*Be nice to your road crew. Most techs, crew chiefs, loaders and support personnel would change places with you, the performer, in a heart beat. Treat them with kindness, courtesy and respect. In each one is a dream deferred.
Support crew are essential to touring artists. Drivers, loaders, sound and light engineers, merchandisers, all create a conducive environment for the performer. Always treat your techs and crew with caring kindness. If they’re grumpy it’s because while you were sleeping, they were fighting traffic or loading in your amps. Techs and crew deserve respect. We could not rock without them.
Marty graduated with a Bachelors of Music with a concentration in Studio Music and Jazz Performance at the University of Tennessee in 2006 after attending Roane State Community College. While a student at UT, he received various notable scholarships. Marty plans to further his post graduate studies in Music Education in 2010. He’s been teaching since 2000 and teaches drum set as well as marching band and orchestral percussion. Marty has both private and public middle and high school teaching experience as well as extensive performance experience locally and worldwide, from performing in big bands to cruise ships and theaters, night clubs, churches, studios and various corporate events, working with notable musicians. Martin has also performed in professional theatrical productions.
Eugene started his higher education in music at Fresno State in Fresno, CA studying concert percussion, than transferred to De Anza College in Cupertino, CA. Later he also attended Berklee Collage of Music in Boston, MA for 3 semesters, where he studied percussion and Film Scoring. He was taught by many world renowned teachers. Eugene started playing horn in the junior high band, however while in high school, he found his love of the drums while in marching band. Their band won many state drum titles due to his great gift of playing drums. He even began teaching a few high school students. Between colleges, Eugene marched in the Drum Corps with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2007 and 2008, and briefly with the Cavilers from Rosemont. During this time he also played with Keith Urban, Shania Twain, and The Blue Man Group. Eugene has been teaching professionally since 2006 and offers all styles. He currently performs all over the Bay Area with a band, including a performance on American Idol in June 2011.
Julie started piano instruction at age 10, vocal singing training at 16 from renowned instructors in the Sacramento area, studying for one year at the Sacramento City College under the head vocalist professor. She continued her education with several BYU vocal professors, as well as singing in the choir there, and private studies under opera coaches and a SF Conservatory professor. Julie has been teaching piano and voice since 1978, and founded, produced, and directed a Broadway theatre company in Susanville, CA for 14 years. She teaches all styles, traditional, ear training, and theory.
Derek received his Bachelor’s of Music degree with honors from Columbia College in Chicago, IL in 2010. Since 1996, Derek has played guitar in almost every setting imaginable for genres of rock, jazz, Pop, Blues, Folk, Neo-Soul, and Hip Hop. Derek has been teaching since 2005. He has been fortunate to play internationally, and with many world-renowned musicians, at almost every venue and festival including the prestigious Lincoln Hall. He currently performs regularly with a large variety of bands, and does studio work, recently releasing his debut original EP Sober Years.Personality rating: Easygoing and laid back, yet passionate
Melody Music Studios 