Three Blue Teardrops established 1991

Play "West Texas Timebomb" while you read along

Chicago based roots rockin’ trio Three Blue Teardrops are poised to reclaim their place as one of Rock-n-Roll’s proudest and finest institutions as they celebrate their 19th anniversary together. Formed in the fall of 1991 (way back when Seattle “grunge” was en vogue) Three Blue Teardrops were at the forefront of a stateside rockabilly and swing revival with their unique and energetic style. A three piece trio of drums, upright bass and guitar, the band began writing and performing original songs that combined elements of 1970’s punk , gut bucket blues, jungle swing, gospel, garage rock, hillbilly jazz and country harmony to the 1950’s style raw rockabilly sounds of our Rock-N-Roll forefathers to create their own contemporary sound that was not stuck in the trappings of rockabilly, psychobilly, punk, blues or any single musical sub genre. The band’s appeal (and controversially to some strict rockabilly traditionalist’s disapproval) was it’s truly energetic and original genre bending and blurring take on vintage American AND modern musical styles as well as the trio’s desire to seek out and frequently play on all age musical bills that were non rockabilly, often do things “un-retro” and do a whole lot more than hold it’s own against punk, hardcore, ska, heavy metal, alternative and pop bands. This approach introduced and initiated a whole new generation of approving kids into the genre of “rockabilly” and has spawned countless imitators and influenced bands who were enamored by the trio’s loud emergence from the “good time American roots rockabilly greaser punk cesspool.”

Randy Sabo

Randy knocked out beats for Frank Allison as a teen.

Three Blue Teardrops backbone is rock solid formed by the primal yet sophisticated drum stylings of Randy Sabo who’s solid back beat is the cornerstone of the trio’s sound. Raised in the Detroit area (the buckle of the Rustbelt) Randy’s strong working class ethic, love of music, and his passion and intensity for rhythm has left a deep impression on those that have heard and seen his fun loving and aggressive snare popping drumming style. It can simply be described as: Bold...Blunt...and Brutal!

A showman extraordinary and a Chicago native, Rick Uppling is the athletic and untraditional upright bass player for Three Blue Teardrops. His song writing is quirky and impressive and his singing is exceptional but they all pale in comparison to his relentless attack on the upright bass finger board. His right hand slaps out blinding quick and quirky rhythms in single slaps, double slaps, triplets and quadruplets while his left hand chooses inventive and unconventional melodic single note and chord accompaniment. Percussive like Bill Black and Willie Dixon and unpredictable like Charles Mingus before him, he plays it hot and he plays it cool and oh man can he play it!

Rick Uppling

A teenage Rick played with Chicago Rockabilly bands Daddy Long Legs,
Rockin' Bill Harndin and The Chasers in the 1980's.

Dave Sisson

Dave formed a hard hittin' hillbilly honkytonk band the Gin Palace Jesters in 2000 and still plays traditional country twangin' guitar with that outfit goin' on 6 years now.

Steel City native “Pennsylvania” Dave Sisson completes the trio with his growling twangy hollow body guitar. Lean and tempered by economy, Dave utilizes his love of many musical genres to express himself twanging like Duane Eddy, distorting like Link Wray, plucking gritty tones like Howlin’ Wolf’s Hubert Sumlin, finger picking like Merle Travis, ringing strings like Carl Perkins, strutting like Stevie Ray Vaughn, throwing some Jazz moods in like Joe Pass or bringing it right back to square one by playing a simple power chord of Johnny Ramone to create a tough and unique playing style that is all his own. His stage and singing presence is street smart and strong but his song writing is his greatest talent. Dave’s ability to use the English language to tell a story in song and the band’s ability to put their original ideas to music, their working class ethic and pioneer spirit have earned Three Blue Teardrops a respect and influence that has faded very little over the years.

Friends first and a band second, Three Blue Teardrops boast of a deep and rich history together in which they have recorded and released four full length CD’s of original material together, toured extensively from coast to coast throughout the 1990’s, developed a very strong and loyal following throughout the nation and abroad and have gathered countless friends and memories along the way. Labeled “unmarketable” by the recording industry, despised and ignored by the press as working class, having the misfortune of being abandoned by a label that went belly up in conjunction with the members marrying and taking seriously the responsibility of child rearing, all combined to grind the band’s momentum to a halt in 1999. Now the band resurfaces from self imposed exile rejuvenated, with a firm grip on their family lives and a desire to pick up where they left off. During the interim, the fan’s enthusiasm for the band has not wavered and every “reunion” show has brought packed houses of fresh young faces wanting to see what the “big deal” is all about. They do NOT leave disappointed because they have witnessed one of America’s true underground gems: the ugliest, baddest, rawest, grittiest, nitro-fueled rockabilly bastards straight from the Rustbelt!

What the hell is the Rustbelt? Definitions 1, 2 and 3