The Skyliners

The Skyliners
1984-9
Clare Willey's Big Band AS The Skyliners

The Skyliners were various sized outfits depending on the job under the direction of either Ted Trapp or me. We worked regularly as a duo at The Prescott Country Club, and with a larger group usually including Rich Longfield (trumpet & vibes) and Pete Hanford (drums) doing casuals in and around Prescott. The music was standards, and I played bass and sang.

There were also a few ocassions when Clare Willey's Big Band was booked as The Skyliners, either at the Sheraton Hotel or the Yavapai College Student Union. On these gigs, Mel Zelnick played drums. Whatever the lineup, I always enjoyed The Skyliners because I was playing with musicians who were much better players than I was, and it was a real growth experience for me. Ted and his wife Jackie have become lifelong friends. You can't ask for more than that.