Jeff Howard to Leave The McLovins

At the end of this year, Canton guitarist Jeff Howard will step away from The McLovins, the popular Farmington Valley-based jam band. 

In a statement released to his friends on Facebook and shared with Patch, Howard cited new responsibilities and called the experience "invaluable."

The two remaining original members of the band — Jake Huffman of Granby and bassist Jason Ott of Simsbury — announced to Relix magazine that guitarists Justin Berger, who hails from Philadelphia, and Atticus Kelley of New Britain, will join the band.  

The release called Howard, still a student at , a "truly remarkable guitarist" who has "been an integral part of an extraordinary journey." 

The band has made quite a splash in the past few years and has more than 10,000 Facebook fans. In addition to local venues, they have played at nationally known festivals such as Gathering of the Vibes.

At a show at Mills Pond Park in Canton this summer, one fan drove from Albany, N.Y., to see the band.  

Howard posted the following on Facebook and shared it with Patch: 

As many of you may already know, come December 30th of this year, I will make my departure from The McLovins. Make no mistake, the experience I’ve gained from being in the band for 3 years has proven to be invaluable. The amazing friendships, the triumphs, and the trials that I associate with The McLovins, have all shaped me into the individual I am today. This I will never take for granted.
Unfortunately, new responsibilities had entered into my life, and the commitment to The McLovins became more and more trying. As a result, I couldn’t be the band member that I wanted to be. Keep in mind that I did not leave the band on any hostile terms, but rather out of a desire to preserve a relationship that I cherish so deeply. 
I hope that fans view this event as an opportunity to welcome the new members of the McLovins family. I have full confidence that this new chapter in the story of The McLovins will bring new experiences to be cherished by fans and band members alike. To all of the ardent fans that have shown such an immeasurable amount of support, I hope to maintain a relationship with you not just as musical fans, but also as friends.