The Danny Joe Brown Band
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Danny Joe Brown |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
| Products | Southern rock music |
The Danny Joe Brown Band (DJBB) was established in 1980 by lead vocalist Danny Joe Brown following his departure from the southern rock group Molly Hatchet, which had attained multi-platinum status and global acclaim.
The initial roster featured Brown alongside Bobby Ingram (guitar, slide guitar, vocals), Kenny McVay (guitar), Steve Wheeler (guitar, slide guitar, vocals), John Galvin (keyboards, vocals), Buzzy Meekins (bass, vocals), and Jimmy Glenn (drums). Prior to joining Molly Hatchet in 1976, Ingram had collaborated with Brown in various club bands.
Stylistically, the ensemble adhered to a southern rock sound reminiscent of Molly Hatchet’s early work, emphasizing lyrical content such as gambling and The Alamo, contrasting with Molly Hatchet’s evolution toward a more direct hard rock style.
DJBB secured a contract with Epic Records, the same label as Molly Hatchet, and released their sole self-titled album in 1981. The recording sessions took place at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas under the production of Glyn Johns. The album included "Edge of Sundown," a track structured similarly to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s "Free Bird," featuring a gradual build-up into an extended three-guitar instrumental segment. Additionally, Wheeler’s composition "Nobody Walks on Me" gained exposure through MTV airplay.
Although the band embarked on a nationwide tour, their audience turnout was smaller compared to Molly Hatchet. During 1981, they served as the opening act for Blackfoot on the Marauder tour. Before commencing the Eastern Seaboard portion of their solo album tour in early 1982, the founding members departed, leading Brown to assemble a new lineup composed of Jimmy Polston, Billy Poovey, Al Tuten (guitars), Ronnie Able (bass), and Shane Bressette (drums), all hailing from Revelation, South Carolina. Following completion of this tour, Brown rejoined Molly Hatchet and endorsed this new ensemble to continue performing under the name Bounty Hunter, which remains active today.
While DJBB achieved limited independent commercial impact, several original members eventually rejoined Molly Hatchet. By the 1990s, Bobby Ingram assumed leadership of Molly Hatchet during that period, whereas original founding members performed separately under the moniker Gator Country due to legal constraints.