The EP Express Band Official MySpace Page

Music:

Member Since: 5/31/2007
Band Website: epexpress.net
Band Members:

TED HARRIS - VOCALS/ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Ted is a 25 year Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and currently serving with the U.S. Navy. He is a former high school Band Director, a songwriter and performer. He learned to play guitar at the age of 10 from his father. During the last few years he performed with different bands from Florida to Tennessee and recorded a CD in Nashville and right here in Memphis in Sun Studio. Ted's musical influences other than Elvis has been a long line of artists to include Mozart, Beethoven, Sousa, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Glen Miller, The Andrews Sisters, Buck Owens, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Carl Perkins, George Strait, the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many others.
RUSS NELSON - BASS GUITAR/VOCALS
Influences: James Jamerson, Jerry Scheff, Duck Dunn, John Paul Jones. Equipment: Fender Precision and Jazz Basses. Ashdown amplification and cabinets. Elixir Strings. Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi Distortion/Sustainer Pedal. Russ brings us a smooth bass technique that has augmented our group well and it's a pleasure to have him as a member of The EP Express. Russ is also a member of Memphis-based jazz fusion quartet, Spondoolicks.

JOHNNY MILLER - LEAD GUITAR
Johnny is a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, a songwriter, bass player, dobro player and guitarist with 35 years experience playing guitar. Johnny's first musical influence was traditional southern Gospel. Guitarists that have inspired Johnny's development are James Burton, Reggie Young, Chet Atkins, and Brent Mason. Although versed in many guitar styles, Johnny favors the clean "Telecaster" approach to guitar playing. Johnny has played in groups that have performed in Florida, Louisiana, and on 16th Avenue in Nashville; these venues include live radio and TV. Johnny is also the lead guitarist for local group Southern Bred. Johnny's talents bring so much to this group and we are fortunate to have him as a member of The EP Express.

JOHN BEAN - KEYBOARDS/VOCALS
John started piano lessons in the 2nd grade, played keyboards or bass guitar with several 80's bands covering the Cars, Brian Adams, .38 Special, Grand Funk Railroad, etc. In the 90's, he played piano for a country group called the Overnite Success, covering Alan Jackson, Alabama, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, etc. The last ten years John has played keyboards, guitar, or bass guitar in several church worship bands around Bartlett, TN...It is a treat to have John as a part of The EP Express.

ZACH ROBBINS - PERCUSSION
Zach has been playing drums for over 15 years, getting his start playing Southern Gospel in church before moving on to rock, blues, jazz, and country. Although his early musical influences consisted mostly of alternative rock bands, he had the opportunity to play with several world-class musicians within the jazz and blues genres over the past 10 years, which have greatly broadened his musical perspective. Musicians such as Willie Pettis, Larry Lee, Ronnie Stockdale, Mickey Gregory, and Ed Finney have all left marks on Zach's approach to music, although he credits his mother Dianne for instilling within him a love for music at an early age. In addition to playing with The EP Express, he also enjoys sharing the stage with his wife Erin in the Grace Community Church worship band. Zach brings a lot of energy and excitement to The EP Express and we are proud to have him as our primary percussionist.

CATHY HARRIS - VOCALS
Cathy is a retired veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy Reserves having served in both forces. Cathy is an outstanding vocalist and has performed for many years as a solo artist. She has performed with numerous choirs and is presently a member of The Praise Choir of the Christian Music group "For His Glory". She is also a songwriter, has recorded one of her songs in Nashville and performs almost every genre of music. She brings to the group her abilities to harmonize and offers a unique blend of color to our music with her abilities. Her influences include Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Enya, Linda Ronstadt, Pat Benatar and Reba McEntyre just to name a few. Cathy has played a great part in all of our back up vocals as well as lead vocals on some of our variety material and it's a joy to have her as a member of The EP Express.

LUCY BLACK - VOCALS
Lucy is another outstanding vocalist; lending her voice in her Church choir as a leading soprano and soloist. Her ability to hit those extreme high soprano notes is a wonder to us all. Lucy has also performed many times as a solo artist and has many years of solo experience. She is also a demo singer for Dennis Bourroughs a Christian song writer. Her influences include Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Alanis Morrisett and many others. Lucy continues to give us everything she has vocally with her harmonies and lead vocal abilities and we are very pleased that she is a member of The EP Express.

LAURA HARPER - VOCALS
A Memphis native, who has been singing since she was 5. She comes from a family of singers and performers. Her parents are one of her greatest influences because of the many different genre's of music they played for her as a child. She has studied under the direction of Ed Riddick at Bartlett High School and Karen Sanders of Bartlett, TN. Both well known in the area for their talents. Their direction helped to define her sense of harmony, making it easy for her to find the harmonics of any song and blending in well with it. Her style of music ranges from Italian and Latin arias to Country and Modern Pop. She is also a kindergarten teacher in the Cordova area and loves to bring the element of music, as a learning tool, into her classroom. Laura brings a lot of virsatility and great harmony parts and lead vocal abilities to The EP Express and we are excited to have her as a member.


VIRGINIA MILLER - SOUND TECH
A band of any kind is only as good as the person bringing out the best sound possible and we feel like we have one of the best there is. Virginia is one of the best sound techs that we have had the pleasure of ever working with. She knows how to get around a board like nobody's business and is the case with any of our sound techs she is the primary reason we are able to sound as good as we do. As if that wasn't enough, Virginia is also a fantastic vocalist as is evident with her other band Southern Bred in which she is one of the lead vocalist.