Band Bios


Ken Gill

Ken was born in Washington State and grew up in southern Arizona, near the Mexican border. Before he was born, his Mom sang and recorded with the Sons of the Pioneers, performed at the Hollywood bowl, singing blues and light opera as well as working in movies in Hollywood. When Ken was young everyone played at home. Before he was old enough to play along, he would play the guitar case! Ken performed, recorded and toured from the 70’s through the early 80’s in various original and cover bands in Arizona, Colorado and California warming up such acts as Bo Diddly, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doug Kershaw, Jerry Jeff Walker and Wet Willy. After moving to southern California Ken has played at many clubs in many bands ranging from Bluegrass to Blues to rock and Metal. Ken Says “The good time classic swing and country music of Coyote Gulch is like coming home, since a lot of the tunes I learned from my Mom”.

Michael Hopkins

Michael made a living for over 20 years giging full time from Los Angeles to San Francisco, playing guitar and keyboards in rock bands, guitar and pedal steel in country bands. For several years he taught up to 50 guitar students a week, and was an established in-house studio musician at several central coast recording studios playing acoustic/electric guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, banjo, bass, co-arranging and producing. In concert venues he has opened up for Delbert Mclinton, Shelly West, Pake McEntire, Gary Morris, Restless Heart, Billy Joe Royal and Hoyt Axton. Michael says "Coyote Gulch is a kick butt band, I love this bar."

Ed Reeves

Ed, Memphis born and raised drummer, grew up on country swing and rockabilly music. He has worked with such legends as Rose Maddox, Johnny Paycheck and Billy Lee Riley. Ed is a perfect fit with the Gulchers. He knows how to make it swing. Be it Texas-Swing, Country or Boogie, whether it rocks, rolls or both, Coyote Gulch’s beat is solid motion. This fact is due much to the seasoned playing of drummer Memphis Ed, as his band mates call him.

Bill Hartwell

Bill started his music career down the singer / songwriter path, playing in clubs and coffeehouses while in college in the midwest. After graduating, he moved out to San Diego and through a 'friend of a friend' connection found a kindred musical spirit in Ken Gill, the guitar player in Coyote Gulch. Many years later after playing in numerous different band configurations together, they are together again in Coyote Gulch. Bill continues to play, perform and record as a singer/songwriter, but was recently overheard saying..."Man, these guys are good!"

Geoff Clark

Geoff was born in New Jersey and spent most of his life between Indiana and the East coast. Geoff did not play guitar until he was nineteen and feels it’s never too late to learn an instrument. He spent two years at Mesa College taking music theory and loves to read about musical instruments and their classifications. Geoff played the Chapman stick for ten years in coffee shops and likes to explore different touch-style instruments. He played bass in the local San Diego country dance band, Hillbilly Noise, for seven years where he met Ken Gill. “I listened to a lot of bluegrass but did not discover modern country music until the 80’s and got hooked. I love old time country and the early sound of the lap steel. Coyote Gulch is a band of amazing singers, players, and song writers. I look for musical inspiration that gets people up and dancing or at least tapping their feet”.