Guitarist Justin Saladino was raised in Montréal in a musical family. Early on, he began taking guitar lessons from his uncle and by age 9 was playing tunes by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Led Zeppelin. Later, with two cousins, he formed the band Runaway Slide. In 2007, he placed second at the CBC Galaxie Rising Star Awards at the Tremblant International Blues Festival. After going solo, he formed the Justin Saladino Band, with Khayman McColgan (drums) and Hans Blichert (bass), performing blues, rock and funk. He was just 16 when he started turning heads at the 2010 Montreal Guitar Grand Prix, winning 3rd prize in the blues-rock category. Two years later, Saladino and his bandmates released their 1st EP, Sometimes Called the Blues.