MATT ABTS


Worked With: Warren Haynes, Gov't Mule, Dickey Betts, Johnny Neel, Allen Woody, Butch Trucks, Marty Privette, Jon Mathias, Chuck Leavell, Gerry Groom, Chris Anderson, The Allman Brothers Band.

Recorded With:


1988 Dickey Betts Pattern "Disruptive" (Drums, Vocals)


1989 Allman Brothers "Dreams" (Drums)


1995 Hempilation: Freedom Hempilation: "Freedom is Normal" (Drums)


1995 Chris Anderson "Old Friend" (Drums)


1998 Hound Dog Taylor "A Tribute" (Drums)


1998 Gov't Mule "Dose" (Drums, Diembe, Ashiko Drum)


"Live with a Little Help from Our Friends" (Drums)


1999 Gov't Mule "Gov't Mule" (Drums)


1999 Little Milton "Welcome to Little Milton" (Drums)

JOHNNY NEEL - keyboards, harp, vocals


Born and Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Johnny cut his first single at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the East Coast and released two well-received independent albums. Writing more and more, but frustrated with virtually no outlet, Johnny moved to Nashville, the premiere song writing city, in 1984. Immediately settling in as an "A" player in studio sessions, he found his own songs being cut by acts such as the late Keith Whitley, Restless Heart, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Forrester Sisters and many others. More recent cuts include those by John Mayall, Ann Peebles and Travis Tritt.

Moonlighting, with various bands, in area clubs drew the attention of formerNashville resident Dicky Betts, who asked Johnny to join his road band, and beginwork on Dickey's solo LP for Epic Records. That relationship led to seven cuts on the "Pattern Disruptive" LP including the Top 10 AOR hit, "Rock Bottom." Johnny's stellar keyboard and harp playing on that album caused Greg Allman to "borrow" Johnny, when available, for his own touring road band.

All of the aforementioned naturally led to Johnny joining the eventually reunited Allman Brothers Band. A massively successful tour followed, culminating in a number one AOR smash hit during the summer of 1990. Car radios all across America blasted "Good Clean Fun", co-written by Johnny with Gregg and Dickey, to the top of the charts, and provided the reunited Allmans with their highest charting single since "Ramblin' Man" fifteen years earlier.

Johnny was Grammy nominated for his keyboard work as an Allman Brothers Band member on the instrumental cut, 'True Gravity" from the "Seven Turns" LP.

MARC FORD - guitars, vocals


Marc Ford was born April 13, 1966 in Long Beach, CA. His primary musical influences were Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. He began his professional career in the early 1990s, with critically acclaimed Epic recording Artist Burning Tree. Marc fronted the power as lead singer, lead guitarist and songwriter. With their debut album under their belt, “Burning Tree” opened a Black Crowes tour, and Marc was asked to join the band the band the following year. As lead guitarist for the enormously popular Black Crowes, Marc’s “fiercely and shapely double-time leads, arching slide work and visceral power chords,” according to Rolling Stone, took the Black Crowes through their best records. Marc recorded on the double platinum album recording The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion (1992), the gold Amorica (1994), and Three Snakes and One Charm (1996). He departed in August 1997 to pursue songwriting and other Artistic interests.

Later that year, Marc started the band Federale with ex-Freewheeler Luther Russell. While preparing an album of all original compositions, he has kept a busy schedule of session recording, appearing on albums by The Wallflowers, Bobby Womack, Chris Stills, the soundtrack for the film Psycho to name a few.

Guitar player magazine calls Marc: “... among the handful of truly convincing young rock guitarists.”


BERRY OAKLEY - bass, vocals


PLAYS: Bass, guitar, drums, some keyboards, vocals


AGE: 27 (Born March 30, 1973)


HOME: Los Angeles, CA


Worked/Toured With:

Bass -- Glass Grenades (evolved into Blind Melon)


Guest Bass -- The Allman Brothers Band (1989 "Dreams" National Tour)


Bass/Vocals -- The Robby Krieger Band (present)


Bass/Lead Vocals/Songwriter -- Bloodline (1994 release on EMI Records and National Tours)


Bass/Vocals -- The Oakley Krieger Band


Guest Bass on Allman Brothers 30th Reunion -Los Angeles Greek Theater -1999

Recordings:


***with BLOODLINE (Berry Oakley , Waylon Krieger, Lou Segreti, Joe Bonamassa and Erin Davis): Released self-titled CD for EMI Records (August 94) produced by Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Jeff Healey, etc.). First single, "Stone Cold Hearted" charted #19 on Album Network's Powercuts, #21, Radio & Records' Rock Tracks, #32 On Billboard's Rock Tracks. ***Toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Tesla (Summer 1995). Also appeared with ZZ Top, Bad Company, Bob Dylan, Collective Soul, Foreigner, Robby Krieger, Ian Moore, B.B. King, etc.