DON EDWARDS, TRUMPET Leader Don Edwards Is a Veteran Trumpet
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DON EDWARDS, TRUMPET Leader Don Edwards is a veteran trumpet player whose credits are too numerous to mention. Following his education at the Cincinnati Conservatory, he spent ten years touring with several name bands during the Big Band era. He later enjoyed fifteen years in Vegas during its prime. While there he served as a member of the house bands performing in stage shows with artists that included Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, among others. During his tenure at the Sands Hotel, he performed with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra on the Nat King Cole Show on NBC TV, and later served as a member of the Rat Pack band that made the original movie version of “Oceans Eleven.” Before the Vegas hotels dropped their full time house bands, Edwards moved east, first settling in Memphis where he became first call trumpet at Pepper-Tanner Studio, making jingles and t.v. commercials. While there, he played lead on the “Shaft” album with Isaac Hayes at Stax Records and served as per service player with the Memphis Symphony. Edwards eventually settling in the Carolinas,where he started the stage band at Furman University in Greenville, SC that still exists there today. He later accepted a position as first call trumpet for the largest music contractor in Charlotte. While settling in Charlotte, he taught privately and conducted clinics in colleges and high schools in North and South Carolina. Today, Edwards has his own big band called Ovations along with his jazz combo called Added Touch. In addition he does tours and outreach programs with his nationally known Dixieland band called the Southern Fried Jazz Band. DOUG HENRY, TENOR SAX/CLARINET Doug Henry started playing tenor saxophone in 1961 at East Ridge Junior High in Chattanooga. He studied with Ed Leamon in Chattanooga through high school. After joining the musician’s union there in 1965 he played locally with various bands and doing shows etc. He studied music at the University of Chattanooga, which became UTC during his junior year. He received a BS in Music Education in 1971, and received his MA in Music Education two years later from the University of Alabama.. Over the years Doug has performed all over the country with numerous stars in the business. Some of these include: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, The Temptations, The Shirelles, The Spinners, Martha and the Vandellas, Lou Rawls, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick, Jr., Carol Channing, Vic Damone, Bob Hope, Liberace, Red Skelton and Jerry Lewis, The Tommy Dorsey Band, and others. He has taught in Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina for a 40 years. He served as band director for twenty years at Providence Day School in Charlotte where he retired two years ago. Following his retirement, Doug has toured with Tommy Dorsey Orchestra throughout the United States and Europe, and just finished a six weeks’ tour in New Zeland in August. Doug plays all saxophones, clarinet and flute. He has performed with all of Don’s groups, including Added Touch, the Ovations Big Band and the Southern Fried Jazz Band.. GREG JAMES, PIANO Greg James was born and raised in Charlottesville, VA, Along with the piano, Greg has also sings and mastered the bass and drums as a child. Following five years of traveling with a variety of Top 40 bands, Greg settled in Charlotte in 1979 where he worked singles and with local bands, and also wrote music for commercials. In 1982 Greg moved to Naples, FL where he formed a band called Public Melody.that was ulitimately voted the best band in town by the Naples Monthly. Feeling a need to broaden his horizons, he returned to Charlotte in 1984, and began playing bass and writing for the internationally known Spongetones band. During this time, whether at home or on the road, he continued writing music. Some of his accomplishments include theme music for Avatar which was a local production company; the theme for a local children’s show and the theme “Going Back” for Belk department stores. He also wrote, produced and performed various local commercials for McDonald’s, Channel 9 and various other businesses from 1988 to 1994. During the period from 1994 to the present, Greg founded and written music for “The Selkies,” a Celtic band with a unique sound and for “Scaldcat” a blues band. Throughout this time, he has also performed with a wide array of female vocalists and small combos,playing everything from Standards to Motown. Known as the Pied Piper of Charlotte, Greg also performs fairly regularly at some of the more upscale restaurants in Charlotte. Greg and Don perform a lot of duos and trios together throughout the Charlotte area. JOE CORNE, BASS Bassiist Joe Corne is was born and raised in Charlotte. Following high school, Joe attended the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where he received his BME degree. He continued his education at UNC in Chapel Hill where he received a MFA degree. Joe began his career as a string teacher in the public school system of Burlington, NC. While there, he accepted a position as string instructor over the entire public school system of Roanoke, VA. During his tenure in Roanoke, he organized a jazz trio that performed on weekends at the Hotel Roanoke for twenty-five years. He also served as a per service cellist with area symphonies in both Virginia and North Carolina. In addition to playing the bass and cello, Joe is also an accomplished violinist. After retiring from the school system in Roanoke, Joe returned to Charlotte to take care of his mother who lived to be one hundred and two. Since moving here, he has worked with various shows and name bands traveling in the southeast. Joe works with all of Don’s groups DAVE MORGAN, DRUMS Dave Morgan is a multi-talented musician who is well known throughout the southeast. In addition to drums, Dave also plays the vibrophone and sings the American Songbook. While in his hometown of Indianapolis, he studied with many well known musicians, including George Gabor (Percussion Hall of Fame; Indiana University), Joe Cusatis (Peter Nero Trio), Joe LaBarbara (Tony Bennett Trio), Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck Quartet), Philly Jo Jones (Miles Davis Quintet),John Von Ohlen (Stan Kenton Orchestra) and others. He has also worked with many well known legends throughout the country. Some of these include Bob Hope, Phil Harris, Carol Lawrence, the Mills Brothers, Dick Hyman, Russ Moran Orchestra, Naples Jazz Orchestra, Indianapolis Brass Choir, Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Lisa McKenaie and Marvin Stamm. Dave currently works as a free lance musician from his home base in Fancy Gap, VA during the warmer months and from his condo in Sarasota in the winter. He plays with all of Don’s groups. PATTY LAKE, VOCALS Charlotte singer Patty Lake has been featured on several diverse recordings. Her rich voice can handle a multitude of musical genres, including jazz, Motown, Blues, Soul, Broadway, arias and art songs. Her specialty is ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s classic American Standards such as “Fever” and “they Can’t Take That Away From Me,” both of which appear on her recently released CD, “Never Let Me Go Again.” Since moving to Charlotte from upstate New York in the late ‘90’s, Lake . She has lent her voice to lend her voice to several musical projects and continues to make a name for herself in the Charlotte music scene for her vocal depth, versatility, range and emotionally-provoking voice. She is currently concentrating on performing American Standards, both publicly and in current and future recordings. Lake has also served as the lead singer for the contemporary Christian group Grateful Alive since May 1999. The group performs original music for events at churches, prisons and benefits in North and South Carolina. Her voice was featured on the group’s CD “Paradise Lost.” Patty and Greg James often work as a duo. She also works with Greg’s “Selkies” Celtic band, and performs with both Greg and Don in a variety of Added Touch combos. In addition, she has served as featured vocalist with Don’s big band. .