Jim and drummer JB Dillon had met the previous year, and both recognized a very similar groove in musical taste and style.

Around this time, Ken Peralez, a guitarist from Lincoln, Nebraska, that hotbed of Rock and Roll, had moved to Longmont and started searching for a band. He was invited to audition, and the group instantly knew if they could somehow convince Ken to give the band a try, magical things might just happen. Ken brings an incredible amount of guitar talent into the band. His amazing ability to wrench an entire spectrum of emotion from his Stratocaster will leave you speechless, and clamoring for more. Of course, it might just be the 50 watts of class A tube power that will leave you speechless.

JB contacted Greg D., a computer geek and techno-wiz from Boulder about giving this new band a try, playing keyboards, and later guitar, with the promise of fame, fortune, and loading equipment at 2AM. JB had played with Greg many years ago in a band called the Raging Hibachis.

A few informal jam sessions later on the stage at Twin Peaks Charter Academy in Longmont (Jim's employer at the time) proved just how well the different musical stylings blended together into a deliciously funky groove that showed so much promise. The entire winter of 2000-2001 was spent practicing at Twin Peaks. The only dilemma the band faced was they didn't have a name. Many names were thrown out, some notable, some we can't print here on the web. Some of the cleaner suggestions were: Static Wombat, Monkeyhole, Liberozzy, Clamb, The Stuntmuffins, PWA, and La Kookarastas. None of these really floated the proverbial boat, however. One snowy evening, Greg came to practice with an entire list of band names he had stayed up HOURS thinking up. Most were non descript, except one, which Jim, Ken, and JB singled out. Cat Jerky. Greg objected, on the grounds that it wasn't very politically correct, and some people might find it somewhat offensive. Greg was quickly overruled, and thus Cat Jerky was born.

Over the years, the live music scene in Longmont has changed drastically. Places Cat Jerky played regularly have either closed their doors, or decided to abandon live music. Places like McCarthy's Pub, Cheers, and the pizza place on Main, culminating in the surprise announcement that Cat Jerky would be the last show EVER at the Left Hand TapHouse, as they were closing their doors for good on New Year's Eve, 2004. Champagne flowed and so did the tears. But, it was out with the old, and in with the new. New venues were opening, and new opportunities.

In October 2007, Cat Jerky welcomed Dane Seldin to the band as our new drummer. Dane brings a HUGE amount of musical talent and experience to the lineup. Be sure to check out Dane's biography

When asked what they like most about a Cat Jerky show, most people answer how much FUN they have dancing and listening to the huge VARIETY of different music they hear. Bored with the single genre acts playing strictly Blues, OR Heavy Metal, OR Disco, or Whatever, Cat Jerky decided not to limit itself, and play ALL of the above. And many more styles. Ska, Reggae, Funk, R&B, Motown, Hard Rock, Big Hair 80's rock, Psychedelic, and of course Country, and even a few Western songs were thrown in the mix. If you don't care for something the band is playing, just wait a few minutes and it will be completely different. It's all danceable, as proven by the full dance floors at the band's performances. But most of all Cat Jerky is just plain FUN. FUN to listen to, FUN to watch, FUN to dance to, FUN to sing along with. Never taking themselves too seriously, there are definitely no egos here. Just a bunch of musicians who ENJOY playing the music they love, acting like kids who don't know any better. As long as the Boulder County Sheriff's Dept. doesn't bust them for having too much fun, Cat Jerky will be playing weekend gigs everywhere from parties, bars, wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs, company functions, and are guaranteed to bring along a fur time with an infectious groove.