"Blues the way it is supposed to be played, with passion and soul." Vocalist and Blues harp master "Big" Pete van der Pluijm has long been known amongst his fans and fellow musicians in his native Holland as the "go-to" guy for the "real thing". Now with his ace band the Backbones, the 30 year old Dutchman is taking his own brand of soul drenched blues to the rest of the world. Pete's rise to prominence started when, at the age of just 23, he was hand picked to fill the giant shoes of the late Lester Butler, legendary harmonica player and vocalist of Red Devils fame, for a European memorial tour with Lester's original band members.

These appearances proved so popular and successful that several more tours, combined with an acclaimed live CD release from the band, established Pete as one of the premier new generation blues performers in the Benelux region. Pete's "straight to the heart" delivery and dynamic stage presence left audiences wanting more, while his passion, deep understanding of the blues, and ability to integrate his influences into his own musical voice quickly set him apart from the pack. Picking up where Lester's influence left off Pete formed The Strikes. A young band with hard edged 21st-century blues sound. Their 2004 album "Bathroom Acoustics", written, arranged and produced by Pete, was released to widespread critical praise. The band quickly found themselves performing to 1000s of fans at the largest festivals in Europe, including the North Sea Jazz, Peer R&B and Moulin Blues.

The influence of the Pete and the Strikes can already be heard in the next generation of young blues performers throughout the Netherlands. Pete's reputation for world class musicianship and versatility has also led to his status as a first call session musician. Frequently chosen by visiting American blues artists to back them up and lead their touring bands, he is in demand, not only for his harmonica and vocals, but also for his equally impressive but lesser known skills as a traditional style blues guitarist. Pete has performed and toured with artists such as Alex Schultz, Mitch Kashmar, Monster Mike Welch, Hook Herrera, Matt Schofield, Ian Siegal and many others. In 2007 Pete appeared as the only featured guest performer on both Schofield's Ear To The Ground and Siegal's Swagger albums. Now fronting The Backbones, Big Pete's own true voice finally comes to center stage. With a highly regarded band featuring The Netherlands "best of the best" blues musicians, whose combined resume includes Drippin’ Honey and Mike & The Mellotones, and a new album of material due for release in 2009, the rest of the world will soon know about Holland's best kept musical secret.