NoZtalgia Classic Rock
Meet our Musicians
NoZtalgia Classic Rock's Biographies
Guitar- George Williams
Born as the 8th child in a family of 12 children, I was privileged to absorb the sounds of 1960’s music that constantly poured out of my older siblings’ transistor radios and the family stereo. My love for this music led me to learn my first guitar chords from an older brother on his old Silverstone acoustic guitar. Playing in garage bands in high school that featured 70’s classic rock, I gained my first experience playing in a bar when I regularly sat in with Bill Chapman who was a fixture at Cannon’s Pub in Atlanta. From there I joined The South River Band which held down the house band position at Lawsons, another Atlanta establishment. Subsequent bands included The Camp Brothers Band and White Wing, a top 40 band that had a successful run in the mid 1980’s. In recent years I have played primarily at church and was thrilled to be offered an opportunity to perform with NoZtalgia where I have greatly enjoyed contributing what I can to their sound while gaining new friends in the process.
Drums and Vocals Garry Sinchak
Originally from Struthers Ohio, Garry began playing drums in the fifth grade and continued on to perform in bands while attending Youngstown State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, majoring in Marketing and minoring in Management. After a long break from music while pursuing a successful career in business, he formed NoZtalgia in 2012. Garry has been Master of Ceremonies for several hundred wedding and parties over the years as a DJ which gives this band an edge over customer customization in a great party agenda if needed.
Electric Guitar Ken Leffingwell
I began playing guitar when I was 10 years old in rural central Michigan. My mother played dobro and sang. Dad played harmonica and in the evenings the family played music. At about that same time I began playing French Horn. I was a band geek throughout high school and into college where, as a music major, I became a Marching Chip in the Central Michigan University marching band.
My guitar journey passed through many phases. Solo acoustic, high school garage bands, bluegrass, blues, regional theater productions, contemporary Christian, Americana, and, of course, classic rock.
Some of my favorite Michigan memories are from: the Michigan Fast Movers String Ensemble that fused classic bluegrass with progressive country rock; Rainbow, sponsored by the Midland Center for the Arts, that was a combination of traditional rock band instrumentation with 50 voice choir; traditional country band, Southern Comfort, where I played bass; and singing with my wife Kaylee at the Midland Holiday Inn as acoustic duet Ken & Kaylee.
After moving to Georgia in the mid 70’s, family and work got in the way. I stopped playing altogether for about 12 years. I eventually got involved with a group at church and in the mid-90s began playing contemporary Christian music. For the next 25+ years I played for a teen-focused mass. I am still very active in the church music ministry. During that time, I also ‘worked the pit’ in local productions of 9 to 5, Big the Musical, Chess, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Jesus Christ Superstar, to name a few.
I’m now in my 2nd year playing electric guitar with NoZtalgia and am enjoying playing the classic rock songs that were the soundtrack of my life.
Bass Guitarist Kevin Bryant started his musical journey as a teenager in West Texas playing nightclubs, events and for the soldiers on Ft. Bliss Army base. A hot little power trio called Fatback were crankin out ZZ Top, Cream and Hendrix entertaining the troops and kept his parents on edge. To their delight, he went on to college but wound up playing in Austin, Texas’ first original “Roots Rock Reggae band, Soundwave & the Star Men. Yes, odd to see the suburbanite youngsters bumpin out songs like “Dem Belly Full but we Hungry” and “No Woman, No Cry,” but it provided him a special groove like no other genre could. Destined to keep jamming, he migrated to Atlanta and settled into an original jazz, rock, fusion band called “A Fine Line.” The 6 piece group played local clubs such as the infamous Dark Horse Tavern and the Masguerade’s Heaven along with a variety of local festivals.
Although he intermittently parked his bass and gigging, his professional career took off in the entertainment marketing industry working for a subsidiary of Polygram Records and the largest independent label in the nation, Platinum Entertainment. Not only did he rep such labels as House of Blues, he co-produced compilation and original studio recordings. He received multiple Gold Records for producing and selling compilation recordings for corporate and retail premiums.
Keeping his ‘chops up” in local blues and rock jams allowed him to find a wonderful variety of talented musicians and bands throughout the decades. He’s delighted to be bringing the bottom to Nostalgia and pulls on all his classic rock grooves to keep the band tight and movin!
Lead Vocals - Charlie originally from CT, I grew up listening to all kinds of music. I gravitated to rock and hard rock as a teenager, always loving the harmonies of The Beatles and the unparalleled range of Freddie Mercury. I knew I wanted to be a singer. After taking voice lessons, I joined several local bands, mostly making original music and recording several demos. One of my bands was able to open for several national acts when they toured through CT. The experience of singing in front of a large audience is something I will never forget and will always cherish. NoZtalgia is a band that loves classic rock from all eras. We try to capture the essence of each song and perform it just like the artists did when they recorded it, sometimes with our own little twist but always honoring the original sound and feel.
Previous members Biography's who influenced noZtalgia's Performance
NoZtalgia Classic Rock members are made up of some life long musicians.
Lead guitar, Bass Guitar and Vocals - Shon Harp
Shon Harp plays lead and rhythm guitar and provides lead and backup vocals. He also plays bass in the successful heavy metal group Ender’s Game, who have several original CDs published, and guitar in yet another heavy band. Shon teaches guitar, bass, drums, and piano at the North Fulton School of Music in addition to his corporate career.
Lead Guitar Jim Crossley
Grew up in Savannah, GA in a fairly musical family. Been playing for almost 40 years, everything from Abba to Zappa, mostly self-taught, learned by watching Hee Haw and trying to replicate the jingles on TV commercials. Played in a number of Funk/Rock/Party bands while attending Georgia Tech in the 80's. Then wife/job/kids happened. Kids are grown now, so out playing again, with both Noztalgia and another local blues/rock band called the Lucky 8's.
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Bass, Keys & Vocals -Jeremy Harrison
The least-tenured member of NoZtalgia, Jeremy Harrison brings his bass and a diverse musical background to the band. Originally from Spruce Pine, NC he's a true "band nerd": he started playing trumpet in 5th grade, and continued on in high school marching band, concert band, jazz band, stage band, pep band, rubber band, hat band and orchestra. Finding his way to the bass, he joined the always-underpaid-never-overplayed cover band "The Shrubs". He wisely gravitated towards being a thrash metal bassist in the mid-80's, playing for such legendary Atlanta bands as: Red Eye, Crazy Ivan, Blunt, and Volatile. In the decades since Volatile's last show, Jeremy has turned into an IT Nerd. Jeremy lives in McDonough, GA with his son, two birds, a cat and a fish.
lead, Rythm Guitar and Harmony Vocals Mark All
Mark has played muisc for a living in venues from Pennsylvania to Mississippi, and taught guitar. Although mostly a metal and rock guitarist, Mark opened a condert for Atlanta, whon had a #9 single on the Billboard Country chart, and played with a founding member of Alabama, as well as other name country stars. Mark has a Bachelor of Music degree and a Masters in computer-based education. He was a radio announcer for years before a corporate career in instructual systems design and development. Mark is a published author of 2 super natuaral thrillers, Mystic Witch and the Spellcaster's Grimoire, and a rock and roll horror novel that was released in 2014. He has remained in good standing with the band and has influenced us in a very postive way.
Flutist Mary Nickerson
While growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, Mary studies classical flute beginning in the fourth grade. Mary graduated from the University of Nortre Dame with a BS in mathematics and played in the Band of the fighting Irish. After 10 years as an IT consultant, Mary left the corporate world to be a stay at home mom. Mary's general knowledge of music has had a positive effect in the overall performance of the band and she has remained in good standing with all members.
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Bass Guitar Ramon Codina
Ramon Codina, from Cebu, Philippines, started playing guitar at age fifteen. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Cebu Institute of Technology, where he cofounded Spacetracer, playing lead and rhythm guitar. He later played in The Unknown and Koxian Wrecking Crew and worked as a session guitarist. In 2012 Ramon immigrated to the U.S.and joined NoZtalgia, bringing his formidable guitar chops to the bass guitar
Flute, Sax and Keys, Doug Brown
Doug grew up playing the sax in grade school and took an interest in music his entire life. He also learned how to play the flute and recently added organ, and keys. Doug is a very talented and serious musician to say the least and will play all 3 instruments during a gig
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Keyboards – Jimmy Graft
Jimmy is NoZtalgia’s youngest member at 20 years old. Even though he is young in age, he is an old soul and loves listening to “NoZtalgic” music such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc., so he fits in with the rest of NoZ with no problem. Jimmy has been playing the piano since the age of 5, and has no plans to ever stop. He currently plays keyboards/piano in numerous bands, some of which include the Life Teen band at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, the Jordan B Band (a contemporary Christian music group), and his newest venture, ElektroPop, a tribute band to the electronic music pioneer Kraftwerk. Jimmy is a student at KSU and is majoring in Electrical Engineering.
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Current Band Members
Members Left to Right.
George Williams, Garry Sinchak, Ken Leffingwell, Kevin Bryant, Singer Vocalist.
