Founders Award

photo courtesy of Diane Richter

Steve Walker will be the recipient of this year's LVMA 13 Founder's award. Steve is a Lehigh Valley treasure who has donated much time to the last several LVMA shows, conducts a songwriting workshop at Godfrey Daniels & without him the first two L.V. Music Conferences would probably not have happened.

Steve Walker is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, luthier, teacher, and audio technician. He has been performing both solo and with his band Born Cross-Eyed throughout
the Lehigh Valley and beyond for over thirty years. Steve's mandolin playing won "Best String Instrumentalist" twice at LVMA, and he was a finalist in the Lehigh Valley Acoustic Performance Contest. Website: www.hexhollowmusic.com

Bright on, ian bruce, LVMA Founder.

Joe Colarusso

1962 was the year that Joe Colarusso sang and played guitar in front of an audience for the first time. That first gig is what convinced Joe that he should pursue his dream of a lifelong career in the music business. If you are a long time Lehigh Valley resident, you may realize the journey that Joe Colarusso took to become one of the most well known and respected performers in the past five decades.

In 1963 Joe Colarusso's first band, "The Furrys", was formed. One year later Colarusso began to show the beginning signs of a performer with natural talent with the band, "Queens Way Mercy", a band that mirrored the British Rock and Roll invasion. He continued that rock and roll phase of his career when he went to the band "Wight Reign" in 1966.

Over the years, Colarusso continued to display his natural talent and gift for entertaining. But, the band that would, ultimately, vault him to the top of the list as one of the most exciting and unpredictable front men around was "Johnny and the High-Keys". In 1968 this was the band that was destined to be world renown. The band signed a contract with producer Jimmy Ienner who had a stable of other popular bands in his resume that included "Lighthouse", "Bay City Rollers", Three Dog Night". Although the "High-Keys" never sold a million records and the eight year run of the "High-Keys" ended, the legend of Joe Colarusso as an entertainer and popular performer continued to grow. Following the "High-Keys" era, the next group that Colarusso formed became another "must see" group of it's time. "Joe's Bar and Grill" may have lasted for only about one year but people left those performances with a memory of Joe in front of a great band that would last a long time.
In 1975 Joe Colarusso went to Wildwood, New Jersey to watch some of his friends in the group "Tower Suite" where they were performing three shows a night in the Lucky Club. One of the group's front singers didn't make the show that night and Colarusso just jumped in with his friends and performed. It impressed the club owner enough to tell the band leader to hire Joe immediatly. That's also about the time when Joe started to distance himself from rock and roll to becoming the ultimate performer.

Singing, dancing and acting all became a big part of Joe's resume over the ensuing years. Joe's first stint with "Tower Suite" lasted until 1978 when he started to develop his own show...but not before he spent some time with the most successful show band in the area "King Henry and the Showmen". After a time with the Showmen, Joe was on his own again performing in musical theater in New Jersey and resorts throughout the Poconos. As the Pocono resort gigs started to fade Joe worked with the band "Bare Essentials" then reunited with "Tower Suite" in 2007 where he is today

Joe Colarusso will celebrate 50 years in the music business in 2012 and has amazed audiences just as long!

Phil Stahl

Contemporary folk rock/Acoustic guitar and vocals; TV/Radio host, Independent producer, location sound, photographer. (-: all around nice guy :-)

Phil has been performing his music in clubs and festivals for the past 25 years ...... music from the 60's and 70's along with original compositions .....solo , duos, trios and acoustic / electric bands .... southeast Pennsylvania is where most of Phils' performances are booked .......but you just might find him in your home town ....summers are always busy on the jersey shore and winters are brisk at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.....no matter where you catch Phil Stahl it is truly a night (or day) of warm friendly heartfelt music.......check out the schedule and catch a show.

James Supra

James is the front man vocalist & harmonica player of the James Supra Blues Band. He is the recipient of the LVMA's best harmonica player award all 12 years in a row. He has cut his teeth sitting in with hundreds of acts since starting out in the Lehigh Valley in 1982. Having played several years in both Mike Dugan's Blues Mission & Craig Thatcher's Band, James finally landed his own band in 2009. Featuring Dana Gaynor, Al Wanamaker & Ray Grimmer. James Enjoys playing overseas in Germany as well as countless music festivals & Club performances. He notes Jason Ricci, Paul Butterfield & James Cotton as his major influences.

Jackie Tice

Singer, songwriter, performing artist, educator, peace maker, AllNationsPeace.com, All My Relations Hailing from a Pennsylvania mill town and a family of twelve, Jackie Tice bolted early from the crowded kitchen table and set off after Rocky Mountains and Indian reservations in search of her voice. What she found, and has been unearthing for more than twenty years, is music that puts back the Nature in human nature, discovers passion
inside compassion, and integrates her Native American and Eastern European roots with fearless approach.

Bonnie Rollins

Bonnie Rollins, known better by fans as Bonnie Jean, was an army brat and has traveled all over the world. Developing a very diverse love of music at a very early age, she began singing in church when she was 9 years old as a duo with her childhood friend. That same year she began playing the Violin which she continued to play all throughout her high school years. She was also very active with Speech and Drama participating in several theatrical plays during that time. She is a member of the National Forensic League and has won many awards acting out both monologues as well as dialogues. In October of 1999 she joined CrazyHeart as the Lead Female Vocalist also providing harmonies and plenty of personality. CrazyHeart performs roughly 70 shows per year in and around the Lehigh Valley and have won the LVMA award for Best Country Band/Live Performance for the past 9 years as well as several other LVMA awards. CrazyHeart has also opened for several national acts including Big & Rich, Charlie Daniels and Josh Turner to name a few. They are very active with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Bonnie chairs the Entertainment Committee for the Relay for Life of Schnecksville and is also very active with the United Way.

Dave Goddess

As frontman and founding member of the Daddy Licks Band, Dave Goddess played thousands of live dates, garnered national airplay, wrote dozens of memorable pop songs, and retains only hazy memories of his days on the road.

“I Got Wheels,” DLB’s tense, lyrical, 7 song EP released in the 1980’s, challenged the then popular idea that Lehigh Valley audiences would not support original music. The band became the most popular local act of their time, but their reach extended well beyond the Valley. They drew large crowds in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Washington DC, and beyond.

Dave continues his musical odyssey with his new project, Dave Goddess Group, and is currently supporting a 12 song album, “Something New,” with talented bandmates Tom Bazylak, Mark Buschi, and original DLB member Tom Brobst.

KATO

KATO, a musical duo featuring vocalist Pat Flaherty and her husband, keyboardist Craig Kastelnik, has been entertaining audiences together for many years. Based in the Lehigh Valley, they have performed in the region and throughout the US at clubs, restaurants, concerts and festivals. PAT FLAHERTY, a native of Niagara Falls, NY puts her signature style on every song she sings. Her powerful but smooth, engaging vocal sound comes through to all audiences. Influenced by singers Nancy Wilson, Roberta Flack, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Tina Turner and Frank Sinatra (among others), her personal connection with the crowd makes for a truly memorable performance. A strong percussionist, she adds a solid component to the rhythm section. A skilled, prolific photographer, Pat has captured wonderful images of many subjects, including nature, musicians and dancers, with several CD photos to her credit. Pat and Craig were the first "Lehigh Valley Artist-in-Residence" at Bethlehem Musikfest. The two also performed on BOB DOROUGH’s CD "Too Much Coffee Man" on Blue Note Records and recent projects with drummer BERNARD PURDIE and trombonist BILL WATROU