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Soul Gravity
is the right band for a memorable night of fun times and high
energy music. They have built a reputation for passionate live
performances and have a large repertoire of fantastic material
so each show is always new and exciting. The band mixes
a bit of acoustic rock sensibilities with contemporary rock grooves
and then tops it all off with some fat guitar edge, tight vocal
harmonies, and excellent musicianship, all the while creating
a great party atmosphere.
The members
of the band have spent most of their lives playing music and touring
both regionally and nationally. It shows in every aspect of their
live performances. Lead singer, John Trupp, was a member of New
Potato Caboose, a band that toured the US for years and released
a major label recording. Working the states, John learned what
works best when you get good folks together who are ready to party.
The band is
perfect for events large and small, catering to the expectations
of the crowd and the event. For a more intimate event the group
can also perform solo acoustic or duo as well. The group can also
do a mix of the two if that is what your event calls for and are
always flexible on songs, sound, lighting, and scheduling. If
there's something you really want, just ask!
Soul Gravity
has a unique, energetic and fresh approach that gives their music
an original and progressive flavor. The spontaneity of their shows
and symbiotic interaction with the crowd make for an enjoyable
and memorable event of not just music but of experiences of the
moment - something extraordinary that will never be the same on
any given night.
John
Trupp — Lead Vocals & Guitar
John is a musician-songwriter
and native of the DC music scene. Early on, he joined a nationally
touring group called New Potato Caboose - what fun. After years
of road warrior touring, NPC was signed to Rykodisc and having
sold tens of thousands of cds, broke up shortly after. He then
formed The True - a modern funkish rock ensemble with memorable
hooks and forgettable looks. MCA bankrolled a development deal
resulting in an untimely break up after years of regional touring.
That's the biz!
He
had great times recording albums with John Alagia and Doug Derryberry
and made a bunch of cds with various artists. He performed with
their band live and on their cd Reinvigorating the Wheel. He also
jams with Radio Mosaic and produced, mostly wrote, and performed
on their 2 CD releases "Roll" and "Look Around."
Radio Mosaic also has a new dvd from their MHz TV performance.
He also made a solo
record called "Beware of the Dogma" while in between
The True and Radio Mo and just made another CD called Karma Electric
where he produced, performed and wrote all the music and also
designed the cd. Yeah, we know, woop-d-doo.
John has many songs
placed in movies and and soon coming to televison. He has been
invlovled with Front Row Music TV and will be hosting a show called
"In the Studio". Other television projects are in the
works.
John's lovin' life,
rockin' out with his pals in Soul Gravity. John has known Tim
for many years but feels like he's known the other guys forever,
too. All the boys in Soul Gravity just groove so well together.
John loves the vibe of this band and that they can play just about
anything. So fun! :-)
Tim
Pruitt — Guitar & Vocals
More
a veteran of the Baltimore music scene than Washington's since
the mid-eighties, brings a sound to Soul Gravity that can vary
from Blues to Bluegrass and from Country to Rock and Roll and
all points in between.
Tim
has played the Baltimore club and party scene since 1986 with
Frankentractor (formerly The Swilltones), Kwyjibo, and Snake Oil.
Tim played guitar on some East Coast tour dates with New Potato
Caboose throughout 1991 and 1992. Tim continued to play in the
Baltimore club scene in the blues band Medicine Rattlers. Tim
has been playing together with John in Radio Mosaic since 1998.
Tim gets to play all of the styles of music that he enjoys with
Soul Gravity and it "gives [him] the chance to make music
with an extremely talented bunch of guys."
Jeff
"Spaceman" Spencer — Bass & Vocals
Jeff spent his formative
years touring nationally playing guitar and bass in multiple bands.
His early influences were Hendrix, Santana, John McLaughlin, Stanley
Clarke and Herbie Hancock.
The
first time he touched a bass he was in his first club band playing
weekends at the animal-lodges (moose, eagles, etc) at the age
of fourteen after playing guitar for two years. Between songs
at a practice he picked up the Fender Precision bass and started
playing it, the bassist said “I didn’t know you played
the bass too.” To which he replied, “I’ve never
touched one before.” But he had a natural feel for the instrument
and the grooves came pretty easily to him as he continued to make
his living playing guitar and bass for well over a decade after
he turned eighteen and went on the road.
Jeff arrived in the
DC area in the nineties and has played with some well known artist
in this region since that time. He played bass for the Mary Shavers
Band, played guitar at a duo gig for the summer with the fabulous
MaryAnn Redmond, continues to work with Xyra Harper-Cann in gig
and recording projects and recorded a CD with Firefall’s
(of “You are the Woman” fame) Larry Burnett. Larry’s
big hit song with Firefall was “Cinderella.” It was
in 2001 with the Larry Burnett project that Jeff met Ron Smith,
the drummer for Soul Gravity as well as Wade Matthews who was
THE premier bassist in the DC area Wade was the bassist for the
Nils Lofgren band and the first-call session bassist for studio
gigs all up and down the east coast. Although Jeff was the guitarist
for the Larry Burnett project, he subbed as a bassist for many
gigs that Wade could not make because he was just too booked up.
That is how Jeff met Mary Shavers.
Jeff and Ron have known
each other and been playing together since 2001 now so even though
“Soul Gravity” is a new band, it doesn’t sound
that way. You can just tell when a rhythm section is tight and
with Ron and Jeff the groove is always locked. Add to that John
Trupp and Tim Pruitt, who also have a long history, and what you
have is a brand new band that is fresh and exciting but sounds
like it’s been together for a long time.
Ronnie
"Ronstar" Smith — Drums & Vocals
Ronnie got bit by the
rock and roll bug early, around 8 years old, and by 10 was drumming
on any surface that he could find. Got his first drum at 12 and
proceeded to teach himself to play. He also started playing the
guitar around the same time and still can't put it down! He moved
to Austin, TX. at 18 and played in a few bands there, then moved
to Boston to attend The Berklee College of Music for a few years,
attaining their Diploma in Professional Music. Left school and
ended up playing 275 nights a year traveling thru out the mid-Atlantic
region. After several years of this, he switched to part time,
working on mostly original singer-songwriter type material and
doing a lot of studio recording.
He
has had the opportunity to work with some really GREAT musicians.
In the mid-90's, he started the band ZIP with local singer/songwriter
extrordinaire Cal Everett (Four Out of Five Doctors). They were
together around 5 years, made a great album together, and were
featured on the last WAMA "Best of DC Artists"
album in 1997. Shortly thereafter, he joined The Larry Burnett
Band for a couple years and helped make another great album. Larry
is one of the original singer/songwriters from the Rock band 'Firefall',
and writes some GREAT songs. Currently, he's playing with Soul
Gravity, Jonny and the Stingrays, The Deeme Katson Band, Doug
Pritchett and Friends, the Tender Polman Band, Greg Reges, and
a few others. He also does "fill-ins", studio work,
and teaches Drum and Guitar Lessons. Ron is also an avid vintage
drum and guitar collector.
Some of the bands
he's worked with, are: Tomorrow's Dream, Spyce, The Locust, Face
it!, The Shake, The Regenerators, Boss Crow, The Spankmasters,
Wall to Wall, The Greg Reges Band, Steve Murphy, ZIP, The Larry
Burnett Band, Tommy Lepson and Lazy Boys, The Deeme Katson Band,
Perry and Polman, The Cactus Liquors, Walnut Grove, Rita Rocks,
Xyra, Karl Stoll and the Danger Zone, Jonny and the Stingrays,
Soul Gravity, Wood'n'Steel, Radio Mosaic, and a whole BUNCH more...
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