Biography
In autumn 1999 Nicholas Tremulis, a Chicago-born singer, songwriter, and bandleader, chose to issue his fifth album, In Search of Woodfoot. Already known locally for an uncommon blend of rock, R&B, and pop as well as his electrifying stage presence, the 1960 native had grown up amid constant music. His jazz-pianist father and blues-singing mother filled their Greektown and Northbrook homes with visiting players, prompting the teenager to take up guitar. After extended club work he formed the Nicholas Tremulis Band in his twenties; the thirteen-piece ensemble delivered an involving fusion of rock, R&B, and soul that quickly ranked among Chicago’s leading acts. Mid-decade Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, signed the group, resulting in the 1985 album The Nicholas Tremulis Band and its 1988 follow-up More Than the Truth. Seeking a contractual exit from Island, Tremulis reduced the lineup and issued the EP King of the Hill on Monsterdisc plus the LP Bloody Show on Black Vinyl, the imprint operated by rock band Shoes. More recently he toured Europe, supported blues artists on guitar, and composed jingles. He also took part in a videotaped multi-artist benefit for Neon Street, the nonprofit aiding at-risk teens, alongside Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan and other performers. Reuniting with engineer and producer Rob Fraboni—whose résumé includes Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and Bonnie Raitt—Tremulis launched the QRS label, whose inaugural release was the fourteen-track In Search of Woodfoot in October 1999.
Albums