Handsome Jack
Mauch Chunk Opera House
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
How to get there
On their new roots-rock album, Barnburners!, Handsome Jack keep their sound raw and rugged, delivering a seamless yet unpolished blend of classic rock, swamp rock, and blues that feels instantly familiar while remaining personal and authentic. Fronted by the soulful vocals and remarkable guitar skills of Jamison Passuite, with Joey Verdonselli and Bennie Hayes anchoring a killer rhythm section and handling backing vocals, the Lockport, NY trio taps into the DNA of that old-time rock n' roll and gets the party started. Roots-rock hasn't sounded this good in a long time!
Handsome Jack channels the spirit of classic American music into a sound that's as timeless as it is electrifying. Drawing from the deep wells of rock 'n' roll, R&B, blues, and old-school boogie, the band crafts songs that feel both refreshingly raw and instantly familiar— music that could just as easily be echoing from a backwoods juke joint as thundering through a packed club.
Handsome Jack has earned a devoted following not just among fans but also among their musical peers. Legends of the road and studio alike-Chris Robinson as well as the late Neal Casal of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and The Black Crowes, Zachary Gabbard of the Buffalo Killers and The Black Keys, and Ben McLeod of All Them Witches — have all praised the band's ability to tap into the roots of rock n' roll with passion and artistry.
"Handsome Jack is fully at its peak here, the album delivers exactly what the title promises: hit after hit. The blending of roots, folk, swamp blues, and '70s-style classic rock blend excellently here. Barnburners! is a damn good way for blues rockers to kick off 2026." - Lee Clark, BLUES ROCK REVIEW
"The authenticity and scorching performance on 'Barnburners!' is undeniable. Handsome Jack cranks out a tough, garage-honed bluster of searing guitar and credible vocals that make even the disc's most boilerplate song structures feel genuine and convincing. Like GA-20, the outfit reaches back to their blues-baked roots, igniting them for the present." - Hal Horowitz, ROCK & BLUES MUSE
"Handsome Jack's latest blues scorcher 'Poly Molly' is driven by vicious slide guitar and Jamison Passuite's made-for-rock-and-roll vocals. The song captures the band's talent for stirring up deeply soulful and hard-hitting blues. Indeed, this is music suited for a blues club through and through." - Neil Ferguson, GLIDE MAGAZINE