CELEBRATE - A Tribute to the Great Vocal Bands of the 60s and 70s

Fred Ferrese – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Vocalist Fred Ferrese, who hails from The Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, arrived in Florida in late 1989. The “Acoustic Scene” is where his style of music lives. A 20+ show veteran at the iTHINK Ampitheater at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Fred has covered shows in the VIP Room for bands including Dave Matthews, Journey, Creed and The Who. Fred is known for his clear, precise and mellow voice as well as his ability to reproduce the lead vocals of the many popular hits he covers. Performing solo in local clubs remains a passion for Fred – mostly due to the intimate connection with his audience. “CELEBRATE – a Tribute to Three Dog Night,”has opened a new “harmony vocal door” for Fred who says, “I am truly looking forward to the challenge of going from lead vocals to harmony vocalist throughout the show.”

Fred Moore – Vocals

At a very young age, “Funky Phred” started singing and playing bass guitar in shows and nightclubs in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. Eventually concentrating only on being a vocalist, Fred went on to sing with many groups performing throughout Ohio and western Pennsylvania before moving to south Florida in 1977. Fred is known for his versatility, singing everything from R&B and Motown to Rock ‘n Roll hits. He continues to sign as the lead vocalist in Solid Brass, another popular Florida band. “Strong vocal harmonies have always been my passion, and performing a tribute to Three Dog Night is something I have always wanted to do,” says Fred. Dreams do come true.

John Justice Parker – Vocals

John Justice Parker has been in love with music and has been performing for as long as he can remember. Originally from San Francisco, his parents, who were heavily involved in the professional arts community, immersed him into the world of theater and music early on. Moving to Florida as a preteen, John attended Bak Middle School of The Arts and Alexander W. Dreyfoos High School of The Arts majoring in theater. He has traveled between New York, L.A. and Nashville playing professional gigs and chasing his dreams of a full time Music/Acting career. John’s boundless energy and his passion for performing are remarkable. He easily connects with the audience sharing his passion for what he loves most. ”I am beyond excited to sing the acclaimed songs of Three Dog Night. Our vocalists and musicians are second to none! I look forward to every moment I get to work with these guys! Such an honor!”

Steve Rowley – Guitar

After going to his first concert at age 16, (The Moody Blues), Steve started playing guitar. At 18 he began gigging professionally and eventually spent a couple of years touring the Midwest with Mystery, a Brit-Pop rock band. Since moving to Florida, he has played over 750 gigs in an array of bands and continues to play with SOLID BRASS, a popular South Florida rock band. “Three Dog Night released 21 hit singles from 1969 to 1975”, says Steve. ”Combining those with some of the fan favorite “deeper cuts” from their 12 consecutive gold albums gives CELEBRATE a choice of songs that range from pop hits to psychedelic to gospel influences. Playing these Three Dog Night songs along with a few surprises we might throw in, is as much fun for the band as it is for the audience!”

Robert Viands – Keyboards

Robert brings that big Hammond B-3 sound to the band. Native to South Florida, he has played with three horn bands as well as with various classic rock groups. His favorite artists are jazz musicians such as: Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Tony Monaco, Brian Auger and Four Play.

Ron Esposito – Drums and Cowbell

Ron started playing drums at age 12 after seeing the Beatles, Who, Stones, Animals, Dave Clark Five and The Yardbirds on the Ed Sullivan Show. His influences range from Blues, Funk, Jazz Fusion, Southern Rock, Country, Classic Rock, late 70s new wave and even Frank Zappa. His favorite drummers include: John Bonham, Don Bruer, Mitch Mitchell, Ringo, Billy Cobham, Butch Trucks, Jiamo Johnson and Floyd Sneed. Ron started performing and touring Florida in the early 70s. He has played in a number of different bands in a multitude of genres. Says Ron, “Nothing makes me happier than playing with the true professionals in CELEBRATE.”

Alan Melnick – Bass

Alan started his musical training in New York as a percussionist. Drawn to jazz, he had the opportunity to travel to Berklee College of Music in Boston to compete in Jazz ensemble festivals. After learning to play guitar in his teens, he switched to bass in college and found his musical calling. Over the past 30 years, Alan has been a member of several groups. He also did some recording. ”CELEBRATE brings together all of my musical experiences of the 60s and 70s.”