Souled Out

Souled Out is enthusiastically lead by three dynamic performers whose vocals are unmatched! The seasoned R&B singers perform (complete with the dead-on vocals and smooth choreography) with the same panache and spirit as their Motown and Soul predecessors, backed by the Northeast renowned Souled Out Orchestra.

Fueled by a love and appreciation for the music of Motown and Soul, the seven-piece Souled Out Orchestra specializes in the great Soul sound.

The Souled Out Singers

Darryl Carter

Lead and Background Vocals

Darryl has been singing professionally for over 27 years. His extensive playing experience has found him singing with both local and national acts. He has shared the stage with bands such as The Chilites, Tower of Power, Temptations, Four Tops, the Spinners, and the O'Jays. He was even asked to join Kool and the Gang! Darryl has become an invaluable member of Souled Out where he has found the perfect arena to showcase his seasoned performing abilities.

Donald McCall

Lead and Background Vocals

Donald has been singing his whole life performing with many local groups as well as several local theaters. Before joining the Souled Out family, Donald sang with the group Secrets for many years.

Irving Lewis

Lead and Background Vocals

Irving grew up in an extremely musical family and started to sing at a very young age, performing in many local talent shows. He continued his love for music and has been a front man for nearly 26 years. The newest singer to join Souled Out (since April 2006), Irving has many vocal credits under his belt. He has performed all over the country with the band Victory, as well as singing in front of many notable local figures and for countless local charities.

The Souled Out Orchestra

Michael Ruscio

Musical Director/Arranger, Guitar, Background Vocals

With Motown being a major influence at an early age, Michael started performing at the age of four and has been on stage ever since. A multi-instrumentalist, guitar being the main instrument, he has played many different styles of music and has received accolades as a recording artist, producer, songwriter, and vocalist. Among Michael's greatest achievements was a record contract with Comstock Records and a single that charted globally, reaching 40 markets in 14 countries. Other accomplishments also include an instrumental ten song Latin-jazz flavored release "So Happy" in the Caribbean, a four song release in 1995 simply named "Michael R", a performance at the TNN studios in Nashville for the Charlie Daniels Show, songwriter and performance awards from Airplay International, and has recorded at Switchyard Studios in Nashville. Michael is a seasoned touring and studio musician and has performed throughout the United States and Canada headlining his own groups as well as recently performing in "The Best of Beatlemania" as George Harrison. Some of his "name dropping" credits include the band Chicago, Bill Champlain, Peter Wolf of the J Giels Band, Survivor, Neal McCoy, Gloria Gaynor, Peter Noone of Hermans Hermits and Carl Gardner Jr of the Coasters. He has also performed in and directed a Rock and Roll Revival show with Bo Diddley, Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, The Marvelettes and Wolfman Jack. Aside from guitar and vocals, Michael is also responsible for the musical direction and arranging of Souled Out's repertoire and shows.

Ricky Marshall

Drums

Ricky "The Powerstation" Marshall has been a driving force on the New England music scene for more than 30 years. He toured the country with Matt "Guitar" Murphy of the Blues Brothers. He has also toured North America and Asia with the very popular show band, New Star, and the regional favorites, Street Temperature and the Floyd Patterson Band. He boasts an extensive list of recording credits. Currently, Rick is a faculty drum instructor at the Community School in Springfield, MA.

Rudi Weeks

Bass

Rudi has been a professional musician and teacher of music for over thirty years. He has performed with such Motown greats as The Contours, The Crests, and Ronnie Spector, and Folk and Bluegrass legends Tom Paxton and Tony Trisca. He also toured internationally with the Dirty Dancing Concert Tour. His extensive free-lance performance and recording experience includes projects with over thirty ensembles, performing styles that range from Classical, Big Band Swing and Jazz; to World Beat, R&B, Funk and Rock. He has served as a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Performing Arts Division and Amherst College. He is an adjunct bass faculty member at Holyoke Community College Music Department. Rudi currently teaches bass at area music stores and from his home.

Pat Jennings

Keys

Pat is self-taught and has been playing since 1965. In 1973, he formed the band CANDY (Bowie/Cooper/All That Glitters tribute). He spent his early performance time working mostly in Canada with the band FANTASY (from '75-'77), GANGBUSTERS (a Beatles and Stones tribute from '81-'84), as well as playing keys and drums in IMPULSE (from '84-'90). He then started LIVE WIRE in 1990, playing locally. Pat's other credits include producing a radio jingle for congressman Marty Meehan and touring with Final Mix.

Rod Caron

Saxophone

Rod has been involved in music since a toddler, getting his kicks playing on a small air/reed organ (which, believe it or not, he still owns!) and eventually getting his first flute by age ten. His parents offered help and encouragement from the start and after receiving his flute, he immediately immersed himself in school bands, choruses, chamber singing groups, and eventually joining a rock band by age fourteen. He went on to graduate from Berklee College of Music, Class of 1985. Rod has been performing professionally since 1988. His early work consisted of being a lead singer of an eighties hard rock band, playing keys and flute/sax in reggae bands, and playing flute/sax in small jazz combos in the local Rhode Island area. In 1994 Rod joined Steve Smith and The Nakeds, staying with them until 2005. As a member of the Nakeds, he traveled throughout the US with Clarence Clemons, becoming heavily influenced by the "Big Man's" saxophone style. He has also shared the stage with such performers as Nils Lofgren, Gary U.S. Bonds, John Cafferty, Mike "Tunes" Antunes, Al Kooper, Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, and Mike Reno (Loverboy). Rod is also active in the studio, having worked on local, national and international projects that include releases by Jamaican artists Lutan Fyah and Turbulence. He also writes and arranges and has contributed material for Steve Smith and The Nakeds, Clarence Clemons, Turbulence, and many other projects. On a personal level, he has been a private pilot since 1993 and is a fourth degree black belt in Uech-Ryu karate, studying since the age of six years old.

Dave Stangarone

Trumpet

Dave is the newest member of Souled Out. A Graduate of Berklee College of Music in 95', Dave has had the pleasure of performing with Nat Adderly, J.R Robinson, Herb Pomeroy, Greg Hopkins and Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drummer for the Tonight Show Band). After school, he did some traveling, settling on cruise ships for a few years and cutting his teeth with such named acts as Ben Vareen, Tony Tillman, The Tolkens, The Coasters, 5th Dimension, Bobby Vinton, and other comedian and juggling acts such as Yakoff Smirnoff, and David Coulier (of Full house fame). Dave has also performed selections of shows like "Miss Saigon", "A Chorus Line", "Will Rogers Follies", "52nd Street", "Chicago", "Tommy" and many more. After 7 months in Spain working with The Drifters, Dave settled back home in Connecticut where he splits his time between Souled Out gigs and other freelance projects, including being an "In Demand show reader" among other creative endeavors. Dave is also a featured soloist for the Hartford Jazz Orchestra.

Brinna Jones

Background Vocals

Brinna comes from a musical family and has been performing most of her life, both singing and on the stage. Classically trained, she spent her youth learning to harmonize and sing all genres of music, from opera to country. She spent many years singing with an A Capella group as Lead Soprano, and studied madrigal and jazz choral music. Starting in 2002, she tried her hand as a front-woman, working with a Boston-based Show Band and enjoying the spotlight for a while. In 2005, Brinna's life-long love for singing Big Band and Jazz became a dream realized when she opened up for Bob Newhart, complete with a 10-piece orchestra behind her. She has also, in the last 5 years, worked with many different tribute artists, singing back-up for Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and Blues Brothers Tributes. She has several theater credits under her belt, as well as training in dance (namely Swing and Ballroom). With her choral training and her love for good quality music, she has come to feel right at home as a member of the Souled Out Orchestra.

The Part Time Players

Dan Hendrix

Trombone

Dan Hendrix studied music at the University of Miami where he majored in Jazz Studies and minored in Music Business and Studio Production. He currently runs a recording studio, teaches private music lessons, and plays in various groups around New England.

Pat Lennon

Trumpet

Pat is a graduate of Westfield State as a Jazz and Music Education major. His playing credits are highlighted with performances with Lew Soloff and the Drum Corp International. Pat has studied with many great trumpet teachers including Carlos and Jose Saloio, Dr. Karen LaVoie, and Tim Atherton. He is currently studying trumpet with Iron Mike Bogart of Tower of Power, and teaches music at Easthampton High School.