Homegrown Band - The Smyth County Jam welcomes this very unique, hard-driving band. They are a vast change from a steady diet of Bluegrass music. The band members are:
Ken Vickers who is spokesman for the group, and hails from Bristol. He has been playing guitar for forty-five years, he is also an excellent singer. Ken is a semi-retired truck driver. He has a musical background with many family members who play/played music. Ken is single with no children. He says his favorite musicians are Darrell Scott and New Grass Revival Band.
Next we welcome Tom Antenucci, originally from Ohio, now practicing law and living in Abingdon, Virginia. Tom is quite the accomplished mandolin player and one of the best harmonica players ever to grace our stage (he has been here before). He also handles vocals quite well. Tom puts his "all " into his music whether he is playing before a couple of people or a large audience. He says he admires the harp playing of Little Walter (blues) and Charlie McCoy (country).
Calvin Woodward comes from Abingdon area, where he was born and raised. He says he has been playing about thirty-five years. He plays guitar and bass and does some vocals too. Calvin is a retired truck driver. He has one daughter and one granddaughter. The late well-known fiddler, Leroy Canter , was a cousin of his. Calvin says he admires the music of Mel Street and Merle Haggard.
Doug Robinson is from Chilhowie and plays drums exclusively. He has been "drumming "since he was about five years old, when he began banging pots and pans together to make his brand of music! Doug works as a design engineer. He has played with several local bands including "Royal Flush" over the years. Doug has two grown sons. He says everyone on both sides of his family play or played music. Doug says his influences are Ringo Starr, Joe Morello and John Bonham.
Junior Rose is from Bristol, Virginia. He plays a variety of instruments including dobro, mandolin, guitar and dulcimer. He has played music since 1974; dobro since 1979. Junior's grandfather, Ray Smithey, from Mendota, was an old time claw-hammer banjo and fiddler, who along with an uncle Lewis Smithey (A Scruggs style banjo picker) taught Junior how to play. Junior has one daughter and one grand-daughter. He likes the music of The Beatles, John Hiatt and Phil Ledbetter.
