West Michigan's Carl Webb Band is going strong after 25 years
MUSKEGON — Growing up in Tennessee, Carlton Webb had plenty of family inspiration when it came to playing music.
His mother, Otera, and aunts performed gospel and country music on the radio station in Camden every Sunday as The Stepp Sisters, and his mom taught him how to play guitar at age 13.
Webb, based in Muskegon, still considers his mother his biggest musical influence, followed by Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Buck Owens, Santana, B.B. King and Elvis Presley.
“I can’t do a song without ... a bit of a southern tinge because of my upbringing,” said the singer, guitarist and harmonica player.
Formed 23 years ago, West Michigan’s Carl Webb Band — with bassist Tom Hull, drummer Bill DeMarse and saxophonist/flautist Dan Giacobassi — regularly regales audiences with a mix of originals and covers. Veteran guitarist Greg Miller occasionally sits in with the band as well.
“I would say the style of my music is Americana — a mixture of country, rock, folk, Latin and blues,” Webb said. “We do covers because people want to hear those, too. I mix in my own songs and they're accepted better that way.”
With four releases of original music and another recording on the way, Webb’s songs are weaved into live sets with covers of Dylan, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Chris Stapleton, Adele, Post Malone and more.
A graduate of Mona Shores High School who also attended Muskegon Community College and Baker College, Webb, 72, said The Beatles first inspired him to start a group.
Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage
Performing as a duo or with a full band, Webb has a packed schedule of July and August performances ahead, including Fruitport for the “Dancing into the Sunset” series on July 27, the Grand Haven Eagles on July 28 and Hops 84 East in Holland on July 29 and Aug. 4.
View more performances online at carlwebbband.com.
— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
This article originally appeared on Ionia Sentinel-Standard: West Michigan's Carl Webb Band is going strong after 25 years
