Ted Hefko & The Thousandaires

For more than two decades, Ted Hefko has plied his trade as a saxophonist, clarinetist, singer and strummer of guitars. First and foremost, however, he is a songsmith, rooted in the blues. Ted Hefko and The Thousandaires turn raw life lessons into stories of hope and hustlers,saints and strays, drifters and the down-and-out. Their 2018 album, Gas Station Guru, received high acclaim, streaming on airways across the world. Since that time, Ted and the band have been hard at work on their newest album, Down Below, diving deep and digging into the ups and downs of life. The album features a cross section of New Orleans talent, blending Hefko’s jazz and folk roots with a new electric Americana sound.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Hefko began writing lyrics in the second grade and picked up the
guitar and sax just a few years later. Fresh out of high school, he caught a Greyhound bus down I-55 to follow his dreams. After honing his chops and gigging around New Orleans, Ted toured across the US with a variety of bands.

Hefko made big moves to New York City in 2003, following his heart and trying his hand at big
city life. After some years working as a movie extra and playing gigs of every sort, he began
leading his own groups and writing original songs, pulling in early influences from blues, country and folk songs he loved as a child.

He released his first all-original album in 2009, Egyptland, a collection of scenes and stories set in New Orleans. This was followed by the more playful If I Walked on Water. A few years later, he and his live band recorded Distillations of The Blues in New Orleans and rekindled his love of the city. It’s been seven years since Hefko returned to New Orleans, where his unique mix of talents and love of roots music are a perfect fit.