PROMISED LAND - from our CD "Got It"

Bill DeHart started out as a drummer and trumpet player.  He fell in love with live music back in 1967, and started guitar lessons the next year.  He joined the band “Oasis” and soon had his own group “Dee Hart.”  They cut their first album “Some of us are losers" in 1979, and toured Northeast US & Canada for the next 16 years!  In 1982 they took second place and won a spot on the Lehigh Valley's  Miller Hi-life “Rock to Riches” album.  The next year the band released a 45 rpm record, "Jolain Jolain".  Now Bill is whipping Big Bone Daddy into shape with his smoking guitar work.

Ric Carhart began his musical journey at age 13 as a guitar player, and started his first band at the age of 14. After College he decided to embark upon a professional music career and joined Pocono mountain area show band Thea & Company, and then later he joined the lineup in the top 40’s group Magic. Magic also served as house backing band for many headlining performers throughout the 80’s on the Pocono resorts entertainment scene, allowing him to hone his musical skills to a new level. In 1992 he joined NJ based original band Tim Carbone and The Kings In Disguise, and later in the 90‘s he worked with popular area country music bands The Cramer Brothers and Tommy Schaffer & The Blue Mountain Ramblers. Over the years Ric has shared the stage in support of many major acts from Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynrd, and Jeff Beck, to Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Sara Evans and many more. Ric has a wide range of musical influences that range from Paul McCartney and James Jamerson all the way to Stanley Clarke and Victor Wooten.

​​​Lehigh Valley Guitar guru Paul Berger is one of the most well known, well liked, and well respected guitar players in the area. In 1964 Paul was inspired to play guitar after watching the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the Early years Paul played in such bands as  “Onyx “, and “The Carlton Berger Band “. In the 80’s Paul became a member of ”Bobby and the Insects “ and performed throughout the valley on a weekly basis for most of the decade. In the Early 90’s Paul was the driving guitar force behind high powered country band “Four On The Floor” and rockers “The Lease Breakers". Since 2001 Paul has lent his diverse guitar and bass chops to many local bands of all genres. He’s put the “Jam” in classic rock’s Jamo Band, and now he's making history with Big Bone Daddy.

Jim "JAMO" Flynn has been playing drums for his whole life.  In High School he joined a rock band called “London Fog” which worked the Central Jersey area scene and the band went on to do a TV commercial for the Boy Scouts in 1969.  Jim earned the song writing credit for scoring the music for the spot. While in high school Jim started doing recording sessions for Venture Sound Studios in Hillsborough, NJ. He later joined country & rock band “Bittersweet” and recorded an album called “High in the Wild” in 1971. The band had a successful run on the 70’s jersey rock scene. Jim went on to do a host of studio recording sessions and wrote numerous commercials, jingles, and radio music spots for corporate clients. Later on Jim played many "one-nighters" with jazz great Harry Leahey, Jim Long, & others. He joined “Breakfast of Champions” and traveled the East coast club scene for a number of years. After “Breakfast”, Jim went on the road as a hired professional, touring through 37 states recording and playing with a multitude of touring acts. Currently Jim does work for a host of local recording studios and has performed live with BB and The Stingers, Johnny Charles, Big Daddy and the Wildcats, Can't Stop Now, The Blues Brotherhood, Plainfield Slim, the Tracy Lee Band, and many others.  Jim also lends his talents to molding others as one of the area's best drum instructors.  

Ray Higgins has been playing a harmonica since 1967. Influenced by greats like Paul Butterfield, Little Walter and many others, he played with many groups in and around New York City.  He has taken his Chicago Blues oriented sound on the road with major acts in the 80's and 90's. Ray's calling card is... "life's misfortune is the well spring of endurance".  All of these experiences helped him to develop his own melodic chord and lead attack approach. We are proud to have Ray rip things up with Big Bone Daddy!

​​​Marc Young started playing piano at an early age. He was taught by his father, Jimi Young of the popular Lehigh Valley based group “Slim Pickins”, and his grandfather, Honky Tonk legend “Ragtime Charlie Young”, and began performing with them on stage at the age of 10. Over the years Marc has played the Northeast from N.Y. and  Boston, to the Pocono and Atlantic City Resorts, and everywhere in between. 

Ken started playing sax back in junior high to get out of math class. Years later he’s still doing both. (One for two isn’t too bad!)  Since then he has played with many terrific musicians and has toured as far away as Japan, playing blues, R&B and jazz. 

He loves playing with Big Bone Daddy and hopes you enjoy the band as much as he does!​

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​Stephen Kehs - Steph is the Tech, Mother Hen, and most useful member of Big Bone Daddy. A native of West Pen Argyl, PA, Steph runs the sound for us, sets up the backline, finds everything we lose, and thinks two steps ahead of all of us. We couldn't do it without him.