Sam Hotchkiss - Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Vocals

Birthday:  November 29th  Sign: Sagittarius

Some Favorite Recordings: COMING SOON

Major Influences: Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Leo Nocentelli, Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana

Like Aron, Sam and Dave had known each other for almost a decade before Sam signed on with Juice on New Year’s Eve 2001. As co-founder of the enormously popular, early/mid ‘90’s New Orleans Latin/funk band, Smilin’ Myron, Sam has been a mainstay on the New Orleans scene for over a decade. In an ironic twist, both Dave and Aron’s former groups opened for Sam in the early ‘90’s. An enormously accomplished guitarist, he has performed with a veritable Who’s Who of the New Orleans and national funk and jam scene. Horn players from Harry Connick, Dr. John and Walter “Wolfman” Washington’s bands, perform and compose with Sam on a regular basis.  Smilin’ Myron performed on the 2^nd H.O.R.D.E. Festival- the seedling fest of the now overwhelmingly popular jamband movement- with the likes of Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Other acts Smilin’ Myron worked with include the funky Meters, Maceo Parker, Gatemouth Brown and many more. As band leader for Smilin’ Myron, Sam also introduced two now-common practices to the New Orleans club scene- multi band events at the Contemporary Arts Center and the now-legendary, Sunrise shows over Jazz Fest. Both concepts are used by Superfly Presents as the building blocks to their incredible Jazz Fest line-ups, leading them to the recent, enormously successful Bonnaroo Festival. Sam is also an accomplished banjo player and has toured Europe with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band- one of the most revered bands in the world. Besides his demanding Juice Tour scheduled, Sam lent his work, Sugar Butt, to the Louisiana Musicians' Clinic record, "Get You A Healin". The money from this record goes to help fund the Louisiana Musicians' Clinic which offers quality health care to New Orleans musicians. Also, check out his critically acclaimed Smilin' Myron release: "What About The People" released in 1997.