Billy Griffith: Bass and Vocals

Born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Billy is recognized as a local icon when it comes to playing bass guitar. Tending bar at the old Office Tavern back in the late fifties, he spent many nights after hours on the floor next to the jukebox, playing along with Ray Price records. And Billy came full circle earlier this year when "Country Junction" had the privilege of working with Ray Price in Hayward, Wisc., and Billy got to tell Ray of his inspiration.
Billy's first band was "The Rhythm Kings", a Rock and Roll band, back in 1958. Since then, he has been a member of or filled in for just about every local band, most notably "The Country Gentlemen", "Rawhide", and "The Titans". He has also toured extensively over the years, including ventures into Texas, Tennessee, and Canada.
Some of the highlights of Billy's career (other than those with "Country Junction") include backing Charlie Pride, Hank Thompson, and Conway Twitty.

Doug Soukkala: Lead guitar, Mandolin, and Vocals

Doug's come a long way since he opened his 5th. birthday present back in 1952, and that guitar he got has taken him to places he never imagined he could go. He began by taking lessons with Duluth's own "Uncle Harry" at Associated Music that same year, and even took a few lessons from an uncle, one "Speed" Williams, a cousin of Hank's.
Doug started his first band in 1957 (at age 10), and continued playing through high school, when he joined the "Epics" in 1959. At 14 he joined "The Delmars" and, along with a tutor, toured extensively with them through many states, including Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and Illinois. Some of these tours also included some pretty big names of the time, one being Chuck Berry. Too bad poor Doug had to stay locked in the room with his tutor while the older members of the band got to go out and live the lives of rock stars.
"Country Junction" is also proud of the fact that Doug is a highly decorated Vietnam veteran.

June Randall: Vocals

June got her professional start in 1955, singing along with her mother at local events and gatherings, and she has been a fixture in the local country music scene ever since. She later sang with the "Tiovola Trio" in high school, winning a St. Louis County talent championship and a trip to the State Fair in 1963.
Between 1969 and 1975, June toured a 25 state circuit with The Dean Miller Show, appearing on the popular Willburn Brother's and the Ralph Emery television shows in Nashville. Along with Dean Miller, she also recorded "Leave Me or Love Me Alone" at the legendary "Bradley's Barn" in 1973.
June has made too many appearances over the years to list here, but some of the bands she has worked with include "The County Fair Band" and "Cross Country". She is also involved with "The Musiikkats", a group specializing in Finnish and Scandinavian songs; they recorded in 1993. Other recordings include "Dreams" and "Hello Out There" both for L.C.M. Productions and produced by Loren Morehouse.
Other highlights of June's career include working with Del Reeves, Johnny Paycheck, Cal Smith, Liz Anderson, The Willburn Brothers, David Frizzell, Hank Thompson, and Jett Williams.
And finally, in 2003, June's dedication to country music culminated with her receiving a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Rock/Country Hall of Fame.

Jack Rygg: Drums

Jack started playing drums in 1957, and his first musical venture was a rock and roll band called "Jack Rygg and the Whitecaps". While still in high school, the band played for numerous teen dances and parties. Jack remembers that the first pay he ever got for playing was two cheese pizzas (but he notes that they were Sammy's pizzas!). He has come a long way since then.
Jack has played drums for many acts, including a young "Bill Parsons" (a man many of you now know as Bobby Bare), Johnny Tillotson, Jimmy C. Newman, Dion, Gene Pitney, Bobby Vinton, and Dickey Lee. He also had the unique privilege of playing for "The Supremes" on tour.
Jack has done extensive touring, and has worked on tours that included Bobby Vee, The Trashmen, The Ventures, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers, and has ventured into Canada, the Dakotas, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
He has also worked with many local bands, including "The Dynamics", "Country Gentlemen", "Country Express", "The Blue Diamonds", "Ski Evans and the Dukes", and, believe it or not, "Lefse".

Mike Ronning: Vocals and Guitar

The stepson of the late "Stringbusters" bandleader Marv Sorby, Mike still plays Marv's classic Gibson J200 on all gigs and recordings. Mike was born and still lives in Duluth, and has a varied musical background, starting with The Duluth Boys Chorus in 1970 to numerous singing groups throughout school. One popular group was "The What Four", a barbershop quartet, between 1977-1979. One story Mike likes to tell about "The What Four" is when they sang "My Wild Irish Rose" to a sweet little old lady at a nursing home. She smiled all the way through and then said "I'm sure that was wonderful, but I can't hear a thing!"
Mike has worked hard on his music, most notably on his songwriting. The current "Country Junction" cd project has quite a few of his new songs on it, including "Read the Book", a popular gospel song the band closes many shows with.
Mike also owns and operates The Round-Up Bar and Grill, a popular Duluth watering hole with a country theme. The bar boasts a jukebox with country music dating back to 1950, and the walls are adorned with pictures and autographs of many of the stars with whom "Country Junction" has worked.
A little known fact about Mike is that he attended The University of Minnesota, and has earned 2 B.A. Degrees; he also did some post-graduate work and teaching at the school.

Jerry Scofield: Bass Guitar and Drums

Born and raised in Hibbing, Mn., Jerry started playing out in 1958 (at age 16), touring many clubs throughout Minnesota's "Iron Range." After joining the military in 1962, Jerry joined a country band called "The Saddle Tramps", playing venues all over the world, including stops in Hawaii, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. After returning home in 1966, Jerry played with numerous groups, including "Gene and the Country Playboys", "Telstar", "Three-Eights Drive", "On The Edge", "County Fair Band" (with June Randall and Loren Morehouse), and for six years the Range's popular "Renowns", a group inducted in the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame in 2005. Most recently, Jerry was a member of "The Tim Patterson Show" with highlights including opening for Merle Haggard, and backing Marvin Rainwater and Steve Hall and his lovable buddy "Shotgun Red" of "Hee Haw" and "The Ralph Emery Show" fame.
Jerry joined "Country Junction" in 2004, and is probably the band's most versatile member, as he can play lead guitar, steel guitar, bass and drums. The rest of us in the band are trying to get him to play them all at the same time, so we can take a night off once in a while.