Baha Men Tickets

It was an inquiry that claimed the airwaves in the early 2000s. An infectious earworm that asked a question but never provided an answer. A song that still resides deep in the back of your mind:

"Who Let the Dogs Out?"

Yes, those steel drums dominated the airwaves and brought the Bahamian band to the attention of America in 1999. Still, the Baha Men existed long before their catchy cover hit the airwaves. In reality, they had a deeply rooted history in the music world.

Beginning in 1977 as High Voltage, the band played in nightclubs and hotels around the Bahamas as a disco and funk band and self-released several albums.

Isaiah Taylor was the driving force behind the original High Voltage line-up of Nehemiah Hield (vocals), Fred Ferguson (guitar/keyboards), Colyn Mo Grant (drums), Herschel Small (guitar/keyboards) and Jeffrey Chea (keyboards). He wanted to create Junkanoo, traditional Bahamian folk music mixed with popular Latin rhythms and pop melodies to create a party sound.

When the band caught the ear of an Atlantic Records exec, they rebranded themselves as the now-iconic Baha Men.

Their first album under the new band name released in 1992, Junkanoo, was heavily rooted in the Junkanoo style and featured updated Bahamian tunes. Soon after the album's release, the band leaned increasingly toward westernized contemporary pop music, dancehall and hip-hop beats.

"Who Let the Dogs Out," their Grammy-winning single, was released in 2000 and sold over 5 million copies.

Before their American breakthrough, though, the band was successful in its own right. They sold millions of records in Japan and drew major crowds for their performances. The Bahamian national tourism agency chose the song "Back to the Islands" for Bahaman tourism advertisements.

And they have genuine musical talent. After the band achieved pop success with "Who Let the Dogs Out," their talent for live performances was lost in the marketing. In an interview with Songfacts, percussionist and singer Rik Carey alluded to the frustration of being pigeonholed, saying, "[I]t was unique for a group like us because we were pop, but we weren't bubblegum. We were real, skillful musicians."

Thankfully, it's not too late to see this powerhouse crew live in concert for a musical performance that transcends everything you think you know about the Baha Men.