymer and Fitzsimmons, who had attended the same high school, developed their skills in group playing and songcraft simply by rehearsing often together. The original trio performed under the name the Dogs until Dan Myers and Jamie Coan completed the roster. The final moniker came from a judge’s decision to assign community service rather than harsher penalties to all five after they performed past closing time at a bar in Sparta, N.J.
Securing an early foothold at the Wetlands club in lower Manhattan during the 1990s allowed the band to attract larger audiences and appear alongside Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews, Joan Osborne and Rusted Root. In August 1994 they issued the self-produced independent album Hick Pop. RCA Records soon extended a contract, leading the group to record its debut Open Up the Sky at Kingsway Recording Studios in New Orleans with producer Don Smith, whose prior credits included Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones; the album appeared in spring 1995. A self-titled release arrived in 1998.
Albums
