Hello to all:
I'm happy to announce that, beginning this month, I'll be joining Drew Harrison, my associate and the John Lennon voice from Three of Us and The Beatles Appreciation Society (listen here), in The Sun Kings, the S.F. area Beatles tribute band that he founded some 12 years ago, as the McCartney voice and bass guitarist.
Drew & I have an easy singing rapport, and he's a fine singer who sounds uncannily like Lennon without needing mimicry to do it (he can do that, too, for extra oomph, when called for), so this is a chance for me to revisit the Beatles catalog I know so well, and to really sound a lot like the Beatles when performing it, because the Lennon voice is the key to really sounding like The Beatles, especially on the early songs, and there just aren't many guys that do sound like him (I've never actually known another one), so this is a unique opportunity.
Adding to the authenticity, drummer Steve Scarpelli is meticulous about the Ringo parts (very good and lucky for me as the bassist), as is lead guitarist Bruce Coe in the George Harrison chair (voice and guitar), and Ruben Salis handles the multi-tasking of all the orchestration and keys, some singing and other incidentals - a tough job, and making the playing of the later songs possible.
The Sun Kings have a big following, and play some very nice theaters, art & wine type festivals, fairs, that sort of thing, so I'm stepping into a situation with a ready-made audience and some great venues (and a lot of gigs).
I hope you'll visit The Sun Kings website here ( www.thesunkings.com/) and add yourself to the mailing list there if you'd like, and/or see the calendar (I'll be including Sun Kings dates in my own monthly mailer, as well).
Thanks to The Sun Kings for bringing me on, and I hope to see you all at some of the shows this season.
Cheers, Jim