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B A N D   M E M B E R S

 

CONNIE BRANNOCK
Vocals

Connie, a.k.a. "Big Mama", is the face and voice of the Shakies. She played trombone in her formative years and can get by on the drums and piano, but belting out tunes is her strength.  Connie played in roadhouse bands for many years in the '70s and '80s (most notably Connie and the Rhythm Method).  She spent the '90s in the military, and is now a new music teacher, developing a sort of “Rock and Roll Reform School” approach to teaching music.  Her major musical influences include Laura Nyro, Sly and the Family Stone, Young Holt Unlimited, Carol King, Todd Rundgren and Junior Walker and the All Stars.  Although Big Mama loves basketball, she believes that music is the ultimate team sport!

 

 

TANYA CUTHBERTSON
Bass

Tanya Cuthbertson began playing guitar at 16 when a friend suggested taking lessons together. She studied classical guitar at Northern Arizona University for 6 years and earned a performance degree with the aim of becoming a "jack of all trades." After college she met her husband-to-be through a fellow musician, performed as a duo for several years, abandoned her masters level classical studies and became proficient at popular styles. She currently balances motherhood, worshipping as electric guitarist and mandolin player at Calvary Christian Fellowship, teaching guitar lessons, and playing bass in Shaky Bones. Tanya's influences began with Peter, Paul & Mary, then Country music, then Rock and Roll. Singing harmony or lead has also been a long time love of hers.

 

MATT CUTHBERTSON
Guitar, harmonica

Matt Cuthbertson began playing guitar when he was 19, shortly after the earth cooled. He has played with a variety of groups from garage bands to more serious endeavors as well as playing lead guitar at Calvary Christian Fellowship for about 15 years. He is glad to be in a band with his favorite performer, his wife Tanya. He loves many different varieties of music and his musical influences are many: he grew up with his dad's Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman and his mom's Broadway show recordings, was saturated with the popularity of Motown and Santana in high school, then fell in love with the guitar after hearing Jimi Hendrix and was later exposed to jazz greats such as Miles and Monk. He likes a quote attributed to Louis Armstrong: "There is two kinds of music the good and bad. I play the good kind

 

JAMES ANDERSON
Saxopohones, assorted winds & strings

James Anderson, a multi-instrumentalist, grew up “Down South” playing mostly guitar and piano into his early teens.  In a small town outside of Nashville, Richard Griffin, an accomplished professional musician introduced jazz and the capabilities of the saxophone.   James continued his study of music in Memphis TN, at the Creative School for Performing Arts.  Musical influences include Grover Washington, Herbie Hancock, Sting, and Bela Fleck. When asked what instrument is his favorite:  the one that is being played.