Eric Elmer ..... harmonica, mandolin, guitar, vocals
Eric Jensen ..... drums, congas, percussion
Matt Pederson ..... keyboards, guitar, vocals
Matt Perlberg ..... bass, percussion, vocals
Mike Perlberg ..... guitar, vocals
Gary "Thunderballz" Shust ..... drums
Mike "The Roast" Shust ..... guitar, drums, vocals

The Cowbirds are a seven-piece rock n' roll band based in Palatine, IL. Formed in 2005, TCB combine the timeless sound of Exile-era Rolling Stones, the Telecaster scream of alternative country, and the warmth and richness of modern Americana. TCB prides itself on its original material along with well-chosen covers from the bands who taught them how to play.

The current lineup of TCB includes a mix of Chicagoland rock scene veterans:

Guitarist Michael "The Roast" Shust, a former member of local rockers URT and Ultraviolet Radio, brings his dynamic style of rhythm, slide, and lead guitar to the table, as well as some straight-up banjo and acoustic picking.

Brother Gary Shust brings the thunder on drums when he's not splitting time with his other project, up-tempo Everelle. Eric Jensen, who drums for British Export as well as Invisible Sun, fills out the percussion section of TCB. Over the years Jensen has worked with Not Rebecca, Brother Willis and recorded his own album of original material.

Multi-instrumentalist Eric Elmer (guitar, mandolin, harmonica) and keyboardist Matt Pederson bring the instrumental depth and vocal harmonies which have become a hallmark of the TCB sound, skills honed during their eight-year stint as founding members of The Bridgeburners.

The Perlberg brothers shoulder most of the lead vocal duties for TCB, with Matt anchoring the rhythm section on bass and Mike providing rhythm guitar support. Much of the basic Cowbird sound developed over ten years of collaboration with Jensen and the Shusts.

In 2006 The Cowbirds completed their first project, "Up in Your Nest," a ten-track collection of deep-cut cover tracks and early original material which showcased the band's influences and helped them hone their studio techniques.

Released in 2008, "Waylaid" was the first album of all-original Cowbirds music, showcasing the varied songwriting and instrumental styles of the band. The songs draw from a wide range of rock, soul, and country influences.

The band is currently in the studio recording a followup project of original material, again produced and engineered by Eric Elmer and John Lisiecki.