Wolf Jett

bio

The sound of Wolf Jett will make you dance, sing… and possibly even howl!

Their all-original songs are an upbeat celebration, infusing folk, soul and Americana into what they call "Cosmic Mountain Music.” Co-founded by two life-long friends and musical partners, Wolf Jett combines the southern-fried vocals of Tennessee-born frontman Chris Jones with Jon Payne’s endlessly groovy drums. They perform with Duncan Shipton on bass, and their wolf pack family of female vocals (Laura T Lewis, Allyson Makuch), electric guitar (Will Fourt, Rory Cloud), and occasional keys (Alex Jordan).

Chris and Jon have been performing together since they were 12, and they conceived Wolf Jett in late 2019 as a tribute to Chris’s maternal grandparents. Prior to the release of their debut album the world was brought to a halt by pandemic and all their shows were cancelled, so they constructed an analog studio at Jon’s residence called “House on a Hill" in Boulder Creek, CA. Tragically, CZU Lightning fires ripped through Big Basin State Park in August 2020, consuming the house and studio along with it. Their story was featured in SF Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury, and Santa Cruz Sentinel. Seeing an opportunity to help their community heal, they recorded a breathtaking emotional live video among the ashes and rubble of where their home once stood with the help of friends, The T Sisters. Their song "Garden of Pain" has since become a local favorite.

Wolf Jett’s latest release (March ‘24), “Time Will Finally Come,” was produced by Jonathan Kirchner and is available on streaming, vinyl and CD. They have performed with California Honeydrops, Allen Stone, Cedric Burnside, Fruition, The Brothers Comatose, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, The Mother Hips, and The Sam Chase. Their albums feature guests Jason Crosby (Jackson Browne), Stelth Ulvang (Lumineers), James Deprato (Chuck Prophet), and Eric Yates (Hot Buttered Rum). Currently in Radio rotation on local CA stations KPIG, KZSC, KRML, KBCZ, KSQD, as well as WNCW in North Carolina and WDVX in Tennessee. A new album is forthcoming in early 2026.