Joe Turek, Lead Vocals/Bass/Guitar
Joe's sensitive lead vocals, hard-driving and melodic bass playing drive The Z Band. He is a natural performer and published songwriter with a long list of credits including the Las Vegas show circuit to concert tours. Joe played the Vegas circuit with The Tony Rome Show in the early 70's.

Joe was bass player and backing vocalist for St. Louis' own Mama's Pride. The group became one of the seminal bands in the growing Southern rock movement that included Lynyrd Skynrd, Wet Willie, 38 Special and The Allman Brothers. Tearing up the road, they earned the reputation as one of the hardest working and most musically inventive bands on the scene. Signed to Atlantic Records by the legendary Ahmet Ertegun in 1975, their first album was recorded in Miami at Criteria and produced by Arif Mardin. Joe was with Mama's Pride from August 1974 through October 1976. Joe can be heard playing and singing on both Atlantic albums from 1975 and 1976.  Little trivia: Joe and Timothy B. Schmidt are doing the high parts together on "Merry-Go-Round" on the second album.

While Joe was with the band, the Pride shared the stage with Bob Seger, The Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker, REO Speedwagon, The Outlaws, Kansas, Wet Willie, Loggins & Messina, Stephen Stills, Sparks, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Head East, Eric Carmen and many others.

Joe joined The Z Band in 1978. Joe handles all bookings and business matters for The Z Band.

Jim Stonebraker, Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jim joins The Z Band after 18 years of leading his own very successful group, Stonebraker. Jim began playing guitar in 1964 when first inspired by The Beatles. Jim’s many local groups include: King James and The Royals, The Malibu’s, The Imperi-els, Purple Martin and Magna Krunch. In the 70’s, several of his groups toured and opened for Alice Cooper, The Who, Ted Nugent and many others. Jim began studying Jazz and Classical guitar with the legendary music teacher, Frank Wahl. Jim co-authored the “Deluxe Anthology of Rock Guitar”, a guitar method for Mel Bay Publications and edited several other music publications and articles. Jim has been composing since the 1970’s and has also taught some of the area’s top guitarists. Visit Jim's website: www.jimstonebraker.com

Roy Hessling, Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Elvis
Roy joins The Z Band after 17 years with the popular King of Hearts Band. Roy and friend Darwin Seidel founded KOH in 1986. Roy brings his lead vocals and many stage personalities, including the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis. Roy’s impeccable tribute to Elvis is performed in costume. See the Elvis pictures!

Brian Wilkerson, Drums
Brian, a native of Jonesboro Arkansas was naturally overtaken by the notion of playing drums at a very early age. Somewhere around the age of seven he started banging out rhythms on trash cans turned upside down while using cut up pieces of fishing poles for drum sticks. After ignoring all warnings from friends and family, Brian pursued music as a profession after his junior year as a music major at Arkansas State University. Brian spent several years on the road during the early to mid 80's playing with different groups. He returned to St. Louis where he continued his career playing for the highly successful band "Stonebraker“. Brian also taught percussion at Drum Headquarters. After taking a break from the music business to advance his career as a systems consultant, Brian has regained his passion for playing the drums and is now doing studio projects and has just recently joined The Z Band.

Melissa, Lead Vocals
Melissa’s strong vocals and songwriting brings her into The Z Band family. Her roots are in Gospel and she now gives The Z Band an added dimension. Her range of styles takes her from Martina McBride to Mariah Carey.

Tom O'Brien, Sax/Flute
Tom received his Bachelor of Music in 1974 from the University of Missouri and taught instrumental music in the Wright City, MO school district for five years. Tom has played locally with The King of Hearts, Butch Wax & the Hollywood's, Night Riders, Collections, Showcase, Starfire, Midnight Pass, Backstreet, and now with The Z Band. Tom created an all original CD entitled "A Day in Forest Park" in 2001. In 2002 , Tom created "Holiday Saxes", a Christmas CD that he recorded, arranged, and played all the saxophone parts - soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones to form a saxophone quartet. Tom conducts the Troy Community Band, which gives five free concerts a year. 

Kevin Rauscher, Trumpet
Kevin has performed around the St. Louis area with many different groups, including Butch Wax and The Hollywood’s and Brown, Beans and Ham. Kevin is completing his degree in Musical Performance at SIU-Edwardsville.