Band Bios   Buttercup Born 10-13-1951. Passed away August 29, 2008. Bandleader and  lead singer. Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Grew up hearing his dad's band rehearse at home every Wednesday night and when they'd take a break he'd pick up the instruments and play! Plays a number of instruments including trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums. Raised on Country and Rock. Joined Clutch in 1974. The Heart and Soul of the band for more than 30 years. His impersonations of Roy Orbison and Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers have long thrilled Clutch fans. Ricky "G" Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Ricky's interest in music became apparent at an early age. He learned to play the guitar at age 12 and was singing in restaurants and nightclubs in New York at age 16. His musical influences were Elvis, The Beatles, Neil Diamond and Bobby Darin. Ricky's early roots in musical theater and summer stock included lead roles as "Tony" in West Side Story and "Sid" in The Pajama Game. He also had roles in Lil' Abner and Bye Bye Birdie. Ricky moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1978 where he performed as a single act in hotels and nightclubs. In 1986 he met Buttercup and "Clutch" while singing with another band on the same circuit. He joined Clutch in 1989 but left due to personal reasons in 2000. He is very happy to be back with his 2nd "family" and all his valued friends and fans. The Captain Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and officially a US citizen since age 18, the Captain was permanently warped while viewing a particular Ed Sullivan Show telecast in 1964. He did not begin to "get serious" about the guitar until 1971 when he began teaching himself to play. Later influences included Wishbone Ash, Crack the Sky, Dixie Dregs and Stevie Ray Vaughan. After years of playing with different original and cover bands in his home state of Louisiana, in early 1993 the Captain came across an ad in Musician's National Referral placed by a band called "Clutch." He was lucky enough to be accepted into the family and stayed until October 1998. During his time away from Clutch, he also worked with current Clutch members Bobby and Ricky "G" in the showband Double Talk. The Captain rejoined Clutch for the New Years Eve performance in 2005-2006 (playing "bassist" for the first time ever for the legendary Jumpin' Johnny Flame's guitar...thanks for putting up with me, Jumpin'!! It was a pleasure!), and he is thrilled to finally be back where he belongs! Bobby Holiday Bobby has been playing drums since he was 16. Early in his career he played with many of the Carolina beach bands, backing many of the oldies groups such as the Platters, the Drifters, the Shirelles, Clifford Curry, Billy Joe Royal and many others. In the early '70s he toured with the incredible Jackie Wilson. He joined Clutch in 1995. After a brief vacation he's back and plans to stay for a long time. Bobby's dead-on impersonations of Hank Williams Jr. and Doctor John are regular highlights of most Clutch performances. Big Al Al was born in 1959 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Started playing trumpet at age 12. Auditioned for the Army band at age 17 and failed; joined the Army anyway as a rod and line man for a survey crew. At age 20 spent a year in college as a music major; dropped out and joined the circus! Played trumpet and trombone for 5 years in various circus and magic show bands. Played trumpet and trombone and "Jimmy Buffett"-style guitar ever since (single, duos and bands). Al joined Clutch in December 1998. His tribute to "Buddy Holly" and his incredibly accurate imitation of Dan Aykroyd as "Elwood Blues" have continued to amaze Clutch fans for almost 10 years. Johnny Bravo Johnny was an entertainer with a wide variety of experience, listing credits that include over 40 years of roadwork, playing resorts, clubs, casinos, showrooms and concert stage productions. He's recorded tracks in many different studios including the famous Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Co., opened stages for B. B. King, Ray Charles, The Vogues, The McCoys, Cactus, Sha Na Na and Lonestar, (to name a few...), and played guitar for one-nighters with the Platters and Percy Sledge. Besides studying music in college, Johnny has also worked as a sound engineer, lighting designer and did some work behind the mixing console for a U. S. Olympic Committee commercial in Colorado Springs with the U. S. Air force Academy band and singers. More recently he spent a year playing guitar for country recording artist Tedd Graves and has spent the last 10 years as one of the many front people in Clutch, where he developed an almost legendary "Rod Stewart" impersonation. Incapacitated with a stroke in summer 2006, Johnny passed away October 16th, 2008, but remains a member of Clutch in spirit, and we miss him very much. Charlee Born in Indiana, Charlee spent most of her growing years in Kentucky. Her earliest memories of singing at age 7 were in the family den performing for her parents, brother Kent, and a big lab named Crackers; with a hair brush as her microphone and tap shoes on her feet to keep the beat, she would sing every "Osmond Brothers" song on the album. Years of dance training steered her ambitions into teaching. "Owner and instructor of a dance studio was definitely rewarding, but I never lost that urge to sing and perform." Charlee added, "I always admired Marie Osmond for her talent and often wondered how much fun it must be to sing with all those brothers. Well, now I know!" Charlee is the only girl with 9 guy band members. In Kentucky Charlee was part of a gospel duo called "Majestic." She sang back-up vocals in Nashville, TN. for various recording artists. After moving to Panama City Beach, FL. in 1999, she choreographed, directed, and performed in the Miracle Strip Theme Park shows. In 2003, Charlee's choreography won the prestigious small theme parks highest award. Charlee's friend and former Clutch member C.C. put together an "impersonators" girl duo called "The Sweet C's." Charlee began her "characters" from that group and has expanded her impersonations to include Dolly Parton, Reba, Brenda Lee, Rizzo from "Grease," Connie Frances and many others. Charlee's stage debut with Clutch was on April 7th, 2004. "I thank God for 'My Little Angel,' Diann. She and Buttercup have given me the opportunity of a life time. I love our Clutch family, and my Clutch brothers are The Greatest." Erik Erik, Clutch's keyboardist extraordinaire, hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and has played with many professional acts during his long career; including stints with Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show ("Sylvia's Mother," "Cover of the Rolling Stone," "A little bit more," etc.) and the Double Talk Show band with Clutch members Bobby Holiday, Ricky "G" and The Captain. Besides his incredible prowess with keyboards and synthesizers, Erik's tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis is a highlight of most Clutch shows.