Hot Rod Pacer began as the songwriting team of Fred Gillen Jr and Jim Keyes.  Gillen is a singer/ songwriter whose songs have been heard on ABC TV, The MSG Network and independent radio stations all over the world. He has released 8 solo albums over the past 15 years and toured all over the U.S.A. and Europe. Keyes has also done music for film and television, but is recently best known for his scores for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and A Christmas Carol, performed every year for Historic Hudson Valley events, and for his other historical music. The two have assembled a rocking rhythm section of Debbie Tuzman and Jason Hess, working up versions of their own quirky, twangy, rock ‘n roll songs plus some classic well-known and obscure cover songs. Their first two shows were opening for Tom Chapin and Merle Haggard, and they won over both Chapin’s folky audience, and Haggard’s country and alt-country fans with both their fun and intelligent songs, and endearing stage presence. The band is currently working on their debut CD and booking full-band and acoustic duo shows.