First Class Fool – The Rod Stewart Tribute Band consists of Jay Gates on vocals,
Amos Sanfilippo on guitar, Heavy Jay Cornwell on bass, Maxwell Butler on keyboards, and Patrick Cleland on drums.
The band came together when vocalist Jay gates was on the road with guitarist
Joe Stump in Los Angeles. The bass player, Maxwell, and Jay Gates
had an average days IHOP breakfast and a waitress inspired the two to form
a tribute group when she remarked that Jay remarkably resembled a young
Rod Stewart. From this point, the guys moved on to become a
Rod Stewart Tribute band, touring New England, starting in Syracuse, NY.
Jay Gates, the vocalist of First Class Fool, began singing in church at the young age of 5. He went on to sing in junior high and high school chorus, often as a solo vocalist for the school's group. Jay moved to Boston to study at the Berklee School of Music and later the New England Conservatory.
During Jay's college days he met guitar virtuosos Joe Stump. They recorded several albums and toured internationally. They entered the tribute circuit with Van Halen tribute, Diver Down. The band First Class Fool then got together and was in motion.
Their melodies and lyrics are influenced by none other than Rod Stewart, but also such well known artists as The Faces, Jeff Beck Group, Python Lee Jackson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Motown.
The band recently headlined at Twin River Casino, and received
raving reviews and an interview in Rock Zone Magazine.
First Class Fool is currently gigging out consistently and marketing to venues and agents with plans to start making even bigger waves in the tribute band music scene.
Keep an eye out for more to come from this not-so-average tribute band on the move.
Online!
