Famous Unknown USA

The dream and enjoyment of playing music never dies. Even if rock star goals have to be put on hold for a while to focus on surviving in the real world, they will always be just under the surface ready to pop up again at a moment’s notice. Our recent discovery, The Famous Unknown is proof of this undeniable fact.

The trio from the Southwest Suburban area of Chicago, Illinois is made up of Gary Reyes, Bob Hauck, and Chris Reyes. Collectively they have over 25 years of stage and studio experience. The Famous Unknown have been making music together since 2010.

Bob owns Light Shed Studios. What seemed to begin as random jam sessions with Gary and Chris turned into something much more as they realized the music they were making was something special. The band’s influences touch on the peppy tunes of 60’s Brit Pop, Americana, and the storytelling of Folk and Blues. The songwriting shows what years of experience can build up to.

Recently, The Famous Unknown released their Greatest Hits album to share their talents with the masses. The record puts out that happy vibe of 3 men doing what they truly enjoy, playing music. The opener “Without You” shares real emotion in the lyrics as the jangly guitar melody pulls the listener deep into the song. A more rocking tone is set with “Shake The Ground”. There is energy here that wakes you up and a groove that will have you bopping along to the ups and downs of the tune. A guitar solo comes in to show the talent of the band as well.
The energy continues with a slightly darker vibe on “Canvas”. The differences between the verse and chorus keep the listener intrigued to see where the song will go next. The hook is very catchy here with impressive vocal harmonies. The beauty of Folk and Americana are taken to the next level with “Hesitate”. This is a real storytellers song as you are taken on a journey with The Famous Unknown to the depths of their soul. As the pace slows down a little, more and more emotions can be felt. Where are interesting pieces coming in from all angles as the musicians share everything they have. It is quite the trip as we experience multiple genres and styles within the song. - Indie Band Guru

Famous Unknown USA is a rock band with a unique vision: creating music that blurs the lines between genre definitions and different musical ideas, in ways that are completely unexpected and innovative.
The sound of the band can be considered as a mix of indie music, folk and even rock. The resulting atmospheres are really interesting, as their tracks tend to sound very intimate and personal, yet energetic and upbeat. Recently, the band hand-picked some of their finest hits in order to release their Greatest Hits album, which features some of their best songs to date. The track list includes “The Best Days”, “What U mean 2 Me” as well as “So Much”, just to name a few highlights.

This Greatest Hits release is not just a collection of some of the best offerings from Famous Unknown USA, but it is also a celebration of their art and creativity overtime. These songs show how the band evolved and merged into something unique, as their inspirations and musicality are still very close to their heart, even after so many years of quality music. - Peter Vidani