History/Bio

Originally formed in 1997 by childhood friends Pat Fisher and Ernst Abend, CADDYWOMPAS presents a unique, refreshing blend of alternative rock and pop with thought-provoking lyrics and solid musicianship. Each member brings a unique influence to the band, yielding a sound and beat that’s unmistakably . . . CADDYWOMPAS.

JD-VOCALS

Although relatively new to fronting a rock band, JD was born to sing. And growing up in a musical family didn’t hurt. After watching her brothers excel at various forms of music as a young teen, JD found her talent in church and school choirs and ensembles. Later, her love of vocals continued when she fronted a female vocal quartet throughout college, not only singing but also directing and arranging all of their music. But even then, JD yearned for something else, so she and friends sang backup for a college rock band, eventually leading to another gig as a vocal/acoustic guitar duo. After graduating college, JD put aside music to focus on a career. In 1996, JD saw her brothers rock band perform at a local club and the bug bit her again. "I knew then that I wanted to be up onstage," she remembers. But it wasn’t until 1999 –when she responded to a musicians wanted ad – that she began to fulfill her destiny. Joining CADDYWOMPAS, JD found an instant outlet for not only her dynamic vocals, but also for another hidden gift: writing lyrics. "This band gives mean incredible outlet for all kinds of feelings, and I like to use the melodies and the lyrics to create moods and convey emotions." JD prefers using Shure equipment and monitors.
PAT-GUITARS
Like many guitarists, Pat grew up around music, learning guitar from his father and from Mel Bay books. During high school, he played in several garage bands. But he didn’t develop his style until he moved to England while serving in the military. Once there, Pat found his calling, playing with schooled musicians who pushed his creativity and helped him hone his unique rhythm-based style. Following his military service, Pat returned to the Baltimore area, playing in a few bands before he and Ernst decided to form CADDYWOMPAS in 1997. "My vision, even back then, was to combine pop with rock, then add a female singer. We went through a lot of lineup changes, but it was all part of getting to where we are now," he says. Pat uses Gibson guitars and Mesa Boogie amplifiers.
ERNST-BASS
Ernst, ironically, learned to play guitar by taking lessons from Pat’s father, learning folk classics and strumming three-chord songs. By the time he began high school, Ernst gravitated toward punk music and started playing bass. He played off and on in a string of successful bands throughout the late eighties and early nineties, but had given up music for the most part when Pat called him in 1997. "Pat and I just have this mental ‘link’ that’s very hard to describe. So when he called, I drove right up to see him and we started forming the nucleus of CADDYWOMPAS." At first Ernst was the singer, but as the band’s music matured, both he and Pat knew it was time to bring in a vocalist. Providing the right amount of funk with a healthy dose of punk influence, Ernst drives the band with an infectious groove. He uses WARWICK basses and TRACE ELLIOTT amplification .
JAYE-DRUMS/PERCUSSION
The newest member of the band hails from Texas, where he too began his musical career at a young age. Inspired by a local family gospel band, Jaye picked up the sticks when he was an early teen, eventually playing hard rock in clubs by the time he was 14 and recording when he was 16. During college, Jaye played with a successful Austin-area punk band. But he too strayed from music to focus on a career following graduation. After picking up the guitar and playing for several years, Jaye soon realized his first love was playing the drums, so he placed an ad and was bombarded with calls. But only one stood out: CADDYWOMPAS. "JD e-mailed me and I checked out their website. I was immediately impressed by the songwriting. Plus, the music is fun as hell to play." Jaye’s hard rock influences are evident in his style: "I just love to pound basically . . . it always makes me smile!" Jaye uses Drum Workshop Collector’s Series drums, Zildjian cymbals and Gibraltar hardware