Sunset Junkies are an original four-piece rock band based in Lima, Ohio. While we pride ourselves on our original music, our set list also contains familiar cover songs mixed in so that audience members can sing and dance along with some of their favorites. The band creates an atmosphere that can be enjoyed by fans of any age, and believe in music as a force that can bring people of all ages and walks of life together.
Live, Sunset Junkies are a force to be reckoned with. Our gigs take our audiences on a musical journey that incorporates many different elements and styles, all while providing good, solid, guitar-based rock and roll. We believe in always putting on the best show possible for our fans and audiences, and guarantee that you’ll come away smiling. Best of all, we believe in being professional, friendly, and laid-back at each gig, and always enjoy seeing new and familiar faces at each gig.
More than music… it’s a way of life.
The Sunset Junkies were formed in 2006 by members Craig Bauman, Keith Mason, and Jeremy Patterson. Their self-titled debut was released on May 30, 2008, and is available in hard-copy or online through sites such as iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. In 2009, lead guitarist Joe Swora joined the band and has been a great addition. Sunset Junkies completed their second album titled “Therapy” which was released in May of 2011. All members have prior professional experience with other established groups, and are dedicated musicians who are committed to making great music. Their original new music has a rock and roll style that you can find yourself singing and grooving along to. Their influences include classic rock bands from the Seventies and Eighties, as well as new rock and alternative rock bands from the Nineties and present day. The total music experience includes stylish accompaniment accented by great lyrics and baritone vocals.
Sunset Junkies have played in a number of venues including clubs, county fairs, large concerts, and private gatherings. You can hear the music of Sunset Junkies being played on local radio stations in the Lima area, as well as online. The band plays a wide variety of music that draws on each member’s influences and tastes, and the listener will find flavors of hard rock, reggae, country, blues, funk, and more in the band’s repertoire.
Band Members
Craig Bauman- Vocals, Guitar
Craig is the frontman of the band and is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of The Sunset Junkies. He has helped compose, write, and produce many of the Sunset Junkies’ songs. He likes to record, play live, and work with the band to create new music. Faith, family, and music all play a vital role in his life. Craig plays a Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster, and Ovation Applause guitars, with amplification through a Marshall half-stack. He also books the gigs and handles most of the business items that come along with running a band. His previous band experience includes Odd Man Out and Stone Halo. He has composed over one hundred songs in his time as a writer.
Joe Swora- Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
The “new guy” in The Sunset Junkies, Joe is the lead guitarist for the band, and also provides backing vocals. All of the guitar solos and lead riffs on the band’s original songs have been written by Joe. He entertains the other band members with his witty sense of humor. He also helps the band by updating some of the social media sites and online music networking sites, and prospecting for new venues. Joe plays a customized Fender Stratocaster and an Epiphone Bob Marley Les Paul, both with Ernie Ball 11-gauge strings, through a Fender amplifier. With a style that blends reggae, rock, and blues, Joe has been playing guitar for 20 years. An avid musician, he has also been part of groups such as The Ark Band, Groovemaster, SOL, Seefari, “Hawk” Freeman’s Blues Revue, and more.
Jeremy Patterson-Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jeremy plays bass and provides background vocals for The Sunset Junkies. He controls the technical aspects of the band and is instrumental in the production of their music. Jeremy makes sure all of the band equipment runs efficiently, producing the best sound possible. He is always looking for new technologies to improve the band. The workhorse of the band, he is never afraid to put a piece of equipment on his back and carry it for long distances. He drives the band’s vehicle, a former ambulance from a local fire department. This 1980 Chevrolet has been nicknamed the Sunset Suburban or the Jambulance. He plays a Peavey bass with DR strings through a Hartke full amplifier stack. His recent prior band experience includes the Full Blooded Hooligans and Stone Halo, but Jeremy has played in a number of bands in over 20 years of performing music.
Keith Mason- Drums, Backing Vocals
Keith plays drums and provides background vocals for The Sunset Junkies. He has written several of the songs that are performed by the band. He was instrumental in the band’s formation and believed that the original music of The Sunset Junkies could be the foundation of the band instead of relying strictly on cover music. Keith plays a Pearl Drum set with Sabian cymbals. He has implemented many creative ideas that have shaped the band’s image, and has been performing for over twenty years, with his most recent projects before The Sunset Junkies including Spackle, Dharma Shivers, and Stone Halo.
