Eli Locke

"In performance, his Locke & Loaded Band is a powerhouse of fast-moving, hard shuffling country. "Our music is more on the traditional side of country and we try to always be authentic, drawing from the sounds of heroes like Merle Haggard, George Strait,""
-Jonny Whiteside, Los Angeles Times

Whether its a solo acoustic show, a Large Private party, a rodeo or a festival, We always bring our A game, and are happy to go the extra mile to keep our promoters, event planners and fans happy.

Eli Locke is a California country boy with a slow drawl that conjures up the spirit of Merle and Hank, and a sound that’s pure Strait and Jackson. He’s got that young buck swagger of an Easton Corbin, Chris Young or Jon Pardi. Eli’s a no-nonsense, no-frills kind of American musician – “an appealing mixture of traditional and contemporary country,” says the LA Times, with “an amiable sense of irony and a simple, direct use of language.” Eli’s not a flavor of the month, or a flash in the pan kind of artist – he may be a fresh young face, but he feels like the artists you grew up loving . That’s alright with him. As far as Eli is concerned - if country music ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
A regular at honkytonks and clubs throughout Southern California, Eli and his band put on a four-hour tour de force that’s equal parts line dance hits, classic country singalongs and modern favorites that keep the ladies crowding the dance floor. Locke and his band have a monthly residency at the world-famous Cowboy Palace Saloon, he’s a regular at LA’s famed Farmers Market, and has gained intense word of mouth buzz for his performances at the House of Blues and the Coastal Country Jam. He has performed with Chase Rice, Kalie Shorr, Cody Johnson, Darryl Worley, Pete Anderson (guitarist for Dwight Yoakam) and Robert Rex Waller (of I See Hawks in LA).
Eli may be the voice, but he’s got some world class talent backing him up. His guitarist and songwriter is none other than Jake Kelly, longtime bandleader for platinum recording artist Gary Allan. Kelly, who is fresh from penning songs for Marc Chesnutt, is Eli’s bandleader and guitarist – giving the live show an infusion of classic Country that is missing in today’s country music. Eli’s debut Nashville album was produced by Dennis MaGee Fallon, who’s composed music for Emmy-nominated shows like Big Bang Theory (CBS), VICE (HBO) and Catfish (MTV), and songs from Eli’s debut album have been heard on Lifetime Network’s “Big Women, Big Love.” With his homegrown country gaining him airplay and fans throughout California, Eli is hard at work touring and recording his second album with Travis Allen, a veteran Nashville producer whose work includes albums by Diamond Rio and Confederate Railroad.
But, at the heart of all his success and industry buzz, Eli is the very definition of a homegrown artist. He’s not some trust fund kid with rich parents footing the bill – Eli paid for his debut album working at shooting ranges and winding fishing reels at bait and tackle shops. He learned how to play on Sunday mornings with his church band and drove his bandmates to gigs in his old Ford Ranger pickup. It may seem clichéd to say this, but Eli personifies the American dream, country-music style.
Sure, country music is a tough racket – dive bars, long drives and late nights. But Eli wouldn’t have it any other way. "California once rivaled Texas and Tennessee as a home for country music," he says, "It's the birthplace of Merle Haggard and the home of Buck Owens, the launching point for both Dwight Yoakam and Gary Allan. I like to think that there is still plenty of room for the rough-hewn, honky-tonk style of country that was such a huge part of America’s past. I think we have something really special going on in the California country scene, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
At only 25, with a wisdom beyond his years and a heart bigger than his voice, Locke is the type of artist you’ll look back and say, “I remember when I first saw Eli, before he was famous.”
Eli Locke and the Locked & Loaded Band are currently booking shows for 2017.

We can provide sound and lighting for indoor and smaller outdoor events, however for theaters, stadiums and other larger venues, we do require sound, staging and lighting to be provided by a professional sound/lighting company.