Reunion Band

The Singers

Andrew Coy, Jr., Lead Vocals

Close your eyes when Andrew sings and you'll swear you're listening to the record. Andrew possesses the uncanny ability to cover the most popular voices of our era -- from the great Motown artists to rock's legends -- with convincing clarity and excitement. And just wait until you hear him belt out a ballad like "At Last." Pure bliss. When he's not wowing crowds with his vocal pyrotechnics and general gregariousness, Andrew enjoys his retirement (he served the federal government as a correctional officer at the Bastrop Federal Penitentiary) and lives as an important member of the Bastrop community. On stage, as he was at the Big House, Andrew is clearly an arresting personality. Andrew joined the original Reunion in 1973, shortly after it formed.

Lorrie Singer, Lead Vocals

lorrie.jpg (11335 bytes) Sometimes you just need a woman's touch. Lorrie's got it as she's demonstrated in bands across the country. Now she's in Austin putting her extensive vocal resume to work on such faves as "Respect" and "I Will Survive." Her duets with Andrew are, to put it simply, thrilling. As the newest member of the Reunion family, Lorrie, who also heads the Lorrie Singer Band, is taking Reunion's always-crisp sound to exquisite new heights. Go to Lorrie's website.

The Horns

A blast of sound, a choreographed gesture, a dance step, fire. Reunion's Showtime Horns set the band apart from other "horn bands." Unlike most brass sections which are mere window dressing for the rest of the band, Reunion's horns take center stage -- and steal the show. Unbridled energy and limitless fun are their trademark. You may even find them on the dance floor with you. Watch them get down!

Sam Jeffrey, trumpet/vocals/bandleader...Sam, along with trombonist Kelly Hodge, founded Reunion in 1971. The first-chair trumpeter at McCallum High School followed in his dad's footsteps by performing in a dance band. It's proven quite a run for Sam. An executive at 3M in Austin, Sam is the band's booking representative and business manager. An accomplished musician and arranger, Sam's style and affability have made him one of Reunion's most-watched and most-loved members.

wpe7.jpg (5736 bytes) Kelly Hodge, trombone/guitar/vocals...Kelly took up trombone after hearing Chicago in 1970. It was a wise decision. In 1971 he joined fellow brassman Sam Jeffrey to form Reunion and he hasn't looked back. Today, Kelly works with Sam and Stephen Jeffrey to give Reunion a special look as well as a special sound. The flashy disco lights which illuminate the Reunion show are the result of Kelly's design and direction. Kelly is a writer, webmaster of this site, and actor living in Austin.

Stephen Jeffrey, trumpet/bass/vocals...It was inevitable that "Steve-o" would become a member of Reunion in 1998 when he turned 18. Like his father and grandfather, you'll find Stephen playing his trumpet where people are gettin' down on a dance floor. The focus of the younger set at Reunion shows, Stephen's endless vitality puts the Showtime Horns over the top. The business graduate of Texas State University is an upward-bound executive at a major investment firm in Austin.

The Rhythm Section

Dancing is the name of the game when Reunion is in the House. The dynamic rhythm section makes that possible. Reunion's rockers are:

John Carrell, keyboards/guitar/vocals ...John's natural talents and innate musicality provide the colorations -- as well as the state-of-the-art p.a. system -- for Reunion's big sound. Though not the band's original keyboardist, the founders realized soon that John's musical "chops" were extraordinary and brought him on board within the first year. John's in the mall business in San Antonio and spends his off hours shopping for the latest musical toys. Recently John has enjoyed the participation of his two sons in Reunion. Both Matt and Mike clearly have the innate Carrell musicality.

Paul Hudspeth, bass...Paul has been with Reunion from the first downbeat. His solid backbeats combine with the bass drum to provide the foundation on which all Reunion dance grooves ride. Of course, if the music calls for it, Paul can provide the proper atmosphere whether it be a sensual ballad, country classic, or rock standard. A former high school physics and math teacher who has more awards than Newton had atoms, Paul lives in Lakeway.

Paul Gillia, guitar/vocals...Paul Gillia joined Reunion in 1997, making him, until the new decade arrived, the band's most recent full-time addition. A solid rocker and talented vocalist, Paul's leads, rhythms, and occasional lead vocals add yet another level of variety to the band. Paul is a realtor of quality homes in the Round Rock area.

Tommy Taylor, drums/vocals...Christopher Cross' "Sailing," wpeD.jpg (5031 bytes) Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover," Jake Andrews' "Time to Burn." When you listen to those popular songs you're hearing the drum work of Tommy. Clearly the member of the band who made it 'big', Tommy's remarkable drum talents and vocal prowess make the Reunion experience special. Though he wasn't an original member of the band, Tommy joined when John signed on in 1972 -- so he's as close to original as you can get. Tommy, a fulltime professional musician who in 2005 was named Austin's Best Drummer at the South by Southwest Austin Music Awards, lives in Austin. Go to Tommy's website.

Dave Hazlett, guitar/vocals/sound...His voice is as big as Texas; his guitar runs the gamut from sizzlin' funk to classic, classy jazz. Like Lorrie, Dave joined Reunion with the new millennium and his impact was felt on the stage and dance floor immediately. A guitar whiz in his daytime life, too, Dave is well-known to musicians who depend on his knowledge while shopping at Austin's legendary Guitar Resurrection.

Matt Carrell, drums...Talent, they say, runs in the family. Matt, like Stephen, is now playing with the band he's known most of his life. John's eldest son, Matt has learned under the tutelage of Tommy Taylor, so his drumming is perfect for Reunion's driving, accented sound. By day, Matt is an architect at a major San Antonio firm.

Mike Carrell, logistics...Another talented Carrell, Mike is a violist at school and hones his bass chops in his off time. The first of the band's offspring to become a Texas Longhorn, Mike is an engineering student at UT's flagship campus in Austin and a vital component of the music machine known as Reunion.

Friends

Occasionally, Reunion taps the considerable talent pool known as the Austin Music Scene to augment the band. Guitarists Jim Brauer and Mike Barnes, bassists Woot Talley and Mike Jackson, soundmen and fab musicians in their own right, Layton DePenning David Norwood, Eugene Ng and Mac, drummers Matt Carrell (who joins Stephen Jeffrey as the band's second second-generation member), Kevin Hall, Dave Moerbe, Joel Duhon, and Buster Lewis, vocalists Laura Benedict Scott and Jo Wells, and hornmen Junior and Kaz Kazanoff can be enjoyed with the band from time to time. Like the core members, they're all accomplished musicians whose friendship Reunion treasures.

Day Gigs of Our Members

To most Reunion members, the band is a serious side avocation. Dayside, they work as a:

Teacher
Purchasing Executive
Prison Guard
Studio Producer
Writer/Actor
Real Estate Agent
Banker
Fulltime Musician
Musical Instrument Retailer
Student

Former Members

Over the course of a 30-plus year span, a hefty number of musicians have been members of Reunion. They include:

Alvin Grant
Jim Brauer
Scotty Crooks
Clinton Barnes
Mark Evans
Mike Swinney
Dave Daire
Danny Darling
Mike Arnold
Glenn 'Phelps' Phillips
Scott Nelson
David Estes
Steve Oshima
Glenn Fukunaga
Rusty Lewis
Rob Young
Steve Wilson
Bob Doerschuk
Rick Gabler
And more!

Dave Daire performs with Reunion circa 1973. Thanks to Jonathan Daire for the photo.

And here's our new friend, Brokeback Billy, who proved to be quite the dude magnet at a high-falutin' wedding:

Thanks, Whitney Lee, for the balanced shot!