Biography

Bus Seven is a Blues-Rock band from Dallas, TX, delivering powerful, passionate, Kingdom-Driven music through entertainment and worship events.

The formation of Bus Seven in January 2010 was nothing less than completely unexpected. It happened to be that Jairus Withrow and John Hames crossed paths in the small town of Sunnyvale, TX at a CD release party for Withrow's "Never Done This Before" solo project. The two had originally met in high school at a local concert and had even gotten their former bands to play a couple shows together, but after graduation they lost contact and didn't expect to see each other again. Little did they know that after this surprise re-connect, it would only be a matter of time before they would jam in Hames' apartment and find out how well they meshed musically. Withrow recalls it with a smile, "Things just fell into place. After practicing and writing a few times with John, I asked him to join up with me as a duo for a spring tour, and John said, 'Well, I know this great drummer we could get and...hey, this could turn into a band.' So I said, 'Well, why not, that would be fun.' The next thing you know, we've got the name Bus Seven and we've got four band members."  

As soon as Bus Seven seemed to be up and running, things came to a halt just as fast with the loss of the drummer and bassist due to job relocation in the Summer of 2010. Hames and Withrow found themselves back at square one. Still, the driving force was there, and by the end of Fall, bassist Colin Cambell and drummer Kenneth Funderburk had joined the team. 

Once the band was revived, Bus Seven became single-mindedly focused on finishing their debut album. This is where we find them now--the album almost complete, due in the Summer of 2011. It's been over a year since the seed was first planted to grow this fresh, new, blues-rock band, but the wait has been worth it to ensure Bus Seven's "Songs from the Neighborhood" will be a windows-down-volume-up joy ride for your listening pleasure. 

Bus Seven is:

 

 

 

 

Jairus Withrow
Lead Vox/Rhythm Guitar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Hames
Lead Guitar/Backing Vox

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin Campbell
Bass/Backing Vox

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenneth Funderburk
Drums

 

 

 

 

 A little history on the name perhaps?

Bus Seven comes from the name of the old, refurbished school bus that Jairus Withrow used to ride and work on in the J.O.Y. Bus ministry at Meadow View Church of Christ in Mesquite, TX. There were 7 Buses numbered 1-7 (guess which one he rode), and they would faithfully go out each week and pick up kids from the neighborhood and bring them to the church building.

Generally, these “bus riders,” didn't have a good way to get to church,  so volunteer “bus workers,” were employed to ride these buses and do all the work that was needed—knocking on doors, leading songs, playing games, etc. And so it happened to be that since Jairus could sing decently enough, he was chosen to be Bus #7's honorary song leader. It also turned out nicely that most of the kids riding could sing and keep a beat just as well as any gospel choir. Jairus would lead songs standing at the front of the bus and everyone would make a beat to it either on the seats, floor, or roof. This singing and stomping and whatnot came to be known far and wide throughout the neighborhoods and helped draw more kids to come ride.

The J.O.Y. Bus enlightened people to the fact that being a follower of Christ was an extremely good and beneficial life to live and didn't even come close to touching the dreary tradition that seems to cloak so many people's thoughts of the church. It brought people of all different ages, colors, and backgrounds together to make music, learn who God is, and become close friends who understand one another. It was from this root that the idea for Bus Seven stemmed. Bus Seven exists to tell of the hope that is in Jesus, and to do that through music. May Bus Seven be lived out in the spirit of J.O.Y. Bus #7.