Elmo And The Shades

"ELMO" LEE THOMAS (VOCALS, GUITAR, HARMONICA)

This big voiced singer has been the driving force behind one of Memphis and the Mid-South's most popular bands, Elmo and the Shades, for over twenty five years. The Memphis native has gained a reputation as a high energy blues shouter and soul screamer. Long recognized as one of the regions top harmonica talents, (twice nominated for NARAS's Premier Player Awards) he is equally capable of lighting up the stage with his roots inspired guitar approach. A presence on stage, this showman always creates an atmosphere of fun. His credits include concerts, festivals, parties, as well as session work .As a songwriter, Elmo Lee penned the majority of songs on the groups debut CD "Blue Memphis" .He has performed on National Public Radio's Beale Street Caravan on numerous occasions as a well as an appearance on Bud Light's "Spotlight on Memphis" national television commercial.Performing blues proffesionally in Memphis since 1979,Elmo is a tireless veteran of the Memphis live music scene. He is also the harmonica accompanist to world renown and Grammy winning blues historian and recording artist Dr. David Evans. Elmo Lee also performs with Dr. Evans in Memphis's own Last Chance Jug Band. As a frontman for the Shades, this real Memphis blues man brings a unique pespective to the blues as well as anything else he does. He just knows how to entertain and have fun. Elmo, and his band, Elmo and the Shades, are considered by many in Memphis, the Mid-South, and the world to be a Memphis music tradition.


CHARLES "SKIP" PITTS (GUITAR, VOCALS)

The word legendary is not used lightly when describing this famed Memphis guitarist. Skip got his start in the early sixties as guitarist and bandleader with Gene Chandler (Duke of Earl). He soon became guitarist and bandleader for Wilson Picket and the Midnight Movers until 1969 when Skip joined The Isley Brother's Band. Skip's guitar can be heard on their greatest hit"It's Your Thing". In 1970 Skip was hired to perform on the theatrical release "Shaft" by Isaac Hayes. The wah-wah guitar intro on "Theme from Shaft" was created by Skip and very instrumental in Isaac Hayes winning the Academy Award for this 1971 release. Skip was a member of the Isaac Hayes Movement throughout the seventies and was guitarist and bandleader for Issac Hayes at the time of his passing in August of 2008.Skip was on the A-list
of session calls at Stax performing on hits by RufusThomas("The Breakdown"),The Temprees("This is Dedicated to the OneI Love") ,The Soul Children, Albert King, and Luther Ingram just to name a few. Skip appeared in the 1973 documentary "WattStax" ,Truck Turner, and still performs in movies today. His latest movie credits include "Barnyard","Forty Shades of Blue","Black Snake Moan",and "Soul Men" featuring Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson.Skip is also the voice of Memphis's police ad campaign "Blue Crush". His distintive vocal stylings also bring a unique element to the group. Howlin Wolf's got nuthin on Skip in the vocal department.
Skip still performs with many of the R&B icons from the sixties and seventies,Memphis based group The BoKeys, and of course the legendary Memphis band Elmo and the Shades. Skip is the real deal.



TOMMY LEE WILLIAMS(SAX, FLUTE, PERCUSSION, VOCALS) ::

Tommy Lee is musician of legendary stature. Born in Eads TN ,Tommy Lee's first band was a local group known as The Impalas whose members included what later would become, The Hi Rhythm Section. He then went on to Tennessee State University on scholarship ,played with many Nashville R&B groups and was a member of The King Kasuals, featuring a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar.After a stint in the army, at the invitation of Andrew Love of Memphis Horns fame, Tommy Lee became a fixture at Stax records. His horn and flute prowess can be heard on many Otis Redding songs including "Dock of the Bay", as well as the entire Stax catalogue of such notable artists as Sam and Dave(Soul Man, Hold on I'm Comin) and EddieFloyd (Knock on Wood). Other songs of note Tommy Lee appeared on were The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There", Isaac Hayes's "Shaft", as well as arrangement and performance credits on Albert King's legendary album "I'll Play the Blues for You". Tommy Lee joined The Isaac Hayes Movement in 1970 and appeared in the 1973 documentary "Wattstax". Tommy Lee,for many years, played locally for former Stax recording artists Eddie Harrison and the Shortcuts .Tommy Lee joined Elmo and the Shades in 1996 has been a crowd pleaser from day one. Tommy Lee can blow!!!

MICKEY GREGORY(TRUMPET,VOCALS) ::

Mickey spent the early part of his career playing behind such legendary Rhythm and Blues artists as Rufus Thomas (original member of the Bearcats), Little Richard, Hank Ballard, and many other notables of the era. In the early 60's he was one of the first musicians contracted to perform on the Satellite label later to become known as Stax Records. Mickey continued his association with Stax as a session player as well as other responsibilities until the labels demise in the mid-seventies. Mickey’s trumpet can be heard on the entire Stax catalogue of such legendary artists as Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, and many of the cuts of Otis Redding, Johnny Taylor, and to many others to name here. A close associate of Isaac Hayes since before the Satellite days, Mickey joined the Isaac Hayes Movement and played on most of the Hayes catalogue at Stax including the megahit "Shaft" and appeared in the documentary "WattStax". Mickey served as one of the Movement's band leaders in charge of contracting strings and horns .Mickey is also a songwriter of note having penned "Drowning on Dry Land" (Albert King) and "Good Love Six Nine Six Nine"(Isaac Hayes) a song featured in the animated theatrical release "South Park: The Movie" .Mickey, also an accomplished jazz musician, is still creating Memphis music history.

JOHN GROESSE (BASS GUITAR,VOCALS) ::

John is a native of Los Angeles but relocated to Memphis in the early seventies with his band Magpie to pursue a true understanding of the blues as well as explore the opportunities the Memphis music scene had to offer in this time period. In L.A. he worked at Capital Records and had production and performance credits on projects that included Steve Miller ,Charlie Musselwhite, Dave Mason, and many others While in Memphis he played with his critically acclaimed group Magpie and has worked with such Memphis stalwarts as Randy and The Radiants and Coon Elder with Brenda Patterson. John sings background and has a complete understanding of the term pocket in his approach to playing bass.

STEVE POTTS(DRUMS)

Anchoring the band is Steve Potts, whose reputation on drums was solidified when the surviving members of Booker T and the MG's asked him to replace their late drummer,Al Jackson. Steve's recent performance credits include tours with
Steve Cropper, Greg Allman, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Neil Young, Buddy Guy, Winona Judd, Cat Power and The Blues Brothers. Steve also appeared in" Blues Brothers 2000". Steve is primarily known for for his studio prowess.Playing on a multitude of hits out of Memphis, he is considered one of the top session players in the world. His studio credits include Booker T.and The MG's, Al Green, Tony Joe White, Albert Collins, Luther Allison, Winona,The Blues Brothers and of course Elmo and the Shades among many others. A perennial winner of N.A.R.A.S.'s Premier Player Award in Memphis,Steve is the definition of pocket and truly one of Memphis's musical treasures.