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Ready to
unleash The United States Allstars for tour
As the longest
standing member and band leader for Grammy award winning
Buddy Miles and his Express and former band leader for
Riki Hendrix, Hammond B3 master Mark Leach AKA Muggie
Doo has put in the miles in the music business. As a
nearly lifelong touring and recording artist, it is
no surprise to hear he’s headed back on tour.
Mark “Muggie Doo” Leach, considered to be
one of, if not the founding father of Funk B3 will be
at it again beginning this May through December 2013
as Band leader of the all new “Muggie Doo &
The United States Allstars” Performing and recording
with artists like Buddy Miles, George Duke, Anna Popovic,
Chuck Rainey, Micki Free, Peter Frampton, Robert Lockwood
Jr., Tommy Shannon & Chris Leyton of Stevie Ray
Vaughan's "Double Trouble, Bernard Allison, Bobby
Rock, Johnny Taylor, Steve Smith (Journey), Phoebe Snow,
Barry Whites' "White Heat", George Moye, Heavy
Traffic, Cornell Dupree, Bruce Hornsby, Johnny Taylor,
Buzzy Lindheart, Dick Dale, The Fabulous Techniques,
Brian Auger, Frank Sinatra Jr., and the like. Mark has
definitely been leaving his "Mark" on the
live music industry for many years. With well over 9,500
national and international performances since the age
of six, Muggie is not too hard for you to find on the
music scene.
The United States Allstars Where in the World Tour 2012/2013
will kick off along the U.S. Eastern seaboard for a
16 day test run in early May and they are planning an
early August start to the first leg of the European
portion of the tour. Muggie's oldest son, Mark Parker,
former assistant to the Legendary Buddy Miles will be
in place as tour manager/ coordinator for the full tour.
Featured in the core band are Tommy Benson on guitar/vocals,
Ron McCode on alto and soprano sax, Bill Rabon on bass/vocals,
Robert Skinny Davis Steinberge on tenor sax/ keyboards
and Todd Walker on drums. With Muggie on Hammond B3/trumpet/timbales
and vocals along with featured guests from each tour
date locale, this is definitely going to be a road show
with some “magical extras.
The concept of “Muggie Doo & The
United States Allstars” as a touring group has been
on the drafting table for over seven years. When asked
why the near decade long wait, Leach had this to say, "I’ve
always intended for The U.S. Allstars to be my final touring
unit I would put my all into. I have every intention to
solely be with this unit from here on in. To me it was
very important to pick each and everyone involved with
The Allstars very carefully. If you look at it like I do,
you’re picking your new family for the rest of your
life. You’ve got to have players that can really
get to the audiences spirit, but I also need to have guys
that operate with unity as people. I mean, these guys have
hit the stage with people like Tinsley Ellis, Wayne Cochran
and BB king, They know the drill and know how to shine
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My bassist Bill is
not only the rock solid foundation that lets the rest of us
“do our thing” but also one of my favorite vocalists
I have worked with over the decades. Tommy Benson’s
approach to the guitar literally opens up new avenues to me
as an organist. He sees the colors of the music like few I
have worked with in the past. Ron McCode and Skinny Davis
are our core traveling horn section with Skinny doubling with
me on Keys and B3. They have a history together in past groups
and it shows, but nothing cracks me up more on stage than
when they play “scissors-paper and stone” to see
who solos next. A bunch a fools Muggie Laughs. I call them
the Hurricane Horns” but they have every intention on
re-naming themselves along the way. Todd Walker is our drummer
and a drummer’s drummer he is. We call him our Secret
Weapon and I'm going to leave it at that. Think I won’
t?”
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This band
knows what it takes to move the people and to touch
their hearts. I rely on them tooth and nail to make
this show astonishing and they bring something new to
the table daily. And of course everyone has got to keep
us all laughing all the way to the stage. No problem
there cause we'd get even more done if we could stop
laughing at each others foolishness.
I love my band and it doesn’t
hurt that they are funky like a bow legged Monkey. I’ve
never been so at home. My mentor and dearly missed friend
Buddy Miles would have loved this unit. We have built
this show by Buddy’s standards and I consider
it a tribute to his message and a continuation from
where he left off. Buddy was all about this nation and
it's opportunities for all. We have every intention
on representing, keeping the flag high and the eagle
flying however funky it might get along the way.”
These players are my musical family and I couldn’t
be more proud of them. The endless hours of work they
put in ain’t for the faint of heart. Our tour-building
schedule is grueling to put it mildly. I waited it out
until I knew we had the right stuff and let me tell
you, it was worth the wait. The tour will include appearances
in China, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Russia,
Israel and Africa along with much of Europe and of course,
the 50 states.
The United States Allstars Inc. has much more in their
vision than concert tours alone. The corporation goals
also include the founding of semi- retirement homes
for American “sidemen” of the music industry.
Mostly overlooked in their later years many of the sidemen
who have created the music behind name artists in our
country are literally let out to pasture when they are
no longer able to tour or record.
As you could assume, most touring and recording
sidemen have lived a life without any of the normal
securities such as life or health insurance and look
forward to no retirement income outside of what they
could save on a sideman’s salary. Muggie says.
Through donations and fan funding along with investments
we intend to build communities for these players with
private accommodations, public and private performance
areas, assisted living and other amenities to make retirement
a reality for those who have touched us with their talent
for so many years." |
The groups personal
management (Artist one Management.com) is an entity that was
also formed specifically for this endeavor, as was the band.
Staffed by Debra Lyn, William Jolly and Jon Dodson, their
hands will be seriously full for the next year and a half.
When asked about future goals for The United States Allstars
- A1M Manager Debra Lyn says "We're pretty determined
to have them rock The White House before Election Day."
As far as the A1M team, all Muggie had to say was Hard working
management that you like AND you can trust? Priceless! They
are a blessing to us and we love 'em!”
When it comes to what the show is all about Leach says with
a smirk, "Don't let the name fool ya.”The U.S.A.S.
is High Energy funky festival style Group and not at all the
sit down, black tie formal entertainment package one might
think from the name. We do about an even blend of original
material and many songs made famous by American entertainers
that are known worldwide. There’s a lot of improv and
these guys can groove like nobody’s business. We’ll
run from 6 to 16 pieces with the florida based “Mother
Chapter” unit depending on the venue but it's always
a big band sound wise”. Privately funded and operated,
The U.S.A.S is under it's own control and not affiliated with
or produced by any government agency. We are all about our
BLUES, FUNK, JAZZ and ROCKin soul, in living color with some
of The United States strongest entertainers hard at work/.
THE UNITED STATES ALL
STARS are in a never ending state of auditions and always open
to unique talents from across the nation. The band is being
built in "chapters" and is designed to
be able to deliver several concerts simultaneously. We have every
intention of being the largest membership band on the planet
with chapters in each state.
You can find more on Muggie and The U.S. Allstars on Youtube’s
Muggiefans channel , WhereintheWorldTour.com, theOrganPlayer.com and Artist1Management.com If
you are interested in an audition in your region contact U.S.A.S.
By E_MAIL @ USAS@USA.com with a brief Bio and photo. All applicants
will receive a response.
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