Meet the band
Smooth Street is a variety band based in Lansing, Michigan. We do one of the widest varieties of music of any band you will ever see. We do genres such as classic to contemporary rock, blues, Latin, jazz, R&B/funk, Motown, reggae, Spanish/flamenco, World and Celtic music. We can somewhat tailor our show to fit your venue.
As a cover band, we do such artists as: Santana, Eric Clapton, Everlast, Eagles, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Cage The Elephant, Collective Soul, The Commodores, Sting/Police, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Lynard Skynard, Allman Brothers, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tom Petty, Doobie Brothers, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Winwood, Joe Satriani, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Van Morrison, Rolling Stones, Christopher Cross, Stephen Stills, Bob Marley, Chic, Motown, Oscar Lopez, Ottmar Liebert and many more.
We have also written original music for many years in a variety of genres as well.
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In the last few months, Smooth Street has undergone a major metamorphosis and features a new line up. We now have 4 lead singers. Meet the band !!!
Richard Ballard:
keyboard, vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, percussion
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Rich is a multi instrumentalist from Lansing, Michigan and is the founder of Smooth Street. His music career began at the age of 17 when he was asked to play drums in a veteran swing band. They played venues all over the state of Michigan. At 19, he was playing drums 3 nights a week in country bars and began doing backing vocals. At 21, he joined a rock power trio on drums and began doing lead vocals. The next 10 years he spent playing drums in a variety band. They did many ballroom dance gigs as well as pit bands for plays and musicals. He did church/Christian music for 38 years. He sang in 2 choirs. One of which did a weekly radio broadcast and the other recorded an album. In the 90's, he began to do a solo act and his focus shifted to playing keyboards and guitar. He has since returned to his musical 1st love, playing in a band. He has done a fair amount of studio work as well.
Ken Davenport:
electric & acoustic guitar, vocals
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Ken grew up on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Bricktown, New Jersey. He has lived in Tennessee, Arizona, and Alaska. He is a classically trained guitarist and an excellent slide player as well. He has played a wide variety of music all over the country. At the age of nineteen in The Village in NYC. he had a chance meeting with legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius. Ken is a college professor who teaches biology, physiology and zoology.
Charlie Slocum:
Bass and Vocals
Bass player/vocalist Charlie Slocum Is from Holt, Michigan. He was involved with local theater groups and orchestras. Has sung in choirs. And in the early 80's, toured Florida playing high profile gigs. And plays lead guitar in local bands as well.
Roberto Serrano:
Drums and Vocals
Hailing from Harper Woods Michigan, drummer/vocalist Roberto Serrano moved to England in 1978 as a member of the U.S.A.F. He joined a band called Chain Reaction. They toured Europe and were the warm up act for bands such as Thin Lizzy and Motor Head. They were signed to Intrascope Records in 1983 and voted best new band by Back Fire Radio in England and Holland. In 2002 at the L.A. Music awards, he was nominated drummer of the year and signed With Dream Scape Records. He has recorded in studios in England, Tampa, Florida, and Detroit. He has performed at venues such as The Marquee Club in London, The Roxxie, the Troubadour, and the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles. And the Fillmore.