The Roadhhouse Band

Roadhouse represents the merger of five diverse musicians with varied backgrounds.

Lead vocalist, Cindy is a life-long resident of Long Island where she is involved with song writing, recording, and performing with her local church ensemble when she's not out rockin' with band. She also sings rock, funk, pop and blues as well as belting out country tunes. Cindy has a powerful voice and can easily match the range of such singers as Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood. Cindy plays a mean harmonica, and when the boys stretch into a bluesy number, she’s right in there with them. She plays guitar and percussion. She also has done a stint with the oldies group "Time Was." She had the lead role in the production of "Guys & Dolls" a the Creative Ministries performing Arts Center in Oakdale, during February of 2004.

Steve, a graphic artist from East Meadow, is a highly experienced lead guitarist and the group’s virtual encyclopedia of 70’s rock, country rock, and heavy metal. You can’t stump him. His guitar style derives from rock, country and blues. He has played in many rock groups, but decided to “Go country” after hooking up with the other members of Roadhouse. Steve's artistic talents also come in handy --- he designed the groups' logo. His country licks will make you feel like you're in Nashville. He isn't the type of guitar who will blow your eardrums away. His style is best described as "silky." No wonder, he's often called on to sit in with many local 70's rock bands as well as other country groups. You might catch him playing Rock & Roll with "Rich Reverb and the Rockets" now and then.

Two of the members Vic (on bass) and Mike (on keyboards) have played in bands together since 1963 when they were in high school. In the late 60's and early seventies they fronted the popular local top 40 show group "August,” playing everything from Doo Wop to Disco to Heavy Metal, as well as Beatles, Beach Boys, Stones, Four Seasons and Four Tops, Yes, and everything in between.

Vic, the bassist, has been a die-hard country fan for years. Trouble was, he couldn’t find anyone else who wanted to play country music and put the same level of effort into it. In the early 70’s he was the lead guitarist and vocalist for the popular duo Frankie and Johnny, a party band very popular in the Hamptons, Jersey Shore and Hunter Mountain. (He was Frankie!) They included a good deal of country music in their sets. Vic has been a die-hard country fan since childhood. In addition to playing country music, he enjoys dancing to it and loves to be out there boot scootin' with the line-dancers.

In addition to country, Vic enjoys jazz, standards and oldies. He hosted the Swing City Radio show on WGBB for a number of years as well as a country show "Country Music in Exile." He likes to sing Sinatra tunes at Karaoke Clubs, he enjoys going to jam sessions with musicians from many other well known bands, and he occasionally plays guitar and sings in an eclectic

In 1994, Vic and his longtime buddy Mike, after jamming at a party with old band-members one weekend, decided to regroup to form a new R & B Band.

They started recording some of Vic's originals which were in the country genre however and that led them to the decision to go country instead.

Mike, the keyboardist, has been playing in bands since he was 13. He played in many of the same Floral Park bands as Vic, including the “Spectras” as well as “August.” Mike is an avid fan of the great jazz-rock groups like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago as well as groups like Vanilla Fudge, the Rascals, and Yes. Although his wife, Carol, has always enjoyed country music, he admits “going country” was a big step in a different direction for him. Now he would never turn back.

The new drummer for the Roadhouse Band effective May 2010, is Tom "Rocky" Pantaleo, who replaces Todd Schusterman who has moved to Nashville. If the name sounds familiar to you it should. Tom is a long time radio air personality on Long Island, and currently holds forth on Long Island's great classic rock station WBAB 102.3 FM. You country fans may remember him from Country 94.3 where he handled morning and afternoon drive shifts at various points. Or you may remember him on WRIV, WRCN, or WMJC to name but a few of his assignments. Or you may know him from his long standing association with the country rock group "Quickdraw" in which he also plays. In addition to his skills on the drums and reknown as a DJ, voice-over talent and producer, Tom is also a recording engineer. We are glad to have Tom Pantaleo as our drummer.

All of the members of the group sing and write. But their stage act is limited to covers of popular country tunes. Vic, the bassist and self confessed country-music addict, observes that country music fans come primarily to dance. "I decided to form a country group because I myself love country dancing and go as often as I can. Many of the songs we play have specific dance steps that go with them. We are first trying to cover all of the dances, before we start to integrate our own material. While we each are very proud of our originals, our first job is to please the people who come to dance, and they like to dance to the music with which they are most familiar."