American Genre Bands

This is just a sampling of the American bands we work with. For more info on each band and a video clip please click on the band name to visit their bio page.

Motor City Women & The Detroit Express Band

Motor City Women is comprised of six powerful female singers including, Valerie Barrymore, Stacia Petrie, Cheryl Lescom, Rhonda Bantsimba, Karen 'Bosco' Vesprini and Lady T.  Their award-winning band, the Express Band includes Dennis Burr- Guitar, Susie Woodman - Piano, Danny O'Connell - Bass and Stephen Kohn - Drums.

The Outer Vibe (80's and 90's Rock)

Building on Michigan's storied rock and pop legacy, the Outer Vibe has long pushed the envelope for live performances with its ultra-animated stagecraft, audience involving antics, infectious beats and never-ending supply of resplendent stagewear.  But behind the flash and flambouyance of one of Michigan's most sought-after live acts, there's a serious, experienced pop project that goes where few bands have gone before.

Out of Favor Boys

They're called the Out of Favor Boys, but don't let these six local guys fool you: They're hardly pariahs on the blues scene. The band is enjoying a new peak in popularity since their latest release party “Can’t Be Good” at the State Theatre. Saxaphone player Tony "T-Bone" Sproul said crowd reaction at the show "kind of blew our mind a little bit" and continued after the gig as about 150 people snapped up the groups seven-song CD.  The experience meant a lot to the band since, "We've only been together about 9 years - we're still kind of fresh and young," Sproul said.  Several times during the interview Sproul talked about "how happy this band is." and the almost giddy sound of his voice conveyed his enthusiasm for making music with this group.

The Wonder Boys

The Wonder Boys band featuring the legendary Joe Ferguson on harp was formed in January 1994 and since then has played regularly across southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana at clubs and numerous festivals and area bars. Known as a blues band the Wonder Boys strength might be classic rock.  In November 1995, the band members had the honor of playing the first notes in the inaugural Budweiser Blues Series at teh Kalamazoo State Theatre opening for Smokey Wilson.

Funktion

Funk is an amorphouse substance, able to mold itself to a variety of emotions and environments.  It consists of all the things we know and composes all the things we feel.  It's the stuff that jiggles in our spine,the thing that rumbles in our belly.  It's the stuff crammed between our toes and the matter jammed between our ears.  Funk lives in all of us - its path traces the globe and its roots dig back to traditional campfire rythms and primal soul vibrations. If you've experienced life at all until this point, you've come across at least one mutation of the entity of funk.

Luckily for us there is a band that can show us all the branches of funk.  No matter what frequency your eardrums vibrate at, the sonic eruption from Kalamazoo based Funktion will dose them at the right waves per second.  It could be the silky smooth R & B that gets you.  Or maybe it's the cool island dub rythms that grab your ears.  Then again it might be the rowdy hip-hop flavor that seizes your attention.  But if none of that snatches your marbles, the unhinged, guitar fueled fireball of funk will surely do the trick.  Any way you slice it, if you've got a pair of ears, Funktion will unwrap something for them to chew on.

Valerie Barrymore and The Foundation of Funk

Valerie received six Detroit Music Awards while fronting the Foundation of Funk.  Valerie has won a total of 16 Detroit Music Awards and is nominated this year for 2009 Best R&B vocalist.  Valerie has toured the U.S., Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada. While in Japan, she was featured at Clubs PePelomoco and ViVi. Ms. Barrymore has been a favorite at festivals, clubs and state fairs.

She has appeared with Betty Lavette, Midnight Star, The Contours, The Ojays, Morris Day & the Time and Gladys Knight. Born and raised in Detroit, she attended Michigan Christian College, where she was often chosen as a featured vocalist.

Soul Funkshon (Funk/Mowtown/R&B)

Soul Funkshun is a 5-piece band based out of South Bend, Indiana specializing in Funk, Soul, R & B and more Funk. If you are in the Michiana area and dance music is your thing, then you will love the old-school sound of Soul Funkshun.  They cover such artists as Stevie Wonder, The Isley Brothers, Kool & the Gang, The Commodores, Sly & The Family Stone, Rick James, KC & the Sunshine Band, Parliament Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Prince, Average White Band and much more.

If you;ve never witnessed Soul Funkshun, the song selections are recognizable hits from the past, not music that's been overly saturated over the airwaves or covered to death by other bands.  It's a fresh mix of tunes which you've not experienced in any club or event in the area, delivered with top-notch musicianship and high energy.  The versatility of Soul Funshun's song list makes this band perfect for festivals, nightclubs as well as weddings and private parties.

"Funk is fun. And it's also a state of mind.....But it's all the ramifications of the state of mind" - George Clinton

The Infatuations (Soul Driven Rock)

The Infatuations is a Detroit band, but give them a good listen and the chances are that you wont need to be told that because these guys take everything thats awesome about Motor City music, throw it in a big old pot and stir.  The results are undeniably spectacular.

Put simply, the Infatuations is a high-energy soul-driven-rock band, but that definition doesn't really do them justice.  The Infatuations makes you want to dance.  No, scrub that.  The Infatuations make you need to dance.  These guys combine the pop-suss of Mowtown soul, the sheer-in-your-face bravado of Parliament Funkadelic, and the raw, untamed energy of Detroit rock n' roll.  The Infatuations force you to get up on your feet and move.

Delilah Dweylde & Lost Boys (Rockabilly/Swing)

A long time ago, at the dawn of the Atomic Age, a succession of no-good punks and ill-mannered teenagers took the best of American roots music - hard partying honky tonk country, searing gutbucket blues and lonesome hillybilly twang - and distilled it down into a potent moonshine known as rockabilly.  This combusitble formula, passed down through the generations, forms the heart fo the revved-up stylings of Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys.

Mixing their own self-penned song with vintage county/honky tonk hits, rockabilly favorites and surf gems by such artists as Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Wanda Jackson, Buck Owens, Gene Vincent and Dick Dale.  Delilah and the Lost Boys come out on stage looking and sounding like a step back in time.  Dressed in the nines in the tradition of pre-color televison, the band thrilled audiences across the Midwest with its spirited performances.

David Molinari & Creolization (Creolzation and Zydeco)

Creolization is a high energy, improvisational, Zydeco-influence band made up of a revolving roster of West Michigan musicians.  Whether this ensemble is performing a concert of Molinari's original songs - all dressed up in accordian, washboard and funky Louisiana backbeats - or providing driving Zydeco versions of roots music classics for private wedding parties.  Creolization shakes things up and infuses them all of their music with a life and urgency that gets bodies out of the chairs and into the aisles.

ZydeCrunch (Zydeco)

What is Zydecrunch? Good question. Brought together by long time friends Mike Lynch and Steve Olson, Zydecrunch was formed simply as an excuse to dabble in Americana before it was hip to do so. Taking acues from the south of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues, Cajun and Country two steps and waltzes, Creole struts, the Blues sound of days gone by and even a little Rock and Roll from time to time. Zydecrunch has become and mixed up pot of gumbo that it is today.

Impact 7 (R&B/Mowtown)

These gentleman have been working on various forms of music individually for over 35 years.  The group was formed in 1993 and began to blend their wide influences into a soulful assortment of Blues, Rock & Roll, Motown, Funk and Jazz and many other various styles of music.  They have performed in Jamaica with Johnny Brisco and opened for Martha Reeves, Ortheia Barnes, Bobby Rodgers, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and The Spinners.  Impact 7 shows are somewhat patterned after the old Motown revue shows of yesteryear with tight harmonies, choreography and a lot of high energy!  They are always adding new songs to their performances, so now its time to get ready to be dancing in the streets cause, every things going to be uptight.  Also, to Impact 7 credit they have performed for President George Bush in 2000 at Ford Field and have had the pleasure of performing at Super Bowl XL 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit.

Justine Blazer (Country/Southern Rock) National Recording Artist

"Phew! This gal's a showstopper! Justine has the je ne sais quoi that puts the audience in her blue-jeaned pocket...." Yahoo Music

Justine Blazer is on the rise in the country world as a singer, entertainer and a songwriter.  Currently living in Nashville, Tn, her unique vocal styling is a combination of smooth soul, southern rock and Nashville twang.  Not only the singer, she plays the acoustic guitar, electric guitar and the harmonica.  She's the Ram Trucks Battle of the Bands National winner and a 21-time Detroit Music Awards nominee.  Her sounds of modern day country fused with edgy rock and roll with a little bit of soul, offering the freshest sound on the radio.  Now on tour performing 150+ shows a year and working on her 7th studio album.

Kris Hitchcock & Small Town Sun (Country/Rock)

Two-time Texaco Country Showdown State Champions and national recording artists Kris Hitchcock and Small Town Son have become one of the Midwest most heralded and sought after country groups.  With one self-produced album under their belt and another with Nashville producer Jimmy Dulin (Jaron and the long road to love) on the way, awe-inspiring musicianship and dynamic live shows, this Michigan based 5 piece band are stars on the rise. Kris Hitchcock, the bands frontman and songwriter, worked for years on the craft of songwriting before taking the plunge to begin writing in Nashville, TN. With a lyrical sense in the stroke of Springsteen and Mellencamp, and a direction towards honest and personal experiences turned into songs, Kris turns pictures of life's moments into Midwest rock anthems for people of our times.

With the band laying down the strongest instrumentation on this side of Zac Brown Band, each and every show is able to become a soundtrack for the real people of middle America.  They don't sing country for the sake of country, or rock/pop to fit into the trend, but find an authentic, gritty, and straight talking look at the thoughts and issues that define growing up and growing old in our world.  The sound is midwest country at is best; Tom Petty with a fiddle, Bob Seger with a twang, and 100% born and bred from the heart of the heartland.

Kari Lynch Band (Pop/Country)

The Kari Lynch Band lives for rocking the stage and putting on an entertaining and unforgettable show.  With, exceptional musicianship, accomplished songwriting, and incedible enthusiasm, the band brings dynamic stage presence, impressive lead vocal and solid three-part harmony to every stage.

For them, it's all about the fans and making good music.  They've experienced playing sold out venues, fairs, festivals, television, radio, and opening for major label artists.  The band's chemistry and passion shine through each performance, creating one of a kind, country rocking show.

Schlitz Creek 

Welcome to Schlitz Creek, where there's always pickin' on the back porch. From the mountains of Kalamazoo, the Schlitz Creek Bluegrass Band brings you bluegrass music as it should be sung and played.

Boogie Woogie Babies (40's - 60's)

The Boogie Woogie Banies have been traveling around the Midwest - festivals, concert series, theatres and more.  Each of these shows is a 2-act musical revue, but can tailor any show to your time frame and budget - or do a mix of any combination!

1. The Boogie Woogie Babies - 1940's/WWII 2-act musical review reminiscent of the Andrews Sisters and USO Canteen shows.  Complete with Choreography, skits, tight vocal harmonies, patriotism and audience participation.  Mary Rademacher, Francesca Amari, Barbara Wisse with Mark Kahny on piano accompaniment.  Favorites include: Sentimental Journey, In the Mood, Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, Bie Mier Bist Du Schoen, P.S. I Love You, 42nd St and many more!
2. Boogie Down Broadway - Curtain up!  Light the Lights! Get ready for a musical journey down teh Great White Way from the 30's to present.  Classic favorites from Gypsy, Cabaret, Chess, Chicago, The Sound of Music, A Chorus Line and Wicket to some real gems that got left by the wayside long ago.  Bernstein, Sondheim, Porter, Kander & Ebb, plus so much more!
3. Boogie, Behives & Beyond - A revue highlighting the music and dance styles of Girl Groups throughout musical history.  This revue includes great harmonies from The Shirelles, The MacGuire Sisters, Carol King, Broadway and Movie Hits like Footloose, Cinderella and Little Shop of Horrors; Ronny & The Ronnettes, Linda Rondstandt and more tunes to get your fingers snappin' and your toes tappin'.

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The Mickeys

The sisters co-wrote five of the project's eleven tracks on Finding Our Way and performed all vocals. Moreover, it's the vocals that shine on this freshman offering; bell-like clarity weaves with shimmering harmonies, creating a magic that is palpable.