Clovis was created in the mind of Jonathan Charon in the summer of 1998. For years, Johnny spent endless hours toiling in a basement closet he had turned into a makeshift studio. Armed with an analog four track and a will to succeed Johnny honed his song writing skills and developed the bluesy voice that forms the cornerstone of Clovis. During the summer of 2001, he decided that it was time for his vision to be released upon the world. Enlisting the help of engineer Jonathan “The Earl” Nelson, Johnny began recording the songs he had spent so many nights creating. The Earl quickly became enamored with Johnny’s ability and became the second member of Clovis when he agreed to play lead guitar and contribute backing vocals.

On November 12, 2001, Clovis played their first live show as an acoustic duo on new band night at one of the Twin Cities premiere venues. The response was overwhelming and they were invited to play an even better night two months later. The boys of Clovis spent the next two months filling out their sound with the addition of bassist (Andy McClure), and drummer (Brett Behrens). With only two nights practice, Clovis made it’s inaugural performance as a band on January 23, 2002.

Over the next couple of month Clovis quickly developed from a newcomer playing the new band circuit to weekend regulars and one of the hottest new bands in the Minneapolis scene. On March 22nd Clovis competed in the final largest local band competition, The Leg Up contest. After fighting their way through two tough rounds of competition, Clovis faced two bands that had been playing together for years and came out victorious.

Clovis has continued to gel as a band as they quickly develop into one of the staples of Minnesota music. Gaining radio play on some of the local stations and being featured in the VG20 (Video Groove 20) video in line skating magazine has helped bolster their notoriety. The best is yet to come as the boys of Clovis are currently working on their first full-length release and their first recording as a full band. “This is the best song I’ve ever heard come out of this studio,” is how the house engineer describes Minneapolis Baby, a new song that is sure to be featured on their upcoming release. With an expected release date in early September, the new CD is sure to make Clovis a staple of every music lover’s collection.