| Band Members | ROBIN BERARDINI - LEAD VOCALS / RHYTHM
“I started out with a brush for a microphone, my cousin Murrie producing me (pretend play at age 7) and singing in the shower! I always wanted to sing, but, doesn’t everybody? Then there came a time in my life when I said, now or never. Phenix is the result of that, and I will always be grateful. The experiences, the people, the music have been a priceless gift. God willing and the creek don’t rise, we’ll be doing this for a long time to come!”
JIM STICE - LEAD GUITAR / MUSIC DIRECTOR
“Music makes me feel good, it is part of the fabric of my life; I think this ‘feeling’ translates to our audience when we’re playing. The emotion…it’s an opportunity to convey how I feel to my audience.” Jim has been playing music for 37 years. Starting on drum lessons provided by Mom, she quickly said ‘too loud’, and moved to the guitar.
Jim is happy playing with ‘local’ musicians, and finally feels as though he ‘fits’ with everyone in Phenix. “It is allowing us all the freedom to create, expand, and grow.”
PAUL DOWLING - BASS
Paul began to learn guitar and bass at the age of 20, after being inspired by such legends as Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. He studied music at College of Marin and Sonoma State University, and has been playing in blues and rock bands all over northern California since the early 1990's. Some of the highlights for him have been working with Sonoma County blues legend Sonny Lowe for nearly a decade, touring California with the San Francisco-based Mojo Madness, and playing at the esteemed Russian River Blues Festival. We're happy that he's currently lending his infectious bass grooves to Phenix.
SONNY "MAX" LOWE - HARMONICA / VOCALS
Sonny has played the Sonoma County area for over 20 years. For twenty plus years before that he traveled > extensively throughout the continental US playing acoustic and electric venues which touched on old time American, bluegrass, country, country-rock, rock and roll, jazz standards and, of course, the blues, where Sonny discovered the heart of the harmonica.
TOM ATKIN - KEYBOARDS
"Musical" is the atmosphere piano player Tom Atkin has grown up with. Tom picked up much of his sparkling, musical personality from his father, a great jazz pianist. Beginning piano lessons at a very early age, Tom is blessed with a solid classical background. His writing and playing talents became apparent around the age of 16 and has kept him active in recording and performing. With great jazz mentors such as Oscar Peterson, combined with the rock style of Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom's playing dazzles listeners with energy that is hard to find.
GEORGE SMELTZ - DRUMS
“Music is my life. Music has taken me around the world. If I didn’t play, I wouldn’t know what to do.” Both George’s parents are musicians. Jamison, his older brother, also plays sax. Beginning his musical journey at the tender age of 12, George is a sought after drummer. His keen sense for all types of music, jazz, orchestral, rock, blues, country, adds an enormously important dynamic to Phenix.
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