Here Is The Bandl
Bob Adamcik, Guitar and Vocals
Bob, a true son of the Texas, is lead singer for the Heart. He grew up in Victoria on the Gulf
Coast, a town with only two AM radio stations..He still misses the late night car radio tuned to KNAL and listening to
Tommy Jackson's fiddle behind Ray Price.
Bob started playing the guitar at 15 and as a tyke was performing in local honky tonks. He loves both kinds of muisc, country and western. He'll be singing the angst of bar room love and swinging to the best of Bob Wills.
Bob lays down classic rythmn with his big old Martin flat top and 1936 Gibson L-7.
Karl Straub, Lead Telecaster Guitar
Karl, the monster songwriter and player that he is, has his own website HERE, at www.karlstraubmusic.com. Karl has been performing original songs since 1985. His former band, the Graverobbers, released 3 albums and 3 singles, as well as contributing tracks to various compilations. "Americana Motel," featured Straub's material, and a smorgasbord of local players and singers recorded his song "Don't Take Advice." The album was on the Wall Street Journal's top ten list for 2001, and the recognition by his peers helped garner Karl a Washington Area Music Association nomination for Songwriter of the Year. "one of the area's strongest songwriters"
-- Buzz McClain, Washington Post
In addition to Honky Tonk Heart, Karl performs with his own "Karl Straub Combo", a revolving cast of slumming jazz players. The live shows are always a little different, and always feature the compositions that inspired Pete Kennedy to call Karl Straub Washington DC's best songwriter.
Come hear Karl play the telecaster in "maximum twang" mode. Karl, along with Howard, shares responsibility for the Heart's solo work. Karl is the band's primary arranger.
Howard Parker, Pedal Steel Guitar and Vocals
Howard comes to the band after a 20 year stint playing bluegrass and swing resonator guitar. His bluegrass bio can be found HERE, at www.resoguit.com. Howard's fav color is BLACK. That goes for his guitars as well. He lugs around a recent vintage Carter double neck pedal steel configured with 8 pedals and 5 knees. Howard shares soloing responsibities with Karl. Howard and the steel are up front and center on stage as he contibutes the vocal harmony parts and keeps Bob in line...
Howard's musical heros include Buck Owens, John Hughey, Buddy Emmons, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Mike Audridge, Coleman Hawkins, Jerry Douglas, The Mills Brothers and a whole bunch of others. In general, he likes music with lots of attitude.
Jose', Acoustic Bass, Electric bass
We only know this person by the name "Jose'". We don't know where he lives. We leave gig info for him under a secret bush in Rock Creek Park. He's a heck of a bass player. We think he's part of a federal witness protection program..
He takes no musical prisoners.
Jimmy Gapinsky, Drums
Originally a Washington DC area native, Jimmy "Jimmy G" Gapinski spent a large chunk of his existence in Virginia Appalachia's region. It was here that he was exposed to the raw, rootsy sound of America's classic country, blues and bluegrass traditions. Jimmy augmented his school time as a radio personality, drummer and upright bassist. There were other less notable achievements. We'll decline to mention them here!
Giving up the mountain life for a job designing parking lots in our Nation's Capitol, Jimmy was lucky enough to happen upon the other fellows depicted on this page. The rest, as they say, is the stuff that urban ledgends are made of. When he's not eating Bob's food or helping pave America, Jimmy enjoys eating, sleeping, and watching live DC Roller Girl action.