LJ Echols grew up in a small town in Mississippi called Bassfield right outside of Hattiseburg. LJ Echols started out in a gospel group called the “The Echols Family”, which consisted of six group members: Herman Echols Sr. (father)-lead guitar player, Mary Echols (mother)-lead singer, LJ Echols-bass guitar player and background singer, Demetric Echols-singer, Sedrick Echols- drum player and background singer, and their cousin Carlson McLoud- Singer. In the interim of his new found success, they released their first album in 1995 and the second album in 1997.
After the success of the gospel album LJ decided moved to Dallas, TX in August of 1999 to endeavor into the R&B (Rhythm & Blues) style of music. This is when LJ decided to come up with a grouped called the 4- Sho Band which consisted of three brothers and a cousin. LJ Echols-bass player and background singer, Demertic Echols- Lead Singer, Sedrick Echols- drum player, Carlos McLoud- second lead singer and background singer. The 4-Sho Band all shared in a part of playing, singing, and writing their own music.
In the summer of 2004 LJ Echols started a solo singing career as a Southern Soul Blues Artist. LJ is very talented and versatile when it comes to music. LJ Echols plays, writes, produce, and sings his own music. In his new found success he released his first CD entitled, “Well Runs Dry” in the beginning of 2005 that is now playing across Mississippi, Texas, and other cities and states. When the Well Runs Dry CD dropped, LJ Echols was up for nomination for the Best New Blues Artist of the Year at the 2006 Jus Blues Music Awards that was held in Atlanta. In 2008, LJ Echols released his second album entitled, “Another Level” with his hit single “From the Back” which put LJ on the map for every down south states, the Mid-west, and up North States such as Michigan and Illinois. The song From the Back also had LJ Echols up for nomination again at the 2009 Jus Blues Music Awards that was held in Memphis, TN on August 5th for the Best Southern Soul Song of the Year. LJ Echols has so many goals and has accomplished so much in the past couple of years such as starting his own record label called NECKBONE RECORDS.
LJ Echols has opened up for different artists such as Bobby Blue Band, Marvin Sease, Sir Charles Jones, Denise LaSalle, Mel Waiters, Lenny Williams, Shirley Brown, Jeff Floyed, Cole Payne from the hit television show Martin, legendary jazz artist Roy Ayers and Les McCann, and this is just a few artist he has opened up for. With LJ Echols “Another Level” album, he had the help from Mel Waiters and Sir Charles Jones each to produce a tracked such as “Swangers Only” and “Im Gone Party”. LJ Echols has became more independent, empowered, and has many more hit songs coming to Southern Soul. In the past couple of years LJ has had band members to come and go but have been study with him for 3 years now called the Neckbone Band: Bass Guitar- Luther, Lead guitar Robert Young, Keyboard player Ray Ray, and last but not least drum player my brother Sedrick Echols better known as Spunky. LJ Echols is not only musically inclined, but is an unstoppable artist who wants to achieve more lucrative goals and success in the music industry.