The Band
Mike Marshall
Bass
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Mike Marshall is a Detroit bassist who has a history that goes back to the 60’s.Mike and singer/harp player Garfield Angove played with many Chicago blues greats when they would come to Detroit in the ‘70s and has played with many Detroit artists, such as Rob Tyner of The MC5, The Mutants. In 1996 Mike joined with longtime friend Kenny Parker to record Kenny’s “Raise The Dead” for JSP Records. In the 2000’s Mike played in RJ’s(Spangler) Rhythm Rockers backing as singer /Pianist Joe Weaver, guitarist Johnny Bassett, singer Alberta Adams and the Motor City Pioneers featuring Kenny Martin and Stanley Mitchell. In 2009 Mike appeared at the Apollo Theater with Alberta Adams who first performed there in 1959 with Dizzy Gillespie. Mike and Kenny have been good friends since 1970.
Dan Devins
Vocals/Harmonica
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Singer & harmonica player Dan Devins got his blues career started sitting in at Chrissy's Lounge, a now-long defunct blues bar in Mt Clemens, Michigan back in the late 1980's. They featured a weekly jam session led by a true Detroit Bluesman, the late Kenny Miller. With Kenny's encouragement, Dan started his own group, The Back Door Blues Band. After nearly 25 years with BDBB, with several side projects along the way
Dan has really found a home with the well-respected blues guitarist and song writer, Kenny Parker, whom along with blues and rock legend Jim McCarty has proven to be an incendiary combination. They have performed throughout Michigan and Ontario and continue to delight audiences wherever they perform!
RJ Spangler
Dave Marcaccio
Drums
Dave Marcaccio began playing drums professionally in the Detroit area in his early teens. His attention to the groove has always kept him busy with many great Detroit-based artists and groups including the Kenny Parker Band, blues vocalist Thornetta Davis, Detroit guitar legend Jim McCarty, LL7 Latin Jazz and The Millionaires
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Jim McCarty
Guitar
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Jim McCarty broke into the music scene as a founding member and Guitarist for Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. Between 1964 and 1966 The Detroit Wheels charted with Jenny Take a Ride (#4), Devil with The Blue Dress (#2), and Sock it to Me (#4).
After The Detroit Wheels disbanded, Jim Joined The Siegal Schwall Blues Band and on a trip to the west coast met Buddy Miles who had just left The Electric Flag. Jim was asked to join the newly formed Buddy Miles Express. While with The Buddy Miles Express, Jim recorded two albums: Expressway to Your Skull and Electric Church, produced by Jimi Hendrix, on which included Jim's song Freedom ‘69 Special which, in 2011 won a Grammy for electric guitar pioneer and jazz legend Les Paul.
After leaving Buddy Miles' Jim joined forces with recently disbanded Vanilla Fudge's drummer Carmine Appice to form Cactus which recorded three albums: Cactus, One Way...Or Another, and Restrictions.
In 1972 Jim returned to Detroit and along with former Detroit Wheels bandmate and drummer Johnny "Bee" Badanjek, formed The powerhouse Detroit rock and roll band The Rockets. The Rockets recorded six albums Love Transfusion, Turn Up the Radio, No Ballads, Back Talk, Rocket Roll and Live Rockets. After years of touring The Rockets disbanded in 1983.
After The Rockets disbanded, Jim played around Detroit notably with The Detroit Blues Band and his own band Mystery Train. Mystery Train keeps rollin’ down the tracks to this day.
In 2014, Jim joined legendary Detroit blues ensemble The Kenny Parker Band where they continue to set fire to every stage they climb-on with a combination of Parker's songwriting and their two guitar virtuosity.
Johnny "Bee" Badanjek
Drums
Johnny "Bee" Badanjek at age 16 was the drummer for Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. After The Wheels disbanded, "Bee" toured and recorded with Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Bob Seger, Ronnie Montrose, Nils Lofgren and he and fellow Detroit Wheel Jim McCarty"s group The Rockets."Bee" most recently recorded with Alice Cooper for Alice's recent release "Breadcrumbs"