Shore Thang will perform at RiverFront Live on July 11. (Submitted photo)

PORT CLINTON – You can’t pinpoint the music of Shore Thang, a trio of accomplished musicians that will perform at RiverFront Live on July 11 at 6 p.m. Their music is just too varied to define.

“We play a mishmash of everything,” said trio member Cory Jolly. “That’s the best way to describe us. We do rock, blues, country, jazz – whatever they want to hear.”

Shore Thang includes Jolly on guitar and vocals, Jeff Taylor on bass, and Ryan Weaver on “lots of things,” Jolly said.

“He mostly does drums, but he also plays guitar, bass and mandolin and does harmony vocals and sings some songs,” Jolly said.

Shore Thang has only been together for about two months.

“It came from the ashes of a previous trio,” Jolly said.

Although they’ve only been a group a short time, the men are accomplished musicians who all teach at Terra State Community College. Jolly teaches guitar, voice and other classes as needed. Taylor gives bass lessons, and Weaver is a psychology professor.

As a student at Bowling Green State University, where he earned a Bachelor in Jazz Studies, Jolly appeared in many prominent venues including the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Jazz Education Network in Atlanta, and the Black Swamp Arts Festival. Jolly lived for a time in Atlanta, where he performed with Tyler Sloan of American Idol and was featured on the radio show “Best of Unknown Athens.” He was then employed as a guitarist in the Jazz Big Band on the Disney Cruise Line before returning to Ohio.

Shore Thang plays a “mishmash of everything” says the band’s guitarist, Cory Jolly. (Submitted photo)

Taylor has been playing bass for four decades and has performed across Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. He has opened for many national acts, including The Godz; The Grass Roots; Streets, led by former Kansas lead singer and keyboardist, Steve Walsh; and Ken Hensley Band.

Weaver grew up singing oldies and gospel with his family and “came of age as hair bands gave way to grunge,” he said. He later found inspiration in all genres from funk to bluegrass. In addition to being a psychology instructor, he is also a flight instructor.

“Whether on guitar, bass, mandolin or drums, it’s all about rhythm and vibe,” Weaver said.

Together, the men combine years of eclectic experience to their performances.

“What makes us different is our versatility. It’s like an energy thing,” Jolly said. “We try our best to make every song our own. Our covers won’t be exactly what’s on the album. That’s not what we want to do. We want to make it our own.”

Although Shore Thang is a new band, the members are well-known in Ottawa County for their performances with other groups.

“We play in the area quite a bit. Most people here have seen us play before,” Jolly said.

They are glad to be back in Port Clinton, playing for RiverFront Live.

“During the summertime, this is such a great place to be,” Jolly said. “There are a lot of local people and a lot of tourists. We meet a lot of nice people. That’s the best part about it, playing for people we may only get to see once a year.”

For more information on the trio, visit the Cory Jolly Music Facebook page. For more information on RiverFront Live, visit the RiverFront Live Group Facebook page.