The Judy Chops

Who Are They?

The Judy Chops are a seven-piece band from Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, and they are almost impossible to file under one genre. Swing, blues, rockabilly, old country and western, rock, and soul all get thrown into the pot, vintage and modern at once.

The sound is built on strong three-part harmony vocals and an unusual lineup: acoustic guitar, baritone banjo uke, searing electric guitar, fiddle, upright bass, cocktail drums, and the occasional horn. It is a genuine revue, made to get a whole room dancing.

They have been a perennial favorite at the Red Wing Roots festival since being named Best Local Roots Band at the inaugural event in 2013, and they bring the same joyful, high-energy party to every stage they hit.

The Story

A genre-defying band that turned relentless local gigging into a regional institution.

1. 2008

   The band forms

   The Judy Chops come together in the Shenandoah Valley, mixing vintage swing and country with modern rock and soul.

2. 2013

   Best Local Roots Band

   At the first Red Wing Roots Music Festival, the band takes home the Best Local Roots Band honor, kicking off a long relationship with the festival.

3. 2016

   Bad Like Me

   An EP that captures the band's rowdy, vintage-flavored energy on record.

4. 2018

   Love Is the Answer

   A full-length that shows off the range: swing, soul, country, and a memorable take on "I Put a Spell on You."

5. 2024

   The Good Days

   The recent record, warm and assured, proof the band keeps growing well past its first decade.

Start Here

Two official videos and a big festival set. Watch the harmony and the horns do the work.

The Albums 4 to start with

A run of records that captures the band's range, plus a great live album. Start here.

Playlists

One curated YouTube Music playlist of Judy Chops essentials, the dance-floor way in.

The Band

A genuine seven-piece revue, with an unusual instrument list and three voices out front.

• Three-Part HarmonyVocalsThe strong three-voice harmony singing that anchors the whole vintage sound
• The String SectionAcoustic / Electric Guitar / Baritone Banjo Uke / FiddleThe unusual front line, from searing electric leads to a baritone banjo uke
• The Rhythm SectionUpright Bass / Cocktail DrumsThe vintage swing-and-country pulse the band dances on
• HornsWhen It Calls For ItThe occasional brass that rounds out the revue and pushes it toward big-band swing

Influences

The Judy Chops raid the whole 20th-century American songbook: swing, western swing, gypsy jazz, and vintage soul.

Interviews

A conversation with the band, plus a living archive of the live show.

Going Deeper

A few directions once the party has you.

• See the revue. This is a dance band above all; a festival like Front Porch Fest is the natural home.
• The covers and mashups. The band is famous for remixed covers and mashups; catch them live for the surprises.
• The swing roots. Follow the thread back to Louis Prima, Bob Wills, and the swing tradition they revive.
• Red Wing. Their long relationship with the Red Wing Roots festival is a good window into the Virginia scene.

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