A chance meeting of guitarists Dave Carlson and George Bradtke happened in the fall of 1991 at a small coffee shop in Waukegan, Illinois. Their initial idea was to have a fellow guitar player to jam with. Their very different guitar styles, Dave with a blues-based background, and George with a moderate hard rock background, proved to be an interesting blend of guitar tones, which gives Crossroads its signature sound.

Shortly after their meeting, their next idea was to acquire a drummer. An acquaintance of George mentioned he could play the drums, but after a few painful jam sessions, it was clear he was not going to work out. Fortunately, Dave's girlfriend Christine Mattson came to one of the jam sessions and asked, "Could I try?" To the amazement of all, she could, and she was a natural! This triangle, (Dave, George and Christine), with their circle of friends, offered them a chance to perform.

It was clear they would also need a bass player, and after several ill-fitting attempts to find the right one, Mick Mcauly was found to make a good fit, which turned Crossroads into a real working band for over eight solid years. They gained valuable experience performing together at various bars, clubs and events throughout Lake and Kenosha counties. Yet the puzzle was not complete.

Strangely enough, another chance meeting occurred in December 1997 when Crossroads was playing a small club in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. Unknown to the band at that time, Tommy Beckley already had over 38 years of experience playing a mean harmonica, and belting out Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix songs with the Mass Transit band in Chicago. Tommy approached the band that night, asking to sit in for a song or two. Tommy ended up playing with Crossroads for most of the night. Between sets, Tommy said; "if you like my harmonica playing, my singing is a hundred times better," and he was right. After Tommy joined the band, Crossroads achieved new heights.

Career, marriage and newborn twins for then bass player, Mick, took priority over the band, and he decided to retire from music. 

After several bass player changes over the course of seven years, Crossroads finally found their most talented bass player in the spring of 2008, Greg James.  Greg is a skilled musician and teacher, with a B.A. in Music.  He brings a new sound and dimension to Crossroads.


Crossroads - a great band playing an upbeat mix of signature classic rock and blues tunes with a passion and energy that gets their audiences dancing, thoroughly entertained, and coming back for more!