News Segment
JOE LYNN TURNER JOINS “HIT SQUAD”:
August 11, 2004
Joe Lynn Turner joins Ricky Byrd & Liberty DeVitto in “HIT SQUAD”Next Show: Saturday, August 14
New York, NY – Former Rainbow/Deep Purple vocalist, Joe Lynn Turner, has hookedup with Ricky Byrd (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Roger Daltrey, Ian Hunterband), longtime Billy Joel drummer, Liberty DeVitto and an all-star cast ofother musicians in Hit Squad. In between working on his 9th solo album andsession work, Joe is looking forward to having fun singing some classics thathe always loved. His first full-length appearance with Hit Squad is THISSATURDAY AUGUST 14.
The idea for Hit Squad was born last summer when Byrd and DeVitto had a casualconversation . It turned out they were off the road and itchin’ to play outlive! So they gathered up a bunch of “like minded pirates,” including JLT.Ricky elaborates on the concept, “We’re going to be playing the stuff we playedwhen we first started out, before the Business became part of the Music. Norecord companies, publishers, booking agents. This is about having fun, nostrings attached.”
The repertoire will consist of songs such as “I’ll go Crazy,” “Little Queenie,””Girl Can’t help It,” “My Girl,” “That’s How Strong My Love Is” and “Route 66.”Byrd continues, “And maybe, just maybe, we’ll throw in a few songs from ourrespective checkered pasts! I’m thinkin’ this is gonna be fun!!!” Liberty adds,”I think this is gonna be the most fun I’ve had playing in a long time!”Based on availability the revolving band consists of:
Liberty DeVitto – drums (Billy Joel)
Ricky Byrd – guitar & vocals (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Roger Daltrey, IanHunter)
Richie Cannata – horns (Billy Joel, Beach Boys)
Andy Burton – keyboards (Ian Hunter)
Andy York – guitar (John Mellencamp, Ian Hunter)
Joe Lynn Turner – vocals (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
Simon Kirke – drums (Bad Company, Free)
Kasim Sulton – bass & vocals (Joan Jett, Utopia, Meat Loaf)
Hugh McDonald – bass & vocals (Bon Jovi)
Charly Drayton – bass (X-pensive Winos, Michelle Branch)
Fernando Saunders – bass & vocals (Lou Reed, Jeff Beck)
Christine Ohlman- vocals (Saturday Night Live Band)
Arno Hecht – horns (Stones)
UPCOMING HIT SQUAD SHOWS:
Saturday, August 14th
The Downtownhttp://www.thedowntown.com/
9 PM
190 Main Street, Farmingdale NY 11735
(516) 293-7700
Farmingdale, New York
tonight…THE HIT SQUAD is
Liberty DeVitto – Drums – Billy Joel
Richie Cannata – Sax – Billy Joel
Ricky Byrd – Guitar & Vocals – Joan Jett
Joe Lynn Turner – Guitar & Vocals – Deep Purple
Hugh McDonald – Bass – Bon Jovi
Andy Burton – Keyboards – Ian Hunter
(NOTE: Joe is scheduled to sing most or all of the songs during this show)
Lisa Walker courtesy of www.tothemax1.com