About Us
Who we are
The Jury is a Twin Cities blues rock band committed to one verdict: music that makes you move. Our high-energy performances blend danceable covers with original songs that get crowds on their feet.
Bassist Brad Beneke and keyboardist Gary Johnson spent three years building a band focused on danceable music that matters. They brought in vocalist and songwriter K.A. Mick for his strength in writing original material across blues, rock, and country. Lead guitarist Kelly Coyle and drummer Scott Brundieck completed the lineup. The Jury launched in 2025 with original songs and carefully selected covers that deserve more attention.
The Musicians
K.A. Mick
Lead Vocals & Songwriting
K.A. Mick is an American musician, songwriter, playwright, poet, essayist, and teacher whose work blends lyrical storytelling with social insight and musical range.
Mick has been writing music for over 25 years and has published dozens of original songs spanning traditional blues, folk, Americana, and country, as well as blues-rock, rock, and jazz. His solo album, Requiem for the Masters of Mankind, is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, and other major streaming platforms.
He began singing in a rock band in high school alongside his good friend Joe Hadar, a musical partnership that has endured for decades and continues today through special performances. Eight years ago, Mick founded The Jury. The band has evolved through different lineups into a powerful poetic force known for its emotionally charged performances and original material.
Mick's songs have received notable airplay and features on NPR, Iowa Public Radio (IPR), KFMG Radio Live, Five Alive (ABC Morning Show), and Grinnell College Today College Radio. His singles "Tom Joad," "Gasoline and Cigarettes," and "Crash Me Blues" have been featured on IPR.
Brad Beneke
Bass Guitar
Brad started his first band at 15 with The Brymstones, where he played keyboards. In his 20s, he became a full-time professional with regional band Pope County as lead guitarist. He moved to L.A., living in San Pedro and playing with cover and original bands that ranged from impromptu performances in parks to gigs at the world famous Troubadour. Back in Minnesota, he joined forces with Gary Johnson to build The Jury.
Kelly Coyle
Lead Guitar
Kelly has played with a bunch of people since moving to Mankato a decade ago and more before that. Kelly was early into electronic live looping, pretty much as soon as the equipment became available in the 90s, and that mostly stayed private until the pandemic when he made a project of recording an improvisation a day, creating videos for many of them and posting on YouTube. Kelly has played with Billy Curmano's New X Art Ensemble, the Endtime Quartet, had a long stint with Dick Kimmel, in a country music trio called the Donner Party, with singer-songwriter Angie Anderson, traditional jazz band Sarah and the Houligans, and some other odds and ends.
Gary Johnson
Keys & Guitar
Gary Johnson plays keyboards and second guitar in addition to singing much of the harmony and occasionally stepping in as lead vocalist. After a life of working in advertising, now retired, he is excited to be back in the game with a good crew called The Jury. Gary got his first Sears Silvertone guitar in 1960 at age 11 and quickly learned to play "I Walk The Line" by Johnny Cash. Since then he has honed his skills playing a variety of genres from folk to jazz, finally staying with rock. For 30 years he was a member of a classic rock band that played everything from Animals to Zombies with lots of Beatles mixed in. With The Jury he is enjoying the opportunity to play original numbers by lead singer Mick, along with a fresh complement of music combining the drive of rock, the sincerity of country and the warmth of blues from artists who aren't normally heard on the dance floor.
Scott Brundieck
Drums & Percussion
Scott bought his first old, beat-up Ludwig drum set at the age of 13 with money he earned from a paper route. His first official band, Seroyan, won the high school talent show and set him in motion playing in a variety of original and cover bands, including pop, blues, country, rock, and speed metal, including Gaylen Paris & The Critical Mass, Cutthroat, and [Insert Band Name Here], a Glenn Kragness project. After a 20-year hiatus to raise a family, Scott is getting back into action with The Jury. He is energized by their great talent, creativity, and personality. Blues and rock music is his wheelhouse and he loves playing music that makes people dance.