Soars has lived in
Boca Raton, Florida since 1999, but was born in
Anaheim, California, and moved to
Cedarville, Arkansas, with his family at three years old. Soars developed his guitar technique, but did not play professionally until after his graduation. His enjoyment of
heavy metal music won the initial battle and Soars played in a number of local bands including Burner, Mask of Innocence, Wynjara and Human Plague – before he had an eight-year membership with the
thrash metal band, Raped Ape. Through touring with the latter, Soars became friends with musicians who played with
Malevolent Creation and, in 1996, Soars joined them and was part of the line-up that recorded
In Cold Blood. The band was due to undertake a European tour the following year, but Soars left them at that point as he was reluctant to lose his daytime occupation with
Motorola. He kept in touch with the blues by playing alongside local blues musicians in his free time. In 2005, he turned his back on the heavy metal scene, after realising he was almost double the age of his average audience member. It was followed by another two albums,
More Bees With Honey (2011) and
Full Moon Night in Memphis (2014). After further touring commitments and music festival appearances, it was not until 2018 that Soars next album,
Southbound I-95, was ready for release. It featured guest appearances from
Jimmy Thackery and
Albert Castiglia on guitars, Sax Gordon on horn and
Jason Newsted on bass guitar, with
Lee Oskar playing the harmonica. In January 2019, Soars and Peet traveled to
Houma, Louisiana, to enable recording to take place at
Tab Benoit's studio. Benoit produced the album and played drums, so usual percussionist Peet was able to play his other musical passion, the bass. Soar supplied the bulk of the vocals and played electric and acoustic guitar, dobro, dulcimer, and his homemade two-string cigar box guitar. The same year, Soars was nominated for a
Blues Music Award in the 'Blues Rock Artist' category. In 2021, he was nominated for the 42nd Blues Music Award ceremony in the 'Contemporary Blues Male Artist' category. ==J.P. Soars and the Red Hots current band members==