The Karl Hendricks Trio is a rock band from Pittsburgh, PA that was started in late 1991 by Karl Hendricks (on guitar and vocals), Tom Hoffman (on drums) and Tim Parker (on bass). Their first show was on New Year’s Eve 1991, and a couple of weeks later they recorded their first album, Buick Electra. That first line-up lasted two and a half years and recorded three more albums: Some Girls Like Cigarettes (1993), Misery and Women (1993), and A Gesture of Kindness (1995). Parker left the band in 1994, though Hoffman continued as drummer until 1996.
Since then, Hendricks has continued the group through numerous line-up changes, including a couple of stretches as The Karl Hendricks Rock Band (with a second guitarist). Drummers in the band have included Noah Leger (1997-1998), Chris Emerson (1998-2000) and Jake Leger (2000-present). The bassists have been Len Jarabeck (1995-1997 and a bit in 2003-2004), Caulen Kress (1997-2004) and Corey Layman (2004-present). The additional guitarists in the Rock Band were Matt Jencik (1998-2000) and Alexei Plotnicov (2004-2007). The albums since then have been: For A While, It Was Funny (1996), Declare Your Weapons (1998), The Jerks Win Again (2003), The World Says (2007, as the Rock Band), and The Adult Section (2012). Jake Leger and Corey Layman continue as the rhythm section today, although the band is on currently on hiatus.
Throughout the years, Hendricks has been the band’s sole songwriter, though every member has played a role in arranging the songs and developing the band’s sound. And the band’s mission has remained more or less the same since the beginning: to play loud, interesting rock songs with carefully crafted lyrics.