Nominated by The New England Music Awards for Best Maine Artist for 2014, The Band Apollo is Jonathan Johnston on lead vocals, Jonathan Truman (JTru) on drums, and Ben Packard on lead guitar. Their signature sound is attributed to frontman Johnston's recognizable vocals, (JTru) Truman's eclectic style of drumming, and Packard's assertive lead guitar work. The band draws influence from a variety of artists ranging from Muse, Audioslave, and Bruno Mars to Maroon 5, Frank Ocean, and John Mayer.
The Band Apollo’s debut EP, released in 2012, featured their first single "Bad Company", which received extensive radio play in Maine on WCLZ, WBLM and WCYY, and "Little Red Dress", which ranked #3 on WTOS's Homegrown Top Ten for 2012. The Band Apollo has consistently performed throughout New England, ranging from local bars and private parties to headlining college shows, outdoor festivals, and charitable events such as Maine's Walk to Stop Hunger. They have shared the stage with various notable acts, including the Pete Kilpatrick Band and Enter the Haggis.
Johnston and JTru have been playing music together since 2008 as the Jonathan Johnston Band. Packard joined the group in 2012 and they became known as The Band Apollo; a new name to embody their fresh approach to collaborative song-writing. The Band Apollo's debut EP was recorded at The Brown Owl Studio in Nashville, TN. It was produced by Grammy-nominated, Dove Award-winning Australian artist Grant Norsworthy, member of the bands Sonic Flood and Paul Colman Trio. The EP was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Darrell Lehman, a sound engineer for Mute Math and The Band Perry.
On December 8th, 2014, The Band Apollo released their groundbreaking CD, 'Soldier or a Spy'. The six song EP was recorded at Hearstudios in Camden, Maine during the summer of 2014. The new album was produced by Grant Norsworthy and recorded, mixed, and mastered by Darrell Lehman. It is available at Bull Moose stores throughout Maine and New Hampshire and via mail order at bullmoose.com.