The Carpenter Ants, a West Virginia rhythm & blues band known for their "chicken-fried gospel soul," features Michael Lipton (guitar), Jupiter Little (drums), Ted Harrison (bass), and Mark Bates (keyboard/vocals). Special guest John Ellison, who formed The Soul Brothers Six and was signed by Jerry Wexler to Atlantic Records, will join them. Their first release was "Some Kind of Wonderful," famously covered by Grand Funk Railroad and many others. As a solo artist, Ellison released "Welcome Back" and "Missing You," and his song "Back" received R&B/Soul Recording of the Year nominations. A recipient of five Lifetime Achievement Awards, Ellison has worked with artists like Patti LaBelle and Diana Ross. He regularly performs at international jazz festivals and was inducted into The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2015.