BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
They may call themselves Counterfeit, but the Champaign-Urbana-based band has traveled around East Central Illinois to show that they are the real deal.
“Our name Counterfeit seemed appropriate because we play mostly music by other musicians that people like to hear,” Ernie Chilton said.
Counterfeit plans to pack the Broadlands Bar from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Oct. 26.
With a show full of classic rock, blues, southern rock and oldies hits, the five-member band’s fan base has grown over the last year.
Although Jody Becker Wilkey had never been in a band before, she was approached by Teresa Mohr in September of 2018 after performing at Boomerang’s Bar during karaoke night.
Mohr approached her and asked if she were in a band. When she laughed and said no, Teresa said, ‘Would you like to be?’
Mohr, a St. Joseph-Ogden graduate, knew that her partner, Chilton, who grew up in Ogden, was looking to be part of something special.
Chilton has spent his life making music. At age eight, he learned the accordion, at age 10 the clarinet and by 12 he had his fingers on a guitar. Those skills afforded him the opportunity to play in Humble Beginnings, a Christian Band, for five years before he started running sound for bands like Candy Foster and the Shades of Blue.
Jakob Lillegaard added the deep sound of the base while lead guitarist John “Too Cool” McCool brought a host of musical experiences with him to the band.
A Danville native, McCool worked in California, playing in local clubs, writing music and recording by the age of 15. At 18, which is when his family moved to Mississippi, McCool majored in music and spent his nights working as a DJ at local radio stations.
McCool then found himself on the airwaves with songs like “Mississippi Blue,” The Darkest Night” and “Jagpaw,” among others.
McCool has moved back to Danville, and now enjoys playing his own style of southern rock and blues in Counterfeit.
Dan Kearfott from Gibson City rounds out the group.
Chilton said it is the musicians’ will to play and to entertain that excites them most.
After their show on the 26th, Counterfeit is also scheduled to make its debut at Clark Bar on the 29th at 6:30 p.m. before playing at a VFW Benefit in Urbana and at the Sidney Salon and The Sandtrap in Gibson City in November.
