GITX Spotlight

(GITX Spotlight is an ongoing series that features a different Goat Island musician, band, or entertainer in each edition.)

Name – Bar Tab

Members – Keith Cussler (Lead Vocals, Electric Guitar), Max Browning (Keyboard, Vocals), Bennie Weinberg (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals)

About - Bar Tab is the long standing house band at the Coughing Dog Saloon. Known for their wide ranging catalog of material they are a GITX institution that has gone on for more than 20 years and has endured numerous personal changes. They play 5 nights a week in the summer and 4 nights a week during the winter months.

Biography – Bar Tab was founded in 1987 by Coughing Dog owner Sheldon Jackson and local musician Joe Torres. Jackson was looking for a house band and Torres was looking for a steady gig. They rounded up a couple of other players and the rest is history. Torres fronted the band until his retirement in 2004, although he still sits in on occasion. Keith Cussler has served as Bar Tab’s lead singer and band leader since then. 11 musicians have spent significant time with band over its 23 year history, and more than 100 different performers have set in with the band.

The current lineup claims to know over 1,000 songs on demand, with another 500 readily available with the help of a overstuffed song book. They constantly work the crowd for tips and have been known to challenge patrons to drinking contests. With a catalog that covers Rock, Country, and numerous other genres they are sure to play something for everybody.

Quotable – “We’ll play just about anything if somebody is willing to tip us for it.” – Keith Cussler.

“I never imagined this little band we formed to play the Saloon would become so famous. People come to see them like their Bruce Springsteen or Willy Nelson. Best business decision I ever made.” – Sheldon Jackson.