REVEREND PEYTON'S BIG DAMN BAND

Biography

Josh 'Reverend' Peyton, born April 12 in rural Brown County, Indiana, discovered his passion for music at age 12 when he first played guitar, feeling instantly at home after years of displacement; he began writing stories young, transitioned to poetry and songs by 13, and led local bands despite a hand injury sidelining him at 18-19.[2][4][5] Inspired by rootsy country blues, he made pilgrimages to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to study under masters like T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour, and David 'Honeyboy' Edwards, honing his premier finger-picking and National steel slide guitar style.[1][3] With his wife 'Washboard Breezy' Peyton on washboard and drummers like cousin Aaron 'Cuz' Persinger, Jacob 'The Snakob' Powell, or Max Senteney, the trio formed Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, blending bluegrass, roots rock, country blues, and Americana into high-energy, heartfelt 'front-porch blues.'[1][2][3]

The band built a dedicated following through relentless touring—up to 300 shows yearly for over a decade across 38 countries and 48 states—earning features in Rolling Stone, Living Blues, and Vintage Guitar, #1 Billboard Blues albums like Dance Songs For Hard Times (produced by Grammy-winner Vance Powell), and three Blues Music Award nominations.[1][3] Known for tent-revival live shows with virtuosic guitar, percussive washboard rivaling New Orleans drum lines, and raw rhythms, they evoke ZZ Top meets Bukka White, using vintage gear like 1935 guitars and 1940s amps for authentic warmth.[1][3] Hailing from near Bill Monroe's adopted home in southern Indiana's artist colony amid forests, their timeless music—true stories of life—rejects nostalgia for a fresh, powerful take on blues traditions.[1][2][3]

Reverend Peyton ranks among Indiana's top 25 musicians per the Indianapolis Star, with the Sacramento Bee praising their boundless heart that captivates audiences worldwide, leaving them clapping and stomping.[1]

Fun Facts

• The band once played a sold-out show in Serbia where the non-English-speaking crowd sang every word to their songs.[5]
• Reverend Peyton learned to read encyclopedias at age 3 and wrote illustrated stories as a toddler before turning to music.[2]
• At FXFU in Austin, the crowd went so wild they tore the roof off the stage during their set.[5]
• They hail from a rural southern Indiana artist colony near Bill Monroe's home where locals 'paint pictures and skin deer.'[3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• T-Model Ford - Blues master studied under during Clarksdale pilgrimages (Hill Country blues tradition) [early career]
• Robert Belfour - Blues master studied under during Clarksdale pilgrimages (Delta blues tradition) [early career]
• David “Honeyboy” Edwards - Blues legend befriended, toured with, and studied under (Delta blues and live performances) [early-mid 2000s]

Key Collaborators

• Washboard Breezy Peyton - Wife and core band member on washboard (All band albums and tours) [2000s-present]
• Aaron “Cuz” Persinger - Cousin and early drummer (also five-gallon bucket) (Early albums and tours) [late 2000s]
• Jacob “The Snakob” Powell - Drummer providing deep rhythms (Multiple albums and tours) [2010s]
• Max Senteney - Current/lean drum kit drummer including 5-gallon bucket (Albums like Poor Until Payday) [2010s-present]
• Vance Powell - Grammy-winning producer (Dance Songs For Hard Times (#1 Billboard Blues)) [2020s]

External Links

• Spotify