Every once in a while musicians and vocalists who are all staggeringly talented in their own rite, come together to form a perfect band. That is the case with the latest Las Vegas Country Music rage known as Route 66! From the moment they begin playing, you know you are listening to authentic artists who are anything but new to entertaining audiences. Never playing to tracks and never missing a beat, this band gets dance floors filled and audience members rocking in their seats.
The band is lead by Jim Wise. His talents on the guitar combined with his sultry voice are setting Jim and his band apart from so many other performers. Jim is originally from Joplin, Missouri but spent nearly ten years of his life in Nashville, Tennessee as a recording artist. Among his accomplishments are a gold record and a video of the year for "Cowboy Cadillac." Performing in the video with Jim were Johnny Paycheck and the late great Waylon Jennings. a testament to some of the most legendary artists' faith in Jim's talent. Jim opened for other popular artists such as Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Thankfully he has now made Las Vegas his home where he continues to treat local audiences to some of his original songs as well as covers of both Country classics and the latest Country hits.
Route 66's lead female vocalist is Robin Vincent. As soon as she opens her mouth to sing, the audience sits up and takes notice. Her crystal clear, powerful voice is matched only by her energetic presence on the stage. Robin hails from San Diego, California where she trained in voice and theater. When she moved here to Las Vegas, it took very little time for her to be in demand among some of the most popular acts in the city such as Love Shack and now Route 66.
Another charismatic member of Route 66 is keyboard player and vocalist Debi Rogers who comes to us from all the way over in South Africa. Debi is also no stranger to the stage. She was hand-picked by the staff of Musicians Institute in Hollywood to train at their school. After graduating, she worked at Disney World and on the cruise ship circuit. In more recent years she has opened for such greats as Linda Ronstadt and now shares her talents with Route 66. Her versatility enables her to belt out tunes ranging from "Man I Feel Like a Woman" to "Landslide," a beautiful duet she performs with Robin.
On lead guitar is Ken Sobaszek from Buffalo, New York. Ken electrifies the stage with his lightening speed, dead on playing for Route 66. Ken has played in premier bands on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas.
Steering the bus along Route 66 is the powerful drumming of Tony Letizia. Tony has been playing in bands all over the west coast since he was 17 year old! It didn't take long once Tony moved to Las Vegas from Reno, Nevada to make a name for himself as a musician and singer. His precision on the drums keeps the band in tune, on time and energized. He plays both Rock and Country without missing a beat.
Finally, on bass is Ray Allaire from Tampa, Florida. Anyone who ever thought the bass player was "the quiet one in the back," has never seen Ray perform. You can tell by his energy and infectious smile, he loves every minute he is up on the stage. Aside from his incredible abilities on the bass, he has a voice that covers an unbelievable range. Ray slides easily from the soft and low ballad, "Need You Now" to the crystal clear notes of "Maria" demonstrating a voice that has been trained in everything from Country to Opera.
Route 66 is not a band made up of a few good musicians who simply carry the rest of the members. It is the culmination of six incredibly talented individuals who together have a chemistry that quite simply, works. They've already drawn a loyal following that continues to grow because the word is out: If you want outstanding LIVE Country music, hop in your car, truck, on your horse or Harley and head straight for Route 66!
