Ohio jam band The Werks announced on Tuesday that longtime keyboardist Dan Shaw will leave the band at the end of the year. Following two more performances in the Buckeye State, Shaw will leave the group after 11 years and be replaced by Jesse Clayton.
“No doubt the last decade has been marked with self-actualization and adventure,” Shaw wrote in a letter to fans. “From my bandmate’s weddings to Red Rocks to touring the Australian Gold Coast to passionate studio and writing sessions leading to thousands of radio plays and millions of streams, my fondest memories will always be from festival grounds, touring, and songcraft. After all, it’s not everyday you go from managing a coffee shop straight to national tours opening for Lotus, Umphrey’s McGee, the Disco Biscuits and Costa Rican music festivals. My first year with the band in 2014 was a whirlwind!”
Since coming back from the pandemic, The Werks have seen diminished activity, playing only a handful of shows a year mostly in and around Ohio. The group’s last studio release, the Sonder EP, arrived in 2019 following the full-length Magic in 2017. According to Shaw, last year he got together with bandmates Chris Houser (guitar), Rob Chafin (drums), and Chuckie Love (bass) to figure out the best way forward.
“The writing has been on the wall for me for a while as my career in tech outside the band picked up since the pandemic,” Shaw wrote. “Between rehearsals, travel dates, and full-time work my ability to meet our band’s current needs and invest in our growth is not sustainable past 2024. I’m just simply spread too thin.”
Shaw will play two more shows with The Werks on November 27th at the band’s annual Werksgiving show in its hometown of Dayton and on December 21st in his hometown of Cleveland. Next year, Jesse Clayton will take over keys beginning with the band’s newly announced Winter Werkout at The Bluestone in Columbus. Clayton has a decorated resume starting with performing at New Orleans’ revered Preservation Hall at age 11. As an adult, he’s performed with members of Frank Zappa‘s band and the Jerry Garcia Band, worked with The Doors’ Robby Krieger, and composed soundtracks for Netflix series Jessica Jones and Showtime’s Roadies.
“I have nothing but praise for this guy,” Shaw said of Clayton. “We’ve been friends since my beginnings in The Werks. The kid’s got moxy, I tells ya! Jesse is about to find out how much chemistry there is playing with a band when all the founding members reunite on the back nine. Jesse’s in for a real musical treat. He and the band are both in good hands. Hope you all give him a warm welcome come Winter Werkout at The Bluestone. Alas, all good stories worth telling have bittersweet chapters. Now my watch has ended.”
In their own statement, The Werks thanked Shaw for his 11 years of dedication.
“We want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude and respect for everything Dan has brought to the band and the music we’ve created together,” the group wrote. “Dan’s talent, creativity, and dedication have been integral to our sound, and we’re incredibly grateful for the time spent together both on and off the stage. While we’re sad to see him go, we’re excited for him as he starts the next chapter in his journey.”
This is far from the first lineup change to befall Ohio’s formidable jam band werkhorse. Formed in 2007, the original Werks lineup consisted of Houser, Chafin, Love, and keyboardist Dave Bartoletti. As the band rose to prominence, its roster shifted over the next few years with The Maji’s Norman Dimitrouleas coming in on keys and his brother Dino Dimitrouleas following on bass. Dan Shaw took over for Norman in 2014, two years before Norman’s tragic death, after which his brother left to grieve and was replaced by Jake Goldberg. In 2021, The Werks welcomed back Chuckie Love, marking a three-quarters reunion of the original lineup.
See below for the The Werks’ full statement and visit the band’s website for the announcement from Dan Shaw and another from Jesse Clayton.
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Never Bring Juggling Balls To A Werks Show
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