About the Tracers:With many years of collective experience, members of The Tracers have opened for B.B. King, Albert King, Earl King, Dave Mason, Johnny Rivers, Bobby "Blue" Bland, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Conway Twitty and Luther Allison. We provide music for you joy and entertainment in Northern Va, Wash D.C. metro are,, MD, Delaware, Pa, state-wide.Ruth (Ruthi) Johnsen - Vocals
Born to a musical Father who spent many years busking anywhere he could with his guitar and Irish Penny Whistle, Ruthi’s passionate love of music grew and blossomed. Ruthi began her singing career in the pubs of Great Britain, delighting and inspiring her audiences. Like most of the great blues and roots singers, Ruthi developed her voice by singing in the local church (which she continues to do to this day). Her smooth, sultry vocals can kick out the blues, then slide into a soulful ballad effortlessly; a rare thing these days. Ruthi knows which songs are right for her and makes, as she says, "my own thing of them." Her influences are too numerous to count, but include Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Ray Charles, Susan Tedeschi, Nora Jones and Eva Cassidy.Jack Spitz - Drums
Jack Spitz grew up in the DC area and from the beginning was exposed to the entire percussion family. He was in the Navy Band for four years and played numerous concerts, club dates, and tours of the US and Europe. After leaving the service, musical stops included New Orleans, Las Vegas, DC and New York. While in New York, Jack began to concentrate more on the Vibraphone, studied at The Collective Music School in Manhattan and privately with Fernando Hernandez-Moros and Dave Samuels among others. Jack played and recorded with numerous groups in the city on both drums and vibes. Jack has broad experience playing many different styles of music including jazz, rock, blues, country and many Latin grooves. He’s happy to be with The Tracers and looks forward to making some great music with the band...Wade Ammerman - Bass guitar
Wade began playing bass guitar in 1977, and has extensive experience. He studied under Ken McKenny, who now plays with The Lettermen. He received a music scholarship and studied music, concentrating on bass, at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). He played for years in EKU’s jazz band in the orchestra. During this time, Wade played in an up-beat dance band called Solitude. They toured extensively throoughout the Cincinnati "tri-state" area (Kentucky, Cincinnati, Indiana). In addition to Solitude, Wade has played in a myriad of jazz ensembles, variety and rock bands. Wade is an expert and is versed in various playing styles, from country to R&B.Steve Johnsen - Piano and Organ
Classically trained, with a broad background in the music industry, Steve has studied with a number of well respected masters, including: Ellen Wasserman, Oakland & San Francisco Symphonies and Dr. Anna Balakerskaia, former faculty member - Moscow Conservatory. He also possesses the rare destinction of being the only student of the late-great Charles "Merry Christmas Baby" Brown. In addition, Steve has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe with several major Blues and R&B acts, including W.C. Clark, Archie Bell and the Drells, and Lavelle White. He has also recorded for W.C. Clark and Jessie Taylor.Larry Burroughs - Guitar
larry has been playing guitar since he was ten years old and in bands since the age of 14. His influences include: Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Leslie West, Joe Pass, Jimmy Bruno, Lee Ritenour, Danny Gatton, and Tuck Andress. Larry began playing professional gigs when he was 14 years old, playing dances, parties, and the DC area nightclubs [he began playing before he was "the legal age"] For over twenty-five years, Larry has performed in a number of bands, playing fluidly in a variety of styles, from hard rock to country and from blues to jazz. During this time he also studied music theory to fine tune his skills, as well as taking jazz lessons with Paul Wingo. For the past few years, Larry has been focusing his energy on developing his own unique style and sound. During this time, Larry has also devoted much of his effort toward writing and recording.
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