members

Vocals, Guitar

Russ is the singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Smylin' Coyote. A veteran of the Chicago suburban club scene, he's spent years performing original music and crowd favorites while developing a sound rooted in rock, blues, and Americana. Whether he's leading the band on stage or crafting the next song idea, Russ brings passion, authenticity, and a love of live music to everything he does.

Bass

Jason Hill's musical journey began on trumpet before moving to the upright bass in his high school orchestra. He later took up bass guitar and rhythm guitar, spending decades performing with bands throughout the Chicago-area music scene and sharpening his craft along the way. Drawing inspiration from classic rock, punk, and blues, Jason has earned a reputation as a dependable, groove-oriented bassist who knows how to lock in with the rhythm section. Jason brings years of experience and the steady foundation that helps drive the Coyote sound.

Drums

Adam has never met an object he didn't want to hit with a drumstick. Since picking up the sticks in fifth-grade band, he's marched, swung, and rocked his way through concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, jazz band, pep band, and a senior-year stint as first-chair lead snare in marching band. That passion followed him into college and beyond, where he spent his early twenties playing with several bands in and around Carbondale, Illinois. Fueled by the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, and the improvisational spirit of the jam-band scene, Adam brings energy, humor, and plenty of horsepower behind the kit as the resident spark plug that keeps Smylin' Coyote moving forward.

Organ

After decades as a behind-the-scenes creative and album-cover artist known as Man In The Mountain, working with prog-rock artists including Keith Emerson and Neal Morse, Martin is finally taking to the stage himself. Drawing inspiration from the Hammond-heavy sounds of Ryo Okumoto, early Genesis, The Strawbs and other progressive rock favorites, Martin brings swirling organ, atmosphere and a little controlled chaos to Smylin' Coyote.