Wes Tucker & the Skillets are quickly gaining a reputation throughout the D.C. area as a band to watch. The combination of sophisticated, intelligent lyrics and powerful groves created by stellar musicians is one that people are starting to notice. The band shifts from folk rock, to funk, to gospel, to soulful ballads in the space of a set list, drawing comparisons to artists like Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and Bob Dylan.

The latest album from Wes Tucker, and his first with a full band, Beauty in the Broken, is a departure from the mellow vibe of Tucker's critically acclaimed first release, while furthering his reputation for well-crafted songs. Beauty is an expansion of Tucker's style into more up-tempo rock arrangements, due largely to the addition of the Skillets. "I never wanted to be up there by myself," said Tucker. "I've always wanted to be a part of a band. Writing songs, I've always had full band compositions in mind, but everything we wrote or arranged collectively sounded better than anything I had already imagined."

Tucker and the Skillets released Beauty and the Broken in January 2006, even as his first album, Tradition, continued to receive praise. Three songs from Tradition received finalist honors at the 2004 21st Annual Mid-Atlantic Songwriting competition, and another song was featured on the Art-o-Matic yearly compilation CD. Two additional songs were chosen for the soundtrack of an upcoming commercial film. College and AAA radio stations as well as NPR affiliates and countless internet radio stations all over the country added songs from Tradition to their playlists, bringing more listeners to the fast-growing fan base.

Wes Tucker & the Skillets played over 50 dates in the D.C. and Mid-Atlantic region in 2005, including shows in New York, North Carolina, and Atlanta. Over the course of the year, the band performed at premier venues such as The State Theatre, Iota, The Velvet Lounge, DC9 and Staccato. The band was also selected to play at several popular festivals, including the Steppin' Out Festival in Blacksburg, Va. and the Cinco De Mayo Fiesta in Richmond, Va., as well as the Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. At each venue, the band was chosen to perform from literally hundreds of applicants.

Tucker and each of the Skillets share an eclectic taste in music and the ability to play in a variety of styles, two traits that combine to create their unique sound and crowd- pleasing, energetic live performances. Tucker plays acoustic guitar, with Washam on guitar and bass. Alcantara plays bass and guitar, and Rutkowski fills out the rhythm section on drums and piano.

"From funk inspired foot-stompers to soulful ballads, Tucker's songwriting style remains strong. He is certainly a talented musician and one that will appeal to the masses. It's obvious that Tucker is a musician that we will be hearing more from over the years." - LEFT OFF THE DIAL

Learn more about Wes Tucker...www.WesTucker.com