BIOGRAPHY

Home Kookin' combines the authentic mountain voice and bluegrass mandolin and guitar of Erin O'Toole, and the untamed fiddle, mandolin and rockabilly slap bass of Jeff Sachs to create a unique blend of country, old-time, bluegrass, blues and clever spirited originals.

Erin O'Toole began her music career in the folk scene of St. Louis. She moved from St. Louis to Columbia, Missouri, and worked her way around the Ozark Mountains as a singer and songwriter. She eventually moved to Illinois where she worked with several bands in the Chicago area. Because of her versatile voice and strong harmony ability she has done studio work with various members of the Chicago Songwriters Collective.

Jeff Sachs started his musical career playing bass fiddle with Wafarin' Strangers where they toured Texas and released their first album. He has since worked with Unkle Pecos and released a second CD. He currently plays with several bands in the Chicago area and Wisconsin such as Sloppy Joe, Unkle Pecos and Country Funkins. He has arranged much of the music for Home Kookin. Jeff, with his driving rhythmic foundation of slap bass, has shared the stage with Vassar Clemens, and along with Sloppy Joe shared the bill with a variety of acts such as Ralph Stanley, Sam Bush, Del McCurry, Little Feat, the late John Hartford, Peter Rowan, and others.

Home Kookin' has been playing and writing music together for 3 years, and have released three original discs, What's You Got Cookin', Grits On The Griddle, and More Country Than Dirt (free mp3 title song on menu, buy CD on menu). They also host the Open Mic at The Abbey Pub in Chicago every Tuesday, and play throughout Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri.