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Lief Stevens - Bassist/Vocalist
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Lief
Stevens graduated from the Atlanta institute
of Music and has received private instructions
from Bass Player Magazine columnist Adam Nitti.
After graduating Lief Played with the Atlanta
wedding/party band “Limelight”.
While in Atlanta, Lief played with original
bands including Funk band “Thriffshop”
and “Cult of the Kali Jester”.
He has worked with Grammy Award winning production
team Fulton Yard Unlimited on recording projects
such as “Goldstar Ingredient”,
and “Momma’s Moonshine”.
Lief has also played bass for musical theater
productions at Atlanta’s Actors Express
Theater. In 2002 Lief Moved back to his home
town Asheville, NC to start a wedding / party
band. His goal was to creating a high energy
band made up of highly skilled musicians that
could cover ever musical genres and fill any
musical situation.
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Joanna Malcolm - Lead Vocals/Flute
Player -
Joanna
grew up in a small South Carolina town in
a home that nurtured and encouraged her musical
talents. From a young age, she was always
singing--entertaining and surely annoying
her parents! She started taking piano lessons
at 5, and was even a student of her father's
Suzuki violin class. By the time she graduated
high school, Joanna had stared in numerous
musicals and plays, performed in many piano
recitals, played flute and was drum major
of the marching band, and was taking private
flute and voice lessons. (Obviously it would
be several more years before she would be
considered "cool"!)
Joanna
studied Voice at the University of South Carolina,
where she was involved in the university's
show choir - Carolina Alive, The University
Chorus, and Concert Choir-- USC's top vocal
group. She was a soloist with the Concert
Choir's jazz ensemble that toured Europe,
performing Duke Ellington's "Sacred Service"
in venues across England and France.
But
probably the most influential and exciting
group Joanna was in was the college pop-punk
band, The SInators. The 5 piece group performed
original songs and stage antics all over the
Columbia SC area, and released a full length
album in October 2001. The Sinators were only
together for about 2 years, but Joanna learned
from those boys what it meant to put on a
show-- More Rock, Less Talk!!
After
graduating college, Joanna did not sing or
perform for 2 years. She bounced around to
different cities and jobs, looking for the
perfect fit. When she moved to Asheville 2
years ago, she finally found her outlet: she
landed two musical roles within a year at
Asheville Community Theatre. She was a sassy
"Tree" among other various characters
in their 2005 production of "The Wizard
of Oz" and was the lovable Hungarian
maid, Anna in ACT's 2006 World Premier of
Ted Swindley's "Bachelor Pad."
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Ricky Beavers- Lead Vocals/Percussionist
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Ricky
Ricardo Beavers was born in Nashville, Tennessee
and raised in Athens Alabama where his musical
career actually began at the age of ten by placing
1st and 2nd in several local talent shows. Ricky
then began receiving professional voice training
which continued through his High School years
at A.C.R High School in Asheville. He then join
the U.S. Army for three years while singing
in the Military Chorus and then returned to
Asheville to get his A.S. Degree In Business
Management from Blanton's Jr. College. While
in Asheville, Ricky joined up with the band
The Sonics and quickly began to earn a reputation
of one of Asheville's leading entertainers.
Ricky's combined style of high energy, funk
and soul takes every show to the "Next"
level. Ricky sums it up this way ; "I am
what I do, and the best way to capture an audience's
attention is be true to myself and to put my
personality in my music, so I can reach out
to all walks of life and remind them that we
are here on this earth to communicate and love
one another." Ricky is also a seasoned
performer in the Asheville area having been
a long time member of musical groups Decent
Exposure, United Souls, The Mixx and Royal Groove.
Ricky's musical influences include Stevie Wonder,
Smokey Robinson, Jeffrey Osborn, Babyface, and
Sam Cooke. Ricky has performed at both the Thomas
Wolf Auditorium and Diana Wortham Theater and
is active in several gospel church singing groups.
To this extent, Ricky is also available as a
soloist for Wedding Ceremony music.
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Michael Barnes - Guitarist/Vocalist
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Michael
Barnes began playing the guitar in 1971 and
first studied classical guitar with Jerry
Young and then moved on to Jazz and other
styles of music. A few of the bands during
junior high and high school included Warren
Haynes now of Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers
Band. After graduating from Asheville High
School in 1978 he then attended the University
of Miami and was enrolled as a Studio Jazz
major. From Miami Mike then formed a group
with Grammy award winner, Elliot Wadopian
(now of The Paul Winter Concert) and toured
the southeast . After a year or so of touring
Mike then enrolled at Musicians Institute
in California in 1980 and graduated in 1981.
During his time at MI he studied with some
of the worlds finest guitarists and
musicians, for example, Pat Martino, Robben
Ford, Joe Diorio, Howard Roberts and Howard
Alden to name a few. He was chosen by Tommy
Tedesco to perform a solo on the Musicians
Institute graduating class album. After graduation
Mike played in groups and performed studio
work in and around the Los Angeles area and
soon went on the road again performing all
over the U.S. and Canada. Mike has worked
as a session guitarist and performed in recording
studios in L.A., Memphis, Nashville, Pittsburgh,
Atlanta, Jacksonville, etc. He was signed
as a recording artist for Polygram Records
and Geffen Records and some of his work has
been featured on shows such as Star Search,
various T.V. commercials, and also on MTV
with The Rock City Angels. He has had publishing
deals with Cherry Lane Music and has performed
and shared the stage with such artists as
John Scofield, The Allman Brothers, Maynard
Ferguson, Jimmy Page, The Black Crowes, Branford
Marsalis, Johnny Neel, Jeff Coffin, John Popper,
Jeff Sipe, Jimmy Herring, Toy Caldwell, Col.
Bruce Hampton, Joan Jett, The Georgia Satellites,
Derek Trucks and Joe Walsh to name a few.
Mike has been teaching guitar privately at
Musician's Workshop on and off since 1977
and has also been a UNCA faculty member since
1995 where he also received a B.A. degree
in music graduating with honors. He has also
served on the Appalachian State University
music faculty. Mike was recently chosen to
replace Robben Ford in Gregg Allman and Friends
and he also performs with his own group Kaizen,
which includes Jeff Sipe on drums and Mark
McDaniel on bass. Mike maintains a very busy
schedule performing, teaching, recording,
etc. and enjoys being home with his family
and friends as much as possible. www.mikebarnes.biz
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Brian Turner - Pianist/Keyboards
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Brian
Turner is a freelance pianist, organist and
composer with a demanding schedule of gigs
throughout the region. He teaches private
piano lessons and is the music director at
St. John's Episcopal church. Brian's popular
new age piano compositions have become known
worldwide via internet and have received radio
and podcast play in the U.S., Scotland and
Germany. Brian holds a Bachelor of Music degree
in Piano Performance from Ohio University
and has nearly completed a Master of Music
degree in Piano Performance & Pedagogy
from the same institution. More information
about Brian can be found at www.BrianTurnerPiano.com.
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David Bruce - Drummer/Vocalist/Expert
Cow Bell Player -
David
Bruce attended Florida State University with
a major in Music Education. While in Tallahassee,
he performed with the FSU Marching Band, Concert
Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz Band
and Percussion Ensemble. He was also selected
to represent the United States with other
members of the FSU music program at the World
Trade Fair in Damascus, Syria and Amman, Jordan.
David moved to Orlando and continued his music
with The Florida Symphony, and the "Wings
of Sound", a local group which played
private events as well as performing regularly
at Disney World, Sea World, Boardwalk and
Baseball, Rosie O’Grady’s and
downtown Orlando street festivals. He also
performed one season with the national vocal
group "Brothers and Sisters", toured
north Florida cities with the legendary rock
and roll group “The Diamonds”,
and has performed on stage with multiple Grammy
winners Dianne Schurr and Louise Mandrell.
In 1994 David moved to Asheville and has been
involved with many local organizations- The
Asheville Community Band, the Smoky Mountain
Brass Band, the Blue Ridge Civic Orchestra,
and the Land of the Sky Jubilee Summer Orchestra.
He is a member of the Hendersonville Swing
Band, which performs throughout western North
Carolina, and performs regularly at area churches
for special services. He is percussionist
with the Asheville Lyric Opera, the Asheville
Community Theater and the Haywood Arts Repertory
Theater.
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