MEET THE BAND

Guitar/Vocals

Jeff picked up the guitar in the 70’s when some friends were starting a band and he just never put it down. He has a real passion for the music and loves to share that enthusiasm. “I love feeding off the audience”, he says. That’s what makes it all worthwhile!” He says his bandmates bring a lot of talent and are very versatile, which allows him to play a number of styles from acoustic to electric and slide guitar, harmonica and vocals.

Lead Guitar

Rich has been playing lead guitar since he was in middle school and is a very versatile musician. His influences range from rock, to blues, to country, to classical music. He has been with The Blue Ridge Sky Band since 2018. His technical skills on the Telecaster and his Gretsch Black Falcon come shining through. Those lead riffs are what you recognize and what brings those songs home to you. They are the melodies that you whistle and hum during and long after you hear the band play, and which put that smile on your face.

Drummer

Jim has played many genres of drums in his career from Rock and Roll to Rhythm & Blues to Soul, Jazz and Funk. He also brings that knowledge and experience that is evident in a seasoned musician, which helps us choose songs that work well within the range and talent of the band. Jim is another great addition to the band and has been guiding us since 2018.

Bassist

Christian is a multi-talented musician who has played piano, keyboards, guitar, violin and cello. In the band though, he pretty much sticks to the bass. His bass not only fills in the lower register, but also works with Jim on the drums to keep that driving beat that keeps the band in time. Christian is also one of those people that has a very highly trained ear that can hear each instrument in the band individually within their range. This allows him to critique and blend our instruments and vocals into a very cohesive unit called The Blue Ridge Sky Band.

Keyboard

Yumi started playing music at a very early age and is a classically trained pianist. She is a graduate of the Shobi University School of Music in Tokyo, Japan. Yumi enjoys playing various genres such as classical, jazz, blues, pop, and rock. She has performed as a soloist at wedding receptions, private parties, afternoon teas and military events, as well as the keyboardist for several rock bands. Yumi has recently performed with several “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Winners” in Baltimore and Tokyo. She is a regular performer in the National Capital Region and rocks the keyboard in the Blue Ridge Sky Band. She enjoys performing with her band mates for incredibly wonderful audiences. Her hobbies include traveling, cooking, exercise and studying foreign languages.