Exit 65

Exit 65 is a folk-rock band from East Tennessee who play original, traditional, and cover songs. They've been around since the last  century and probably won't be around for the next. You never know, though. 

Starting as an all-acoustic band, they've drifted more electric through the years. They still play acoustically if folks want, but they tend to play now with electric guitars, bass, violin, mandolin, and drums. Everyone sings. 

An Exit 65 performance will find sandwiched in amongst several unique original songs, covers of country tunes done with a rock flair, old-timey ballads with a hefty twinge of psychedelia, and maybe a classic jug band foot stomper done with a 1960's jangle-rock vibe. When they play a song you've heard it likely won't be like you've heard it before. 

The current lineup includes Leslie Gengozian on violin, Pat Helms on 12-string guitar, Steve White on electric guitar and mandolin, Chris Durman on electric bass, and Andy Wood on Drums.  All of them sing.

If you're curious about the full history of the band, keep reading!

Exit 65 pretty much started by accident when a friend came by a back porch all-guitar jam session that Pat Helms, David Hagwood, and Chris Durman were having and invited them to play right then for free beer at a little bar named Geronimo’s in the back corner of Knoxville’s Fort Sanders neighborhood. The three were all friends from Morristown, TN, who were in Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee. That first night went well enough and, seeing free beer as a good thing, the group started playing regularly at Geronimo’s. Within weeks of the initial gig, multi-instrumentalist Steve White joined in playing mandolin, harmonica, dulcimer, and fiddle and soon after that Bob Patrick joined in on stand-up bass. Everyone sang and everyone but Bob sat down throughout the gigs. 

The fellows parlayed free beer into free beer with free pizza at Stefano’s on the Strip and this soon led to free beer with each member getting a free sandwich of their own choosing at a restaurant and bar called Arnold’s. 

Early setlists were mostly filled with traditional songs and cover songs borrowed from Dylan, Neil Young, The Band, The Byrds, The New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Grateful Dead.  Pat and Chris contributed a few of their own songs, too.  The early days were all acoustic without even a PA, but when the small group of friends who came out to see them grew, they had to start setting up a PA.  Scott White volunteered to start running sound and Andy Wood joined the band on drums.  That completed the initial “classic” line-up and the group played around East Tennessee for a number of years before life changes, family responsibilities, and day jobs forced some to quit and the other members to cut back. 

Some folks who kept Exit 65 going by either temporarily joining or just sitting in include multi-instrumentalist Shannon Sharpe, guitarist and dobro player Jerry Sparkman, flutist Keith Coker, vocalist Trish Davis, guitarist Terry Phillips, and pianist Rose Hawley.

There were a few years where they didn’t play any gigs, but they always resisted calling it over while they continued to enjoy each other’s company as they always had.  It only took a single “Wanna Rock?” text to start the band back up in full a good number of years ago. 

After all these years, everyone still enjoys each other’s company and seems to be having fun in the new configuration.  With the help of soundman John Scruggs they’re playing more these days and are looking for new places to play for old friends and new listeners who are likely to become new friends.