
Jill Westra
&
Them KC Boys
A Kansas City Conundrum.


Now hear this!
Who the what...?

Jill Westra & Them KC Boys are a Kansas City-based, woman-fronted, full band with their fingers in a number of musical pies. Their catalog of original tunes draws on Jill’s influences that include Texas singer-songwriters such as Robert Earl Keen, as well as 1960s Bakersfield and Memphis blues. In August 2019 the band (as a trio) released an EP entitled “so_low” that will take you on a grass rootsy, acoustic-yet-gutsy trek through four up-tempo foot-stompers, heavy on chutzpa. Playing live, you can expect extra electric guitar added to the bash, for even more oomph.
The panoply of musical styles that got all stirred together in this trippy troupe spans from bass player Leo Eilts’ smooth, western Kansas cowboy crooner alter-ego, to drummer Joe Guthrie’s rock n’ roll crash-bangs. Mr. Mark Franzke brings his flatpicking bluegrass chops & sweet harmonies because that's what was in the contract. The result? A lot of fun paired with cleverly-written songs that will keep you wide awake from a heavy dose of full-tilt vocals, great harmonies, and plenty of ruckus. And it all comes with a toe-tapping guarantee!

some moving pictures. . .
EVENTS A-COMIN'!
- Thu, May 11Kansas City
- Sun, Apr 23Walnut Creek Winery
- Sat, Apr 22OK Tavern
- Fri, Apr 21Unionville
- Fri, Dec 09Kansas City
- Fri, May 27Lawrence
- Fri, Apr 08Kansas City
- Thu, Mar 24Westwood
- Fri, Jan 14Kansas City
- Mon, Dec 20Kansas City
- Sat, Jul 31Buck - U Distillery
- Fri, Jul 30Kansas City
- Thu, May 20Kansas City
- Fri, Oct 23Gaslight Gardens
- Fri, Aug 28Bar K
- Fri, Jul 10506 N 4th St
- Fri, May 22The Westport Saloon
- Thu, Apr 30The Buffalo Room
meet the band!

Lead vocalist, guitarist and Songwriter-in-Chief, Jill Westra (above, center) is a road-weary scientist by day and multi-instrumentalist moonlighter. She performs as a with the acoustic trio "Distant Cousins" as well as all by her lonesome, when everyone else has had enough of her.
Drummer Joe Guthrie (above, center) is a hard rock n' roller who keeps the band on the straight and narrow with his iron fist of authority and rock solid beats. We begrudgingly share him with the Wakarusa River Band when we have to.
Bass-snuggler and band Hat Director Leo Eilts (above, left) has played in all the Kansas City bands that ever existed, including Total Strangers, Spontaneous Combustion, and is currently the bad boy of KC's headed-for-legendary-status cowboy band, 3 Trails West.
New guy Mark Franzke (above, left) is our lead guitar string-strangler and boy, can he pick a Telecaster! Not only is Mark voted "Most Lovable" band member, but he's the only guy to go to if you need your guitar repaired, your mandolin built from scratch or your banjo (finally) tuned. He's a wizard of all the musics.
Who's in this
crazy omnium gatherum
anyway?
