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Charlie LOtempio - bass/vocals
Founding member of the Blues Society of WNY. Opened for BB King, Lonnie Mack and Jeff Healey in his 30 years of jammin the Blues.
Numerous awards, but no prize money, but we haven't given up yet!
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Eric malinowski - Drums
Eric, the old dog in the group, has played the Buffalo music scene for decades, and even did a stint in Nashville.
Now back in Buffalo with 12 Pack Jack he is "sticking" with it.
Played in bands that opened for Natalie Cole, Cheap Trick, Duke Robillard, and Kelly Hunt.
Played drums in a Navy rock band aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, touring Europe.
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Jack McArdle - Guitar/vocals
Jack began playing guitar at age 10, and has been trying to get it right since.
His love of the blues stems from his depraved childhood as the son of an East Amherst physician.
The treatments for his extremely damaged vocal chords seem to have no effect (except for the liver damage), yet he bravely sings his heart out for WNY audiences.
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Carol Jean Swist
Carol Jean Swist’s best advice for having a happy and fulfilling life in music:
“Be born into a musical family… and always hang out with wonderful
musician friends. I’ve done both.“
Carol Jean recalls walking to her childhood teacher’s house for piano lessons!
She began performing in elementary school groups and was playing professionally
during high school and college years in an era where there were plenty of clubs
and gigs that could be either one-nighters … or even six nights in the same place.
Many remember her from the oldies group Big Wheelie and the Hubcaps,
who sold over 100,000 copies of the album Solid Grease… but then Carol Jean
moved into other genres. In country, she had long tenures with Mike Thompson,
DeeAnn DiMeo Tompkins, Buffalo Zew Review, and Jimmy Yeomans. Given her heart
for the R&B, soul and blues genres, she joined Barbara St. Clair’s band The Shadows
in the 90s. Amazingly, The Shadows still perform today as Terrie George
and the Shadows with original members Carol Jean, Chris Haug and Bobby Falk.
Blues and Rock: She treasured playing with Buffalo Blues Brother’s Jon Rose/RIP,
Joyride’s John Collins/RIP, the acclaimed Nick Salomone/RIP, and Greg Zark … in
The Sharks… as well as with Mo Porter and also The Bravuras and Sweet
Tumbleweed with April Mazzone and Jack Civiletto … for many years.
Today, she’s a member of the Veltri-Guarino R&B Soul Reviews, The Donna Rose Band,
The 12-Pack Jack Blues Band, and other projects.
Carol Jean has a both a B.F.A. and an Ed. M. in visual arts, music and
education from SUNY Buffalo. She taught all grades for 25 years in Buffalo
and Tonawanda City Schools and was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of
Fame in 2001. She lovingly credits her local piano teachers Al Tinney,
Russ Messina, Larry Eason, and Tony Manno as well as her mom, dad, and
sisters Nita and Diana Fremy for propelling her into a life of music.
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