North Tower Band

Neil Brown – Sound Engineer

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Test1234

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:36:24 +0000

…this band was more than we hoped for.

Doug Manning – Bass/Vocals

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Doug first start performing with a band in the 5th grade in elementary school. The band was called “The Avengers”. (The Avengers later changed their name to The Band of Oz) Shortly thereafter Doug moved to Whiteville,NC. Not long after arriving there a new band was formed called “The Sound Masters”. This name was dropped in high school and the group became known as “Infinity”. While still in high school this band played many paying gigs including a couple of clubs at North Myrtle Beach even though most of the band members were not old enough to get in.

In 1977 Doug moved to Raleigh, NC and yet again a new band was formed. This group, called “Carolina Trace”, had some minor success locally. Not happy however Doug, along with fellow “Carolina Trace” member Gary Dennis, decided to form a new Top 40,Beach and Showband using a couple of the guys from “Carolina Trace” and the members of a vocal quartet Dennis was part of in Chapel Hill called the “North Tower Quartet”. The group, formed in 1979, took the name “The North Tower Band”.

In 1990 Doug left North Tower to get a “real” job as it’s sometimes referred to. In 2011, after a more than a 20 year break, Doug has rejoined the band for one more ride. Not completely out of the music business during that 20 year span, he wrote several songs for others that enjoyed considerable airplay. Chasin Dreams for North Tower in 2005, So Hung Up on You for Gary Brown and most recently Thank Goodnness She Cheated which was recorded by The Entertainers. In addition to those, along with his daughter Taylor, Doug penned the tune Piece of Your Heart. This song was performed by Taylor and that tune plus several others recorded by Taylor have resulted in Doug now being known in the music business as “Taylor Manning’s daddy”! When not playing music or working, Doug is likely to be found sliding down a mountain, out on the lake with or watching his other daughter Casey play softball or cheer.

Johnny Hopkins – Trumpet/Trombone/Vocals

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Johnny Hopkins has been entertaining audiences nationally for more than four decades. From his beginnings as a founding mumber of The Villagers, thru the years with The Embers and now with North Tower Band, Johnny continues touring.

Jeff Hinson – Sax/Vocals

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Jeff Hinson is one of the newest membesr of North Tower. For the past 15 years Jeff has been the lead vocalist and played saxophone for the band Mirage, in Wilmington North Carolina. He said “Mirage taught me about the ‘music business’ and the decision to leave them was tough, but I’m excited about my opportunity with North Tower and am looking forward to making a positive impact on the band.”

To say that Jeff is a beach music fan is an understatement. When most of his friends were going to hard rock concerts Jeff was going to beach music festivals and beach clubs. He still recalls the first time he saw North Tower in the late 1980’s, when he was a college student at UNC-W. Now he’s part of the North Tower tradition.

The artists that have most influenced Jeff are Wilson Pickett, Jr. Walker, Chicago, Jay Beckenstein (Spyro Gyra) and beach music legend Craig Woolard.

Jeff lives in Wilmington with his wife Michelle and two sons, Austin and Garrett.

Larry Dean – Keyboards/Vocals

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Band leader Larry Dean’s musical education includes a major in piano and minor in voice at Campbell University. During these years he performed in jazz ensembles, vocal ensembles,solo classical piano, and voice. Professionally he has performed in jazz bands, country-western,top-40 groups and solo piano.

Bobby Craig – Drums

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Bobby Craig grew up listening to his dad, Bob Craig, play music with North Tower. As far back as he can remember, all he wanted to do was play drums in the band. In early 2008, he got his wish.

His musical influences vary greatly, ranging from big band to prog rock. His favorite drummer is Neil Peart, drummer for the Canadian rock trio RUSH.

Other music projects he is involved in includes the Relationship Church Band, and the rock trio Recuer.

Bob Craig – Sax/Vocals

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:11:51 +0000

Bob Craig, from Mooresville, NC, is one of the original members of the North Tower Band. Bob has been a “saxman” for most of his life getting his start in and around Mooresville and Charlotte. His college years at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill led him and some friends to start North Tower and to name it after a dormitory on campus. He’s been an instrumental part of the group ever since with his great sax playing abilities, his backing vocals, and now his “sound dealing”. His acute business sense has also been invaluable .

Bob currently resides with his wife and 6 children on the family estate just outside of Raleigh, NC. His interests are music, baseball, and he seems to spend a lot of time looking at cars.

Chuck Canady – Guitar/Vocals

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Chuck has been playing professionally for 23 years. Over the years Chuck has performed with and shared the stage with many legends in the music industry. Artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Rivers, Hank Williams Jr, Delbert McClinton,Molly Hatchet, The Bellamy Bros., Terri Gibbs, The Crystals, The Drifters,The Coasters, and Jerry Butler among others.

A veteran on the Beach Music scene, he has played with such notable beach bands as Ocean Drive, The Incredible Push Band, and the Original Main Event from Columbia, SC. He has been with North Tower for 15 years and is also an accomplished songwriter. Look for his latest tune “Since My Baby Been Gone” on the new North Tower CD, “It’s About Time”.

Songlist

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Word Up • Cameo

Let It Whip • Dazz Band

Play That Funky Music • Wild Cherry

Forget You • Cee Lo Green

Pick Up the Pieces • Average White Band

Rollercoaster •Ohio Players

Love Shack • B-52’s

Jungle Boogie • Get Down On It • Celebration • Ladies Night • Kool and the Gang

Give It To Me Baby • Super Freak • Rick James

Brick House • Commodores

Bad Mama Jamma • Carl Carlton

Back In Love Again • LTD

September • Let’s Groove Tonight • Earth, Wind, and Fire

The Groove Line • Heat Wave

Pink Cadillac • Bruce Springsteen

You Dropped A Bomb on Me • Gap Band

Shake Your Booty • I’m Your Boogie Man • Get Down Tonight •That’s the Way I Like It • Boogie Shoes • KC and the Sunshine Band

Smooth • Santana

Drift Away • Uncle Kracker

Makes Me Wonder • Maroon 5

8675309 • Tommy Tutone

Chasin’ Dreams • Daydreamer • NorthTower

Give Me Just A Little More Time • Carolina Girls • Everythings Tuesday • Chairmen of the Board

Just a Gigolo • David Lee Roth

Part Time Party Time Man • The Futures

Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy • The Tams

Hold Back The Night • The Trammps

10 Ways of Loving You • Lenny Williams

Too Late To Turn Back Now • Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose

The Walk • Mayer Hawthorne

Come Get To This / Stepping Out Tonight • L. J. Reynolds

Sick and Tired • Boz Scaggs

Used To Be My Girl • O’Jays

Little Red Book • Do You Have To Go Now • This Magic Moment • Dance With Me • Boardwalk • The Drifters

Ms. Grace • The Tymes

Love Really Hurts Without You • Billy Ocean

With This Ring • Washed Ashore •I Love You 1000 Times • Platters

Back To Louisiana • Why, Why Me • Take Me To The River • Delbert McClinton

Call Me (Just Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind) • The Four Tops

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby • I’ll Be Doggone • Could It Be I’m Falling In Love • I’ll Be Around • Spinners

My Girl • Ain’t Too Proud To Beg • Temptations

How Sweet It Is • James Taylor

When A Man Loves A Woman • Richard Elliot

Wall to Wall • Dunno

Vehicle • The Ides of March

China Grove • Listen To The Music • Long Train Runnin’ • Doobie Brothers

Hard To Handle • Black Crowes

Sweet Home Alabama • Lynard Skynard

Honky Tonk Women • Rolling Stones

Takin’ Care of Business • Bachman Turner Overdrive

10th Avenue Freezeout • Bruce Springsteen

Diggin’ On James Brown • So Very Hard To Go • Tower of Power

Does Anybody Know What Time It Is? • Chicago

But Its Allright • Huey Lewis and The News

Signed, Sealed , Delivered • Stevie Wonder

Domino •Into the Mystic • Brown Eyed Girl • Crazy Love • Someone Like You • Van Morrison

Let’s Just Kiss and Say Goodbye • The Manhattans

Brandy • Looking Glass

Polk Salad Annie • Tony Joe White

Gimme Some Lovin’ • Spencer Davis Group

Hold On! I’m A Comin’ • Sam and Dave

It’s Your Thing • Isley Bros.

I Feel Good • Living In America • James Brown

In The Midnight Hour • Mustang Sally • Wilson Pickett

Wooly Bully • Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs

Double Shot of My Baby’s Love • Swingin’ Medallions

Twist • Chubby Checker

Devil With a Blue Dress On • Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels

Good Golly Miss Molly • Little Richard

Some Kinda Wonderful • Huey Lewis and the News

Build Me Up Buttercup • Foundations

Ain’t No Woman Like The One I Got • Four Tops

La La Means I Love You • Tierra