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Bill Graham Jr. - Billy has spent most of his life in the music business, starting at an early age, performing in his high school band. When you watch him perform you know just how much he truly
loves music. While in high school, as a teenager, Billy was on the varsity wrestling team in his freshman year, an unbeaten Rochester wrestling champion, in his senior year, and keeping up his grades, he put
together several bands that included Hot & Nasty, Natural High, New York Funk & Soul, as well as a very high energy band named The Sheltares. The Sheltares opened for national acts such as Wilson
Pickett and The Isley Brothers at the legendary Pine Grill Club in Buffalo, New York. In the early 1970's Billy was a long time member of a group named The Roadrunners traveling around the New York area and
opening for acts such as DeeDee Sharp and Classic Four and Bobby Heab, as well as many others. The Roadrunners would pack Bristol Mountain Ski Resort on a Saturday with more than a thousand kids. Billy
performed with Shamalama, a Nik Entertainment group from 2001 through 2006. He traveled to many cities with Nik Entertainment and feels that he learned a lot about becoming more successful in his music
career. While traveling with Nik Entertainment he continued to be, and still is, the lead male vocalist and sax player, as well as one of the founding members of the Centre Stage Band. He has been with the
band for over 30 years. In 2004 , he preformed live at the Rock -n- Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio with other members of Centre Stage. He has backed up a host of entertainers that include: The
Four Seasons, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Joey Dee & the Starlighters, Fats Domino, Eddie Rambo, The Crystals, The Dovels, and many more. He is critically acclaimed as one of the most versatile
entertainers in the area. He performs rock -n- roll, R&B, swing, blues, country, and classic oldies. His Elvis Presley and James Brown tributes are superior and his colorful costumes are unforgettable. He
credits his early wrestling days for his capability of putting on a highly visual and exciting show today.
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| Peter Tantalo -
A Rochester native and a musician
for over forty years, Peter Tantalo began his music career as a young teenager. Peter is also an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He plays lead, acoustic and slide guitar, as well as performing lead and
background vocals with the Centre Stage Band. Peter is a 30 year veteran of the
group. His experience as a musician, as well as his long history with the band makes him the perfect person to help
you coordinate the musical end of your wedding, party or event. He has opened for many national acts including The Beach Boys, Bobby Rydell, The Four Seasons, Peter
and Gordon, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, and has backed up Little Anthony and the Imperials. Peter, along with other members of the Centre Stage Band, performed live at the Rock -n- Roll Hall of Fame, in
Cleveland, Ohio. Before joining Center Stage, Peter was under contract with Epic Records for two years. This contract was the result
of winning the very first "Battle of the Bands" in Rochester, New York. While under contract with Epic Records, Peter released two singles with the group that he was performing with at the time, The
Noblemen. He recently performed with Carmen Appice at the House of Guitars. He was also the lead guitarist in Centre Stage Band's production of Vegas Legends in Revue show. A sold out show! During the
day Peter is employed by NeighborWorks of Rochester as a certified Risk and Lead Inspector.
On the music scene he performs and travels with the Centre Stage Band.
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| Reinhardt Brucker -The Centre Stage Band welcomes Reinhardt Brucker as its new drummer. He was the drummer in Centre Stage Band's latest production of Vegas Legends in Revue,
a drummer and overall entertainer way too talented for Centre Stage to pass up. Reinhardt has a long history in the music business. During Reinhardt's high school years he was a
member of the Stage / Jazz band, playing bass with backup vocal capabilities. He toured Europe and recorded
an album during his final year of high school. After leaving high school he traveled with a musical show band, playing the hotel circuits, which included the Ramada Inns and
the Holiday Inns. While traveling with the show band he was involved in helping with the
musical director's roles, production, and voice training of other members of the band. Reinhardt's musical background includes not only an excellent and accomplished drummer, but also a superior vocalist as well. His
musical history includes fronting a 19 piece Swing Orchestra as Lead singer & Emcee, singing at local festivals and shows. Most recently he performed at the Lilac Festival, where he appeared before as many as 10,000 people
daily. He has had lead singing roles in local community theater performances such as ‘Music Man’, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘Anything Goes’, and
‘George M’. He has performed as Lead Singer for premier National act ‘Nik & the Nice Guys’, who travel the world many times performing to thousands of
people. His travels with Nik Entertainment also included the 1999 Super Bowl venues. If this man looks familiar, you may have heard him singing the National Anthem at local sporting or charity events, or possibly
as the leader of the rock / party band "Justice". When Reinhardt is not performing musically he devotes time to Motivational Speaking on Personal Self-Improvement, writing, classic cars,
tennis, jogging, comedy, photography, computers, and mini-adventures like skydiving, scuba diving, and hot-air
ballooning. Reinhardt also sells real
estate and would be happy to assist brides and grooms in their search for
a new home.
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| Brenda Barber - Vocalist Brenda Barber is one of
the best female vocalists in the area. Her superior Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin tribute performances, in the production of Vegas Legends in Revue, proved that she was the perfect fit for the lead
female vocalist for Centre Stage. Her outstanding performance landed her a permanent position with the band. She is the female vocalist that Centre Stage Band has been searching for.
She performs the songs of classic R&B, funk, soul, country, rock &
roll, blues, and Top 40. She grew up singing in the church choir in Williamson, New York. She moved to Rochester and began her life long experience in
the entertainment field, performing with local entertainment agencies and bands. Brenda worked with her first band as lead vocalist of "The Heaters". The Heaters were the house band of Cinelli's
Country House Restaurant in Sodus, New York. Brenda teamed up with one of the fastest growing music businesses in Rochester, in 1999, known as Nik Entertainment. Brenda was also part of the "The Blues Family Rhythm & Blues Revue". The Blues Family was a show band featuring Brenda's lead vocal and group choreography. Brenda traveled and performed with various groups
of Nik Entertainment. Her biggest highlight with Nik was when all nine bands went to Miami, Florida during the 1999 Super Bowl season, performing at various night clubs. While in Miami she met Jerry Jones
(owner of the Dallas Cowboys) at a popular night club during Super Bowl XXXIII. During her career with local blues band Shinbone Alley, she shared the stage with National Blues Artist Shemika Copeland, at the
7th Annual Brewers Fest in downtown Rochester, New York. During the day when Brenda is not working the night scene, she is employed by Excellus BCBS, as a Sales Consultant, educating small businesses of health
care options. During the summer she frequents indoor and outdoor concerts and enjoys spending time with her family. She routinely works out and enjoys living a healthy lifestyle. Activities include singing,
movies, dancing, dining, and traveling.
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| Steve Bellanca - He's Back! Steve Balanca, a musician for over 30 years, and one of Centre Stage's
best past keyboard players is BACK! And the band couldn't be happier about his return. Steve has a long history in the music business. From 1979 until 1981 he was part of Vegas Rock and Show, a show band
whose emphasis was on 60's covers. The group did a 50's show in full costume. From 1984-1985 Steve played with a group entitled Beyond which included members of Head East and Toronto. He was a
past member of S.O.S, a three piece acoustic, vocal group, Deep Six, a six piece dance band, Pocket Change, a blues, funk and jazz-rock band, and of course Centre Stage Band, known for being one of the most
versatile bands inside and outside of the Rochester area. As you can see from Steve's versatile musical background he is a perfect fit for the Centre Stage Band. Steve's favorite artists include: Chicago, Tower of Power, Boston, James Taylor, Santana, Jerry Goodman, Tom Scott, Harry Connick Jr., and Maynard Ferguson.
"My favorite music categories are funk, classic rock, big band, swing, Latin jazz, or anything that's good." says Steve. His hobbies are great cigars and good single malt scotch. Steve is a fortunate
catch for the Centre Stage Band!
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TIM THOMAS -No band is complete without
an accomplished, experienced bass player. The Centre Stage Band is truly honored to have added Tim Thomas, an extremely talented bass player, and all around musician.
He is also a lead and background vocalist and plays flute, violin and guitar, as well as
a music education teacher in the Rochester area. Tim Thomas is the member of a musical family. Tim
graduated from Nazareth College and the Eastman School of Music with degrees in Music Education. His formative years in Penfield, N.Y. were spent studying the piano and violin with James Dumm. By his Jr. year
in High School he was performing throughout Upstate New York in a traveling string quartet and performing with the show band BACKSTAGE REVUE, playing bass guitar. At age 20, Tim was selected to perform with a
studio recording group in Detroit (The Genesis Group) and further his vocal ability at “Splendor Productions” in Dearborn, Michigan. While earning a degree in voice and violin, he performed regularly in many
dance bands including
Straight Ahead, Pegasus
, Jasmine, Gerard,
the trio
Justice, Orient Express
and …
on the road with the Alley Apple Band
. He completes the line up of top musicians in the Centre Stage Band.
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WEDDING & EVENT PLANNERS CONTACT US
FOR A COMPLETE PRESS KIT!
Are you interested in booking the Centre Stage Band for your
next wedding, party, corporate party, or special event?
Contact
Bill Graham, Jr.
Number1PartyBand@yahoo.com
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