Excelsior Springs, Mo. – J.D. and the Chasers, a local blues band from the Excelsior Springs and Lawson area, are preparing for a big opportunity as two members, Jacob Duncan and Larry Stronger, known as the Redbeards, recently received an invitation to represent the Kansas City region at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
Formed in 2007, J.D. and the Chasers began as a bluegrass-country duo with Duncan, a Lawson resident, and Robert Mawby from Excelsior Springs, turning their love for music into a blues band.
Over time, according to Duncan, Mawby’s wife, Marie, joined the duo as a vocalist, then welcomed drummer Jason Martinez and, more recently, keyboardist Larry Stronger (aka Stringer).
“All of us are from Excelsior, and I live in Lawson, so it’s easier to stay and play our music close to home,” Duncan said.
Deeply connected to their community, Duncan explained that these bonds have helped them build a loyal following in Excelsior Springs and across the Northland. Known for their Texas blues-inspired style, J.D. and the Chasers blend in rock and country influences. “Mainly, what our sound could be described as is Texas blues, roots music,” Duncan said. “We play a little bit of rock, a little bit of country. We kind of do everything for any audience we might be up against.”
The band currently focuses on a mix of chosen covers and original songs, drawing inspiration from their own lives. Duncan noted that all of their original songs come from “life experience and things we all go through.” He explained that he and Mawby get together to write lyrics, and he finds the right beat to pair with the songs.
The band’s 2019 album, ‘D.B. Cooper and the Lost Cash,’ was recorded in a studio in Northland and is currently their only album. Duncan mentioned that it is available for listening and streaming on Spotify, with plans to release another album for their fans in the future.
Currently, J.D. and the Chasers continue to perform at local venues with a strong presence in Excelsior Springs, recently playing at the annual Waterfest event downtown and attracting longtime followers. “We actually have a fairly large following just in Excelsior itself,” Duncan said, with their next event scheduled at Wabash Bar-B-Que in September.
He noted that they usually play at Wabash in September to celebrate Mawby’s family and many of their close friends’ birthdays. The show, he said, will be family-friendly with an all-ages performance in mind and is free to attend. He advised bringing a lawn chair, enjoying a meal, and listening to their blended sound of blues, rock and roll, and country.
Band members Duncan and Stronger, who have dubbed themselves the Redbeards, are preparing to go to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge. The Redbeards earned their spot in Memphis by participating in the Kansas City Blues Society’s local competition. According to Duncan, it serves as a qualifier for the International Blues Challenge. Each year, blues societies from across the country choose their top acts to represent their city on the national stage.
“The Kansas City Blues Society does their final round of competition locally to decide who gets sent to Memphis,” Duncan said, “So it’s kind of exciting to be selected and to see what the competition’s like on a national scale.” Once there, he explained that he and Stronger will showcase their talent in a 25-minute set, giving them the opportunity to network, compete, and share their music with a wider audience in the heart of blues country.
Duncan added that the opportunity for him is about more than just winning. He looks forward to “networking and connecting with other people,” he said, because “even if we don’t win when we get back to town, we can gain a little more notoriety, and we may even get more gigs.”
J.D. and the Chasers are dedicated to their craft and community. With nearly 20 years of balancing music, family, and day jobs, they hope to record more original songs and perform on larger stages in the future.
“We’re working on some more original music, and we’re going to try and put another album out. I think the ensemble that we have put together is strong enough to do something cool,” he said.
As Duncan and Stronger prepare for Memphis, the Redbeards, along with J.D. and the Chasers, are proud to represent Excelsior Springs, Lawson, and the Northland. While also “seeing a little bit more of the world,” Duncan added.
For those interested in listening to or following J.D. and the Chasers, visit https://www.facebook.com/jdthechasers, or find them on Spotify and other streaming platforms. You can also catch them live at Wabash Bar-B-Que on September 13, where they take the stage at 7 p.m. to cheer them on before the Redbeards head to Memphis in January 2026 to represent the Kansas City Blues Society.
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