Thomas and the Shakes
Thomas
Lead Vocals + Guitar
Thomas is a 3rd generation singer/songwriter. Born into a musical family, he grew up listening to his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and mother play in all sorts of different Petit Family bands. As a child, he remembers listening to his mom sing and play rock-and-roll.
Early on, Thomas didn't have much interest in playing music and hated to sing. He begrudgingly went to piano lessons and played the saxophone. It wasn't until he was a teenager that he discovered guitar and a stronger interest in playing and singing. He started playing guitar regularly with his dad, joined a band, and began writing his own songs.
In his college years, he started playing acoustically in a duo with his previous bandmate and long-time friend, Garrett Kolb, and his patented “shaker” drum kit. Thus was born Thomas and the Shakes.
When he’s not playing music he loves being a dad, doing mostly anything outside and spending time with family and friends. He also helps run the family apple business. In his free time, he tries to find new ways to satisfy his appetite for adventure. He enjoys getting lost, not having a plan, and wingin’ it. Thomas says that music is the best medicine.
Garrett took to music at an early age, picking up the bass guitar at just 14 years old. A few years later, his high school band, False Authority, was invited to play at Battle of the Bands at the infamous First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The experience had him hooked. He has been dedicated to music ever since.
Following high school, Garrett played drums for Key Lime Special a reggae-rock band that opened for Reel Big Fish and eventually recorded their own album.
In 2010, Garrett graduated from RCTC with a degree in music technology. Which led to a California internship with Prairie Sun Studios where he worked alongside grammy winning engineers Oz Fritz and Tom Waits.
Upon his return to Minnesota in 2012, Thomas and the Shakes was formed. Ever since, Garrett has continued to record and play music with multiple bands, touring across the U.S. to Key West, Florida, and Homer, Alaska.
When he isn't playing music, Garrett can be found woodworking and building tiny homes. He is known as a jack-of-all-trades.
Garrett
Percussion
Logan
Bass Guitar
Logan grew up between Plainview and Elba, MN. His love for music started as early as he can remember, playing his parents vinyl to the likes of The Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Van Morrison, etc alongside his brothers Clayton and Garrett, who drums for Thomas and the Shakes. He went on to play trumpet at the age of ten and played throughout most of high school in concert, jazz, and pep bands.
After breaking his foot being a stupid teenager, he strapped on a walking boot and decided to pick up guitar. Since that time, he has played guitar in several bands, including the local reggae-rock band Key Lime Special alongside current band members Garrett and Thomas.
On the side, Logan is a board-certified dermatologist at Olmsted Medical Center. He enjoys the great outdoors, MN sports, being a dad, and spending time doing just about anything with his family and friends.
Mark
Horns
South Dakota born and raised, Mark has lived across the Midwest and now calls Minnesota home.
Following the end of his high school career, Mark was accepted to St. John's on a basketball scholarship. But, after suffering an injury began looking for other ways to pass his time.
Enter MUSIC. Mark joined the college band and took to the sax like a fish to water. Soon enough he was stepping in as a seasonal sax player for a band in Michigan after their player quit in the middle of the night. Eventually, he moved to the Twin Cities, where he began playing music full-time with bands such as Longshot and Booker Mini.
Today, he rocks the sax, flute, EWI, and melodica alongside his bandmates Thomas, Garrett, and Logan. His role on the wind instruments has become a staple of the Thomas and the Shakes sound and his friendly nature is admired on, and off, the stage.
When Mark isn't playing music, you can find him relaxing at his "trabin" (trailer/cabin) near Wabasha, or visiting the dog park with his two pups.
