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| Our Bios
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DIZZ LEAD & HARMONY VOCALS Dizz began singing and performing in talent shows at the tender age of 10. He began his professional career with the vocal quartet Koldphire in the early 90s. The group achieved local success and opened for many major artist such as Tupac Shakur, Men At Large, Vesta Williams, H-Town and others. After the group disbanded he began singing as a solo artist and was selected from over 2000 entrants to Columbus’ first Gimme the Mike contest. Dizz brings with him as the newest member of the JuJu Bees piping hot vocals and a smoldering stage presence. |
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TAMMY WALKUP LEAD & HARMONY VOCALS Tammy has been performing since the age of 12, where she sang with Sing Out Troy, a branch of the group Up With People. She has been fortunate enough to work with some of the finest groups in town including: McGuffey Lane, Zero One, Fortune, Beauty and the Beats, and now performs with The JuJu Bees. Tammy has also worked on a number of local jingles: Scioto Valley, Schottensteins, Luebbe Hearing Centers, IDG Jewelers, Ameribank Mortgage, QVC Shopping Network and many others. |
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ROBIN SNYDER LEAD GUITAR, LEAD & HARMONY VOCALS Robin is well versed in many musical styles ranging from R&B to rock to alternative to jazz and funk. His diverse musical background has enabled him to be very successful as a session player. He has performed on many television and radio commercials: Jeg's, Columbus Motor Speedway, Bank One, White Castle, and Wendy's International to name just a few. He has written and/or performed on three QFM96 Hometown Albums and recorded with other diverse artists such as McGuffey Lane, Phil Dirt and the Dozers, Champ, and The Mimi Rousseau Band (he was a band member in the last two). One of his songs "Just Another Day" was chosen as a winner of the Alesis Songwriting Contest and included on the internationally-released CD "Twelve Winners." |
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CASEY McKEOWN KEYBOARDS Casey grew up in Cincinnati, the son of a piano teacher. He has been playing professionally for 22 years, primarily with two bands that have recorded on major record labels. The first was with Boardwalk Records recording artists, Wheels, from Cincinnati. While with Wheels, Casey played and toured with members of Little Feat and Pure Prairie League. He joined McGuffey Lane in 1984 and recorded four albums with them on Atlantic and High Chief Records. Casey has performed on many studio sessions, including the national jingles for both Capezio Shoes and White Castle. |
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Art Davis DRUMS Stay tuned for Art's bio! |
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Mike Shoaf BASS Stay tuned for Mike's bio! |
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DAVID ROBINS ALTO & TENOR SAXOPHONE David started playing clubs and lounges in his hometown of Roseburg, Oregon at the age of 19. For the next couple of years he honed his chops while traveling up and down the Oregon coast, and began playing in The Suzie Goldstein Band. With Suzie, he performed in cities all over the US, including Reno, Dallas, and Atlantic City. He joined McGuffey Lane in 1987, and you can hear his performance captured on their album "Live on High Street." With McGuffey Lane, David had the opportunity to open for The Beach Boys, The Charlie Daniels Band, and The Judds. He performs regularly at his church and has played with many bands in Columbus. David's smokin' sax is a welcome addition to the JuJu Bees sound. |
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Wer Orr Trumpet Born in Columbus in 1943, Wes began playing the trumpet at age ten. He went to Whitehall Yearling High School and played in the school band, but was discouraged by his father, a trumpeter and a singer, from taking up music as a career. At age 17, he was asked to play a gig with the Johnny Rogers Big Band in Washington Court House. It took some convincing, but finally Wes's father relented and allowed him to play. That gig, paying only $10, was the beginning of Wes's professional career. After graduation, Wes continued to Capital University to receive his B.A. in Music Education (and later an M.A. from Ohio State). During this time he traveled to Philadelphia to study with one of the nation's finest brass instructors, Dr. Donald S. Rhinehart, principal trumpeter for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Wes fondly remembers that Dr. Rhinehart changed his life by altering his trumpet technique. Wes taught at Columbus Public Schools for 31 years and part-time at Reynoldsburg City Schools for four years. When fellow trumpeter Ray Eubanks conceived of a "big band" (i.e. The Jazz Arts Group) that would utilize the best players in town, he gave Wes a call. Throughout the years, Wes has played with many wonderful entertainers, including Paul Anka, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Jerry Lewis, Lena Horne, and Rosemary Clooney. |
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Byron Rooker Tenor Saxophone Byron was born in Columbus in 1947 and began playing the clarinet at age nine. At 13 he took up the sax and the flute at age 19. His first professional gig was with a dance band at age sixteen. After graduation from Worthington High School, he earned a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance from Capital University. Although his focus was classical performance, he also studied jazz saxophone, arranging and piano with Dave Wheeler. During the Vietnam war, Byron was stationed in Berlin and played in the Army band. Later, he toured briefly with Paul Anka and Doc Severinsen. |