The Top Hat Blues Revue was established in 1996. Mark, Dave, & John have worked together since the late 70's in a variety of different bands. When the Blues band formed, Mike Moody joined the operation and things have been rollin' ever since. Combined, we have well over 100 years of experience!!!
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Mark Gravely Mark got his first guitar at 11years old. It was kind of a toy, but it had steel strings and was playable and within a week or so, he was strumming songs. Within a year a real electric guitar (Winston GC Murphy Special) and a Fender Champ amp were purchased, and the rest is history. Mark and classmates began forming bands for school parties and they had real paying gigs by the time they were in high school. It was about this time that Mark met up with some musicians from Bloomington, IN; and they learned to jam. Here's the key, take off and play. Then one morning on the way to his work, Stevie Ray Vaughn came across the radio and everything changed. Mark started inserting more and more Blues in the song list. By 1996 Mark formed the Top Hat Blues Revue and released their first CD "Dancin' Blues" in 2001. One night while playing for a enthusiastic group of 20-somethings, the band was labeled a Jam Band, which set up another fan base that has worked out quite well. Currently Mark is working on a new CD of Blues and Jam based material. |
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John Farrow As one of the original founding members of the Top Hat Blues Revue, John has been playing instruments since he was 13 years old. He began by playing guitar, since his brother was a musician, later switching to bass. His two greatest influences in music have been Creedence Clearwater Revival and Frank Zappa. |
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Mike Moody Mike has been playing drums for over 48 years! He has played with such notables as John Lee Hooker, Dobie Gray, Ronnie Dove and Seymour Duncan. In the 60s he played with a band called Proof of the Pudding that had a record released on RCA. |
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Rick Mitchell Saxophone and Vocals
Rick is a life-long saxophonist.
He has played for audiences all over the world and for a
few famous ones... President Ford, President Carter, Danny
Thomas, and Bob Hope, among others! His musical styles include
Blues, Jazz, Dixieland, and Classic Rock.
He also plays in a jazz trio in Indianapolis and
throughout Indiana.
Instruments
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Carl Root Keyboards & Vocals Having a piano virtuoso for a Mother and a barn dance fiddler for a Grandfather pretty much set Carl’s destiny. But not at first. Being handed an oboe in 4th grade left Carl a confused young boy. But fear not! By 1968, rock ‘n roll had hit hard, And half way through high school Carl was hooked and in his first rock ‘n roll band.. Jon Lord of Deep Purple, Goldy McJohn of Steppenwolf, and Billy Preston all left those indelible marks. Sitting down at his first Hammond organ in 1973 brought another chapter- his meeting with “the blues”. Playing in rock ‘n roll bands was ‘off and on” from 1968 through the ‘70’s and virtually non stop thru the ‘80’s. Retiring in 1990, Carl thought he was done. But the itch was still there. Re-uniting with these old friends is a real joy! |
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Dave Rasche
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Ron Moenter Ron has been playing saxophone in bands on weekends since he was 13 years old. Throughout his career he has played all types of music including symphonic, big band, blues and more. Ron even sand Opera while he was in college. |
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Jim Whitacre Drums & Vocals |
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You can contact us
at 765.525.6627
or at
info@tophatblues.com
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