Jolly Rogers of Kansas City, The

Pirates before pirates were cool. The Jolly Rogers were born as the Earth still cooled, waaaay back in 1991. Bringing maritime music, sea shanties, drinking and bawdy songs to audiences before pirates were all the rage, they’ve been a main stage act at venues across America and Europe.

The Jolly Rogers began as a three-person street act at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in 1991 – Chris Berger played Blind Cain, Clint Glidewell was Calico Jack and Kurt Hanover was Bloodbeard. They had the singular goal of becoming the highest-profile street act the Festival had to offer – and they succeeded. It was at this time they met Mark Stahl (Mark Mayhem) and Brian Price (Capt. Spitte) who were street musicians performing as the Troll Tavern Two; Brian began to teach the others sea songs and shanties. Cliff Lawson (Devon Blackheart) joined the crew and the die was cast: The Jolly Rogers soon became one of the biggest main stage acts at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and began to travel to other Faires around the country bringing their own brand of pirate and sea music wherever they went.

In 2001, The Jolly Rogers were invited to attend the Shanties Music Festival in Krakow, Poland. Sean Foree (Bottomless Pete) filled in when Mark couldn’t join the trip which laid the seeds for his inclusion in the group, replacing the retiring Clint Glidewell in 2003. Until now, The Jolly Rogers had based their music on traditional sea songs and shanties but it was in 2003 that The J.R.’s took a dramatic turn and produced their first album of all-original music, “X Marks The Spot”.

After Brian left the group for the US Army in 2005, the remaining five members continued on to produce a second album of all-original music, “Cutlass, Cannon and Curves” which proved to be their most popular album in the band’s history to that date!

It was in 2007 The Jolly Rogers produced their most ambitious project – a live concert DVD and CD. Over two years in the making, the “No Refunds” concert project, filmed and recorded in Kansas City’s historic Gem Theater at 17th & Vine, was an unparalleled success!

Always energetic and dynamic, The Jolly Rogers continue to offer their unique music and humor in every show!