Mike Guldin (Guitar, Vocals)
Mike started playing guitar and singing at age 16, inspired and infl uenced by blues legends Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Albert Collins, B.B. King as well as more contemporary artists such as the Allman Bros, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and the Rolling Stones. Also heavily influenced by R&B/Soul icons such as Sam & Dave, Booker T. and the MGs and the Stax sound, along with the southern-fried sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws and a slew of country artists. Having honed his craft playing in roadhouses, clubs, and bars for the last 20 years, his approach is that of a journeyman. Stinging guitar and soulful vocals are second nature for Guldin who has had the opportunity to open for such acts as Sam and Dave, Molly Hatchet and Roy Buchanan. Mike has also shared the stage with Delbert McClinton, Levon Helm, the Nighthawks, Little Milton, Shemekia Copeland, Son Seals,
Debbie Davies, EG Kight, Saffi re the Uppity Blues Women, Michael Hill and his Blues Mob, John Sebastian and Jimmy Vivino. All of these infl uences and experiences come together in the original tunes of his first release “Caught Between the Blues and a Heartacheâ€. The new release, “Roadhouse Rhythm,†takes it all to the next level. Combined with the raucous backing sounds of Rollin’ & Tumblin’, these inspirations are fully realized.
C.J. Clark (Bass, Vocals)
Attending Berklee College of Music VERY briefl y, CJ left to go on the road to make some much needed cash with one of several “Chicken-Circuit†bands. He joined Chuck Jackson in the early 70’s & toured the south. Later CJ became one of the “Philly-Sound†bassists in the mid-70’s doing mostly session work. He toured with Billy Paul until ‘79, with the OJays from ‘80 to ‘81, and with Sister Sledge from late ‘81 through ‘82 when CJ decided to “hang it up.†“Big, Bad, Dangerous Daddy†resurfaced to work with select Philadelphia jazz and R&B bands from 1984 ‘til present, including (thankfully) Rollin’ & Tumblin’.
Tim Hooper (Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals)
Classically trained on the piano, and self-taught on everything else. Through high school, Tim was educated in Great Britain, and later in the U.S., where he received his Music Composition degree from Haverford College. Tim not only holds down the keys, but also adds his unique jazz inflected guitar voice to Rollin’ & Tumblin’. Tim’s been playing with a variety of bands off and on for 25 years; he currently plays with R&T and Philadelphia’s legendary Soul Survivors.
Alan Howe (Guitar, Vocals)
Joining Rollin’ & Tumblin’ in 1998, Alan has succeeded in bringing his own guitar voice to an already-extraordinary band. Known for his “less is more†approach to the blues, Alan’s emotional playing style recalls his major infl uences: BB King, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, Jimmy Vaughan, Hollywood Fats, and a little Albert Collins on the side. In keeping with the ensemble spirit of the band, Alan enjoys being the third driving force in the rhythm section as much as his tasteful, soulful soloing. Groove is everything.
Matt McNally (Drums)
Matt came down with drum fever at age twelve with vigorous tapping on table tops and walls. His folks finally got him a kit at fourteen. Later he studied percussion formally at the Haddonfield Conservatory. An admirer of rock drummers as diverse as John Bonham and Danny Seraphine, he counts studio legend Hal Blaine as his strongest influence. When it comes to drumming, Matt eschews flash in favor of taste. "The pocket is the main thing", he says. Matt has played the local scene for many years in bands ranging from upstart original to country to funk/jazz. He has been a fixture at a number of long-running jams in the area, including the legendary Harleysville jam of the 1980s with Mike Guldin and Wayne Johnston. Nothing satisfies like a driving blues shuffle.
