How much local and regional talent do you believe comes out of this area? f

[Jim Santella]

I would love it if you’d share and identify some of your personal memories about home town talent that made it big.
Recently, I attended the Kenmore East Performance Hall of Fame induction ceremonies honoring Talas’ Billy Sheehan. He couldn’t show up due to a concert conflict in Japan.
It got me thinking about home grown talent that many of us probably took for granted when they performed regularly at rock clubs like Stage One, Uncle Sam’s, The Continental and countless other hole-in-the-wall bars that nurtured them before they gained national and international recognition.
Being an ex-jazz drummer, I started reminiscing about outstanding local and regional stick men like Gary Mallaber (Van Morrison, Steve Miller, Bruce Springsteen), Steve Gadd (“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”), Sandy Konikoff (Joe Cocker), Mel Lewis (Stan Kenton) and Frank Dunlop (Thelonius Monk).
Suddenly rock memories flooded back to me. The Goo Goo Dolls, Ani DiFranco, Spyro Gyra, Jamestown’s 10,000 Maniacs as well as Rochester’s Chuck Mangione and Bad Company’s Lou Gramm.
I remember Spyro Gyra’s Jay Beckenstein and Chuck Mangione both asking me to play their first records. I did after cautioning them not to expect too much! “Jazz records don’t sell,” I said. So much for my ability to pick hits.
I’ll stop right there to give you an opportunity to reminisce. What are some of your favorite memories of local and regional groups that made it big?
What hits did you not pick?








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[Bob1370]

Funny you mention this.

Had a chance recently to spend an hour on the air with Lou Gramm, in which he discussed not only his early days with Black Sheep (which might have been his breakthrough band if it hadn't been for a bad Thruway incident involving his equipment truck one Christmas in the early 70s)--but later success with Foreigner and as a solo artist. Lou's living comfortably and well with his family in suburban Mendon these days, still in good spirits and good voice, and happily, once more in good health. He packed 'em in recently for a show with his current band at the Armory here in Rochester, and there might yet be a reunion of Foreigner for some dates or recording sessions some time in the future assuming all the lawyers can be cleared away--apparently there's no bad blood among band members, and plenty of good will, as of now. Hope they get it all worked out.

 

[JimMcGrath]

Well not having many brain cells left here's a few groups/musicians that I remember that were from here. Soul Brothers Six. Maybe not the biggest name but John Ellison's writing of "Some Kinda Wonderful" put them on some list. Wilmer and The Dukes. I think "Give Me One More Chance" was a regional hit. James Brown had three from Rochester in his band Pee Wee Ellis, Waymon Reed & "Country" Kellum. Duke Jupiter, I believe went up pretty far in the Rock food chain. Joe Romano was a sought after tenor man in Jazz. The family of John Hendricks of "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (Bevan) owned the Pythodd Room here for 20 years. Do Eastman students count? Ron Carter, Tony Levin, Jeff Tyzik & Maria Schneider among many and I am probably forgetting many more. Son House, John Mooney, Joe Beard are nationally recognized Blues artists that lived in Rochester. There's two members of the metal group "Mastodon" that were raised here.
That's all I can come up with now but please remind me who I forgot.

 

[Bob1370]

There have been a few western NY acts hitting the national charts in the hip-hop era.

Mark Ross, who grew up on Rochester's west side around Arnett Boulevard, is better known by his stage name Brother Marquis, as a member of the most controversial rap group of the 80s and early 90s, 2 Live Crew.

R&B singer Tweet, born in Rochester and a graduate of School of the Arts, has done a lot of collaboration with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, and charted top-10 with her own hit "Oops (Oh My)".

 

[Penrod Rightout]

Of course, Grover Washington Jr. is one of the notable musicians from Buffalo; it wasn't until recently I discovered that Mike Migliore, who had a successful career playing Sax for Maynard Ferguson and others, is from Buffalo - Mike was in my 4th grade class at P.S. 21.

 

[stalkthisboard]

As they say on Rush's show - "long time listener - first time caller". I have no experience in radio except for a year or so at my college station (which was, if i remember correctly, a carrier circuit? station - only available within the campus buildings). I've been hooked on radio ever since (and that was a lifetime or two ago). I enjoy following the professional exchanges here, even when the industry's liberal leanings show through. BUT I have to comment on this thread - I've been waiting for someone to bring up Bobby Militello - whose sax has graced groups like Dave Brubeck's, Maynard Ferguson's and even Doc Severinson's. The man makes a sax sing.

Well, I'm gonna slink away and just stalk again for a while