JJ Grey & Mofro

Early career The early days of Mofro can be traced back to the mid-1990s when John Higginbotham, aka "JJ Grey," and Daryl Hance signed with a United Kingdom label and played shows in Europe as Mofro Magic. Grey and Hance met in their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida while working for an air conditioning company and developed a friendship through music. Their first band together was a rock band called Faith Nation followed by a funk band called Alma Zuma. The name "Mofro" was coined by JJ Grey as an explanation of the sound that the band made. Blackwater (2001) and Lochloosa (2004) The first studio album released by Mofro was Blackwater, released in 2001. The album is named after a cricket that is found in northern Florida that is known for its strength despite its small size. Like many of their previous records, Ol' Glory contains tracks with southern inspired narratives with a unique blend of blues, rock, folk, funk, and gospel. It marked the seventh consecutive album produced by Dan Prothero. ==Musical style and influences==

JJ Grey and Mofro's music has been described as a combination of blues, funk, soul, and rock. All of the songs are written by JJ Grey and reflect the region where he grew up in around Jacksonville, Florida. JJ Grey attributes artists such as Big Bad John and Jim Reeves due to their style of story songwriting and how that style has influenced the way he writes his songs. Grey also credits southern rock acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Jerry Reed as artists who have influenced his style of music, as well as more soulful artists such as Toots Hibbert and Otis Redding. JJ Grey and Mofro are also known for their extensive touring schedule and have continually played at major summer music festivals including Bonnaroo, All Good Festival, Austin City Limits, Wakarusa, and Rothbury. Early on in their touring days, JJ Grey and Mofro gained fame within the jam band scene while touring with acts such as Widespread Panic, Galactic and Ben Harper. JJ Grey attributes most of the band's strength to their stage performances rather than in the studio. ==Discography==