THE HORN SECTION
JEFF FLANAGAN
Trumpet - Vocals - Leader
Starting his 34th year on the road, Jeff Flanagan has had the pleasure to perform with many international entertainers. Whether Jeff is conducting the orchestras or leading them from the lead trumpet chair, Jeff is at ease in any musical situation. He has played from the Broadway stage pits to stages all around the world. He & his orchestras have shared the stage with the likes of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Lea Ann Rimes, Juliet Prowse, Kenny Rogers, Rita Moreno, Lou Rawls, Debbie Reynolds, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, Wayne Newton, Smokey Robinson, Landau Murphy, Jr., Lionel Richie, Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith, Richard Marx, The Four Tops, The Spinners, and many more.
DAVID PORTER
Trumpet - EWI
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The principal trumpet player for the West Virginia Symphony and a consummate musician - along with trumpet he plays an amazing EWI that he constructed himself!
WHITNEY HESS
Saxophone - Guitar - Vocals
Whitney has been playing music from a young age – his father was a band director and was involved with many local bands. Polkas, Dixieland, big band, musicals, rock bands, churches, county fairs, etc. Along the way he branched out to add guitar, keyboard, and vocals to his musical talents but his primary instrument remains the saxophone.
RHYTHM SECTION
JOEY SIMONTON
Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Joey is from Charleston, WV and has been playing drums since he was 14, and singing since he was even younger. His earliest drumming influence was his cousin Barlow Ramey from Logan WV, and continues to be influenced by a variety of players, young and old. He was a music education/percussion major in college and has played with numerous bands since the early 90's in WV and Hilton Head, most noteably The Kind, Brothers Grimm, The Whipps, Convertible Blondes, Marshall Pickens, the Dave McCormick Band, The Mojos, Mother's Nature, Frequensea, The Healers, and Panama Rose. His background is in classic rock, funk, jazz, big band and country. He enjoys travelling, Jiu-Jitsu, mountain biking, motorcycling and sitting in with bands wherever he goes, from the Philippines, to Cuba, to the Bahamas and all over the US.
He is a business franchise owner with Kona Ice and also has a restaurant, Genesis Cafe, in downtown Charleston.
RICK LILLARD
Trombone
American jazz trombonist, formerly lead trombone with the Airmen of Note.
VOCALS
STEPHANIE RHODES
Vocalista
VICKI HESS
Vocalist