The Boneshakers

The Boneshakers

The Boneshakers are a funk and soul group formed around guitarist and songwriter Randy Jacobs and singer Sweet Pea Atkinson. The act is active from 1994 onwards and is built around their work together as a duo-led band.

Background

Sweet Pea Atkinson is born in Oberlin, Ohio. Before focusing on music, he works for 14 years on a Chrysler assembly line, then leaves to pursue a singing career. He performs with Detroit R&B groups including the Exquisites and Energy, and while with Energy he works with Detroit producer Don Was, who is then not yet widely known. Atkinson also sings with Elton John, Lyle Lovett, Bonnie Raitt, Neil Diamond and Brian Wilson.

Randy Jacobs is a Detroit native and plays his first guitar session at the age of 13. He later works with Michael Henderson and co-writes the Top Five R&B hit “Wide Receiver”. Jacobs is also called on for projects by Tina Turner, Snoop Dogg, Bonnie Raitt, Coolio, Willie Nelson, Bruce Hornsby, Seal and others.

Recording history

Atkinson and Jacobs form the Boneshakers after wanting to create their own band despite their session work. They record in Don Was’s home studio in late 1994. Their first album, Book of Spells, is released in 1997, followed by Shake the Planet two years later. After that, they go their separate ways for a period.

Later activity

Atkinson and Jacobs continue to perform together intermittently over the following years, especially at festivals. They also work with Mindi Abair on the 2015 live album Live in Seattle, then reunite with her for their first studio album project, Eastwest Sessions, in 2017.