Little Charlie And The Nightcats formed by Rick Estrin and "Little" Charlie Baty to update their beloved Chicago blues with a west coast flair. In 1986, after years of gigging they submitted a tape to Alligator Records, who released ALL THE WAY CRAZY a year later. With successive albums on Alligator, the band established a reputation for hard driving electric blues with a humorous, edgy lyrics. Original drummer Dobie Strange announced his departure in 1996 shortly after the release of STRAIGHT UP! New member June Core debuted on 1998’s SHADOW OF THE BLUES, a particularly notable addition to the band’s discography, while Frankie Randall (bass) and Joey Ventittelli (drums) joined for the band’s first release of the new millennium, THAT'S BIG!, in 2002.