Larry Spencer originally hails from Columbus, Ohio. He moved to Texas to pursue masters degree from North Texas State and was immediately recruited to play in the top professional bands working in Dallas. Shortly thereafter, Larry was considered an "A-List" player and was chosen for many of the recording studios, He has been a member of many big bands, including the Buddy Rich Big Band.

​

Larry called upon his friends who were former members of other studio bands to form the Rock Ridge Big Band - an 18 piece big band that is a favorite at the Songbird.

Lynn Seaton is a professor at UNT and is considered by his peers to be a world-class bass player. Teaming up with Gerhard Klaus (a spectacular jazz guitarist) the tandem forms the "String Kings", a staggering pair. They are augmented by Peter Rioux and Rich DeRosa, also top-level musicians.

​

Lynn was a member of the Grammy winner Count Basie band for years, and the with the Woody Herman Big Band. He then toured with Tony Bennett for 4 years. Lynn has recorded over 250 projects.

Tom Burchill is a professional guitarist, acclaimed teacher and award-winning jazz band director,  gifted arranger, and composer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. An active freelance guitarist, he performs frequently throughout the metroplex, and has impacted many lives through his teaching and his music. 

Tom has performed with

Clark Terry, Peanuts Hucko, Joey Defrancesco, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, Marcel Ivory, David Fathead Newman, James Clay, Marvin Stamm, John Fedchock, Bill Watrous, and Phill Woods among others.   

​

Altogether, his former students have won more than 10 Grammy awards and have gone on to play with such artists as Snarky Puppy, Count Basie Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, The Lincoln Center Band, Leon Bridges, Miranda Lambert, Kirk Franklin, Toby Keith, Erika Badu, Prince, Snoop Dogg, Frank Foster, Mumford and Sons, Tedeschi Trucks, and Sheryl Crow.   

Fort Worth, Texas' own Quamon Fowler received the 2001 VSA International Young Soloists Award, which afforded him his first em performance at the Kennedy Center. The next two years he returned to the Kennedy Center with the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program. We first learned of Quamon's talents when he accompanied Sandra Kaye's band at the Songbird.  We have had our eye on him ever since.