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Bios
Jimmy Simmons
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Lead vocals + Back up vocals Rhythm + Lead Guitar
Born in Bucks County, PA. in 1966. Jim started
playing the guitar at the
age of 9 and starting singing in his early teens. His
family later moved to
Aiken South Carolina in 1978 where he started to perform
in his first band
DZIRE. They did many local gigs, charity events, local
radio and TV shows.
While in Aiken Jimmy started working with a man in
Nashville named Billy
Arr for TEM record’s. He gave Jimmy several original
songs, some of which
he recorded and some of which he wrote together with
Billy. It was also
during this time he moved to FT. Lauderdale Florida for
6 months to do a
South Florida tour and even opened up for Marvin Gaye at
the Sunrise
music theatre with DZIRE. They also did several other
Sunrise shows in
1983 with great response as well as appearing on the TV
show “Heart of the
Country“ in Augusta GA.
In late1983 at a charity event in Danville VA. he shared
stage with Tiny Tim
and also did a televised 45minute show with a 22 piece
orchestra. Later
that same year his family moved back to PA. where he
formed THE
CRUIZERS. The CRUIZERS achieved great success in the
local area for 3
years. Upon returning after 20 years he’s played guitar
and sang lead and
back up vocals for various local bands in the area.
During this period he
also learned how to play lead guitar. Jim’s strong lead
vocals and lead
guitar playing have helped THE BLACK SHEEP BAND become
the most
dynamic, talented and versatile bands he’s ever played
in.
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Tony “Shotgun” Foica
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Pedal Steel Guitar, Lead Guitar and Lead
Vocals
Tony was born and raised in North Jersey just
outside of New York City.
He has been playing music since the age of 12 and has
been playing clubs
since the age of 16.
Tony worked as a full time musician for 16 years
spending most of that
time on the road. He has worked 34 of the states, 5 of
the provinces in
Canada, and got to go to Trinidad.
Tony started playing country rock and southern rock in
the early 1970’s.
After hearing Rusty Young’s pedal steel guitar playing
with POCO, he
decided that pedal steel guitar was the instrument that
he wanted to play.
Tony’s musical influences at that time were Poco, The
New Riders of the
Purple Sage, Dan Fogelberg, The Eagles and Gram Parsons.
Tony has
worked with many of the local country bands such as
Touch O’ Country,
The Shenandoahs, The Mason Dixon Line, The Blackfoot
Country Band,
Dixie Road, Jody King(who he went to Trinidad with), and
Tulsa. He has
also opened for many national country acts such as Dan
Seals, Lee
Greenwood, Jack Greene, and Ronnie Milsap to name a few
as well as
working shows with Freddie Fender, Johnnie Russell, and
Hank Thompson.
Tony’s musical influences range from 50’s rock to
classic rock to southern
rock and country. His strong lead and harmony vocals as
well as his
unique approach to his steel playing add another
dimension to the sound
of The Blacksheep Band.
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Gary Krusch
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Drums and Lead Vocals
Gary graduated Ramapo College of NJ in 1980 with a
B.S. in Biology plus a minor in music, studying jazz
with renounced trumpeter Harold Lieberman. After
graduating, he relocated to Yardley to join independent
recording artist Jonathan Sprout. In 1982, he went full
time with High Sierra, a high energy dance band which
played in PA & NJ.
In 1985, Gary co-founded Vineyard Recording Studios.
For the next six years, he played live and recorded area
acts, while writing music and striving for elusive
record deal. That deal almost became a reality, when
one of his songs was recorded in NYC by his then group,
Bobby Rock. Managed by famous Sid Bernstein and produced
by Ron Dante (Barry Manilow, Pat Benetar, etc.) his song
“A Lot to Ask” was heard by many labels, but failed to
earn a “deal”.
Gary has played with Black Sheep for the last seven
years and enjoys laying down the groove with his
signature eyes closed.
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"Gentlemen" Bill Moss
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Bass and Lead Vocals
Bill Moss started in the entertainment business at the
age of 3 singing on
radio station WDRF in Chester, PA where his father was a
Country DJ and
musician. Bill formed his first band, PHYSICAL MOTION,
playing
rhythm guitar and singing lead at the age of 12. He
played the Rock 'n
Roll scene throughout his teens until he started playing
drums in his
father’s country band in 1970.
In 1977, Bill traveled to Nashville and recorded in Ray
Stevens studio
on the SAFARI label. Songs recorded were "Your Old Love"
written
by Bills father and "I'm Sorry For The Changes" written
by Bill and his
cousin Doug Lamplugh.
Bill started playing bass in 1979 after his father
suffered a stroke.
He shared the stage with such notables as Bob Freeman
and the Country
Cousins and Moe Bandy. Bill went on to play with the
band CIMARRON and
eventually THE COMEBACK BAND playing honky tonks and
bars.
Then Bill joined Country Joe and the Honky Tonk Heroes.
Some of Bill's
memorable experiences with Country Joe have been sharing
the stage at
Sunset Park with Shelly Wright. Bill has also played
dinner theatre in
Always Patsy Cline and other shows.
Bill Sang backup for CLARICE ROSE and shared the stage
with DIAMOND
RIO and PATTI LOVELESS.
As the newest member of the Black Sheep Band , Bill’s
enthusiastic stage
presence and strong Lead and Harmony Vocals add yet
another dimension
to an already versatile band.
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"Jammin" Joe McGeehan
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Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals
Joe McGeehan was born and raised in Philadelphia. He has
been playing
music professionally since the age of 14 playing clubs
where he had the
opportunity to back up musicians such as Dale Hawkens
and “Screaming”
J. Hawkins Jr.
Joe then worked with various horn bands during the
1960’s. He moved to
Bucks County in 1968 where he has been a resident ever
since. Some of
the Bands that Joe worked with from 1968 through the
70’s were The
Bondsmen, The Commotions, Jimmy McQuaid and The
Illusions.
Joe started playing country music around 1980. Since his
move into the
country circuit, Joe has worked with many of the local
country bands such
as Touch of Country, Heartland, Jody King, Tulsa,
Whiskey Bent, and
Country Joe and The Honky Tonk Heroes. This is also
Joe’s second stint
with The Black Sheep Band as he was one of the original
founding
members when the band was formed in 1996. He has also
opened for many
national country acts such as Tanya Tucker, Lee
Greenwood, and Jack
Greene to name a few.
Joe’s musical influences range from 50’s rock to funk to
jazz and country.
Due to his many influences, Joe has been able to blend
all of these styles
to come up with his own unique guitar style and sound
helping to give The
Black Sheep Band a sound of its own.
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