About the Band - past & present
Steve "Senator"
Sperry: Vocals, Drums / Percussion, Keyboard, Flute ..... A member of the
New Puddin Basin Group, a well received sixties cover band that played the Florida circuit, including
some of the old Tampa landmark night clubs, Steve has sustained a life long creative effort and kept his hand in
the local music and art scene. He formed a cover and original material band, Wunderbred, in the mid 90s that enjoyed some
limited exposure. He continues to work on his own and with fellow musicians on original projects. Influences
are ecclectic, including: Herbie Mann, Tim Weisberg, Billy Preston, Dean Martin, "Zep and Floyd", the Beatles
of course, Tool, Primus, the Kinks, Outkast, Mars Volta, everything Motown, Alison Krauss, and a'capella Barbershop
Quartet music.
Marvin "Hey, Buddy!" Lovett: Keyboard, Vocals .......
Coming from a musical family, Marvin started playing piano at age 6. He studied music in depth throughout secondary school
and college, and has played professionally in a wide variety of musical settings: various groups at Busch Gardens Theme
Park, Tampa, Fl.; very successful top 40/rock bands (including: Crystal Image Band , Jaxsonville Beach,
Fl. for 5 years, 5 nights a week ); and the highly successful Reggae/Caribbean band Both Worlds,
at the former Adam's Mark Resort on Clearwater Beach, Fl. for 10 years, 6 days a week. Marvin is also a music director/pianist/composer
for high school and community musical theatres. Keyboard and vocal favorites include: Billy Joel, Maurice White of Earth,
Wind and Fire, Todd Rundgren and the Beatles.
Rick "Popi" Maney: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard, Drums .....
Grew up in a musical home. His father, Alfred Maney, was an accomplished musician who played trombone in a number of
popular dance bands. Despite this impressive pedigree, Richard never amounted to anything musically. Rick began
playing guitar at age twelve and appeared in his first band, The Rumbles, with John brown and vocalist Cindi Bell while in
middle school. By high school, he met Rick Litsch, Jim Haager and Bob Henderson. Then, he and his friend-since-third-grade,
John Brown, formed the Innmates, a rock band that truly mastered the garage sound. The band played a number of local venues
and, at its pinnacle , had two groupies. After playing for several years with the Innmates, Rick was socially promoted to
the University of Florida. While playing guitar in the dorm, another resident stepped up and began singing harmony. Rick and
Leornd Butts went on to perform at coffee houses and clubs as The Loveday Largo Confession, largely on the strength of Lenny's
talent. After again being socially promoted to law school, Rick took a brief forty year hiatus from music. He has happily
rejoined the Music scene in his band the "Innmates" , along with his high school buds, Rick Litsch and John Brown
they have resurrected it from the 60s..........Great Classic Rock.
Charlie
"The Thump" Velez: Bass ..... I was smitten with the bass guitar the first time I
saw the movie; “Hard Day’s Night” and saw Paul McCartney play his Hofner. I was always drawn by what I considered
the “back bone” of music; the thump of a good bass lick. I am self-taught and have been playing since my teens.
I have been in numerous bands and have played just about every style of music genre from rock, jazz, Latin and country. During
the 70’s and 80’s, I was a member of the Grammy award winning, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and performed in venues
like Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City. My bass player heroes include, Paul McCartney, James Jameson
of Motown fame and former bass player of the Police; Sting. My “go to” bass line up is an Ibanez SR500, Rickenbacker
4300, and a Custom Fender Precision.Charlie now plays with the "Innmates" along with his brother
George.
Liz "Lectric"
and Rich Gentile: Lead Vocal and Guitar ..... Originally from New York,
they made the move to Tampa in the early 90s. Pickin around with his first guitar at age 10 Rich never put it down, only added
to it; bass guitar, pedal steel guitar, and finally Keyboards. Country, Blues, R&B, Classic Rock, he’s played it
all, admitting that he has a real love for classic rock describing it as the music of his youth. Rich says lovingly, “
I’ve had the good fortune to often perform with Liz my wife of 35 years. She is an accomplished vocalist and sings
straight from the heart and with a lot of soul. We always have a lot of fun with it, and when she belts out her favorite Stevie
Ray Vaughn, I get goose bumps”. Rich as well as Liz have played locally with the Streetwise Band and the Tonebenders
at some of Tampa’s most renown hotspots.
Bert "M-Town" Hoernschemeyer: Bass .....As
early as nine Bert started "gigging" at roller rinks in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida transitioning to bass
a few years later when his group needed a bass player. He has always had a strong tie to music with a particular passion for
bass. Growing up in a musical family he developed a passion early on, often signing around the family piano with his mother
and sister. His early career in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area included various groups, most notably "The Cousins".
Bert's various groups have opened for Robert Goulet, Canned Heat, The Boxtops, The Angels, Chubby Checker, Procol Harum, and
numerous other popular groups. Bert is influenced by “greats” such as Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce,
John Entwhistle, John McVie, Geddy Lee, Ross Valory, Chris Squire, Joe Bonamassa, Don Hendley, and the Funk Brothers’
bassist James Jamerson. Recent projects include the "The Dave Shepard Show", "Whiskey Chaser", and"
Tyler Creek Road".
Top Row: (L to R) "A Wild Bird", Rick Maney, Marvin
Lovett, Charlie Velez
Bottom Row: (L to R) Bert Hoernschmeyer, Steve Sperry, Rich
Gentile, Liz Gentile