From about the age of six, Christie Knapp hoped she would grow up to be an alto so she could sing torch songs and jazz standards. Loving songs created for the musical theatre but done with a jazz backup, she began to study any crooner who laid one of these tunes down on an LP; including Ella, Sara, Frank, Peggy Lee, Carly Simon and Rickie Lee Jones. She did grow up to be an alto, studied voice and music theory and formed her own band called Club Lucky.
She still studies vocalists and you may hear her play her favorites as she is one of the hosts of "Saturday Afternoon Jazz Club" on WLSU La Crosse 88.9FM, Wisconsin Public Radio.
Christie resides in Gays Mills, Wisconsin.
Joe got interested in playing guitar when he was in Junior High when he and his best friend would dream away English class drawing up album covers. After mastering the "Smoke on the Water" guitar riff, Joe was recruited to play bass for the high school jazz band. The bass guitar and jazz music proved to be a perfect fit for Joe. Five day a week jazz rehearsals and lots of practice and performances led to a scholarship to play jazz for the University of Wisconsin La Crosse music program. Club Lucky is great fun for a bassist with lots of diverse influences- going from swing to latin to blues and back in the span of one set keeps a musician on his toes.
Rock and Roll still has its strong allure and Joe has been in rock bands virtually since he picked up the bass. The jazz band rhythm section in high school quickly formed a rock band and played many a school dance. In college Joe played in several rock bands ranging from hard rock to alternative to punk. After moving to Minneapolis with one of the bands, Joe played every good (and not so good) bar and club in the Twin Cities. This band even had strong label interest from MCA during the big "alternative music" period of the early nineties, but alas, big stardom was not to be. Joe has now played in 8 rock bands spanning 20 years.
Joe resides in Readstown, Wisconsin.
I started out banging two rocks together to make music in front of my clan's cave. I later moved on to the Chicago folk scene with my buddy Denny as "Hall and Rauen," singer-songwriters. You know that thing. Then there was our first rock band Zarahemla, and the Chris Anderson Band. In each case we were, of course, destined for greatness but somehow fell short due to circumstances, etc.
I moved to Wisconsin in '93 and first played with Fly By Night for a few gigs. Then there is the big band Cheers, the swing and gospel band Time Travelers, Tall Saul and the Astrals, oh yeah, we had a band called the Twisted Misters. Except for a lot of little solo gigs that about covers it I think.
My musical influences include Garth Hudson and the sound track from the movie "Liquid Sky."
On a personal note, I would like to catch a very large fish so that I could stop lying so much about the other ones.
Steve resides in LaFarge, Wisconsin
Jon says he has always loved music. He picked up an acoustic guitar at the age of 15 and played the folk music and pop rock of the day. Jon's early folk influences were James Taylor, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John Hartford, and John Prine. Jon eventually moved to the electric guitar and has played in numerous rock and country rock bands. He discovered jazz when he had to learn to play "Crazy" which got him hooked on the sweet sounds of jazz chords.
Jon resides in Gays Mills, Wisconsin.
John has played drums since he was in High School, played rock and roll,
but his idol was Joe Morello of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. At one time
he only wanted to play the blues and wished he could be the drummer for
Bonnie Raitt.
Currently he is playing rock, blues and jazz depending on
the group he's playing with.
John resides in Viroqua, Wisconsin.