The Lead Guitar Player - Pat Painter

Pat is a native of Utica, OH and resides nearby in Newark, OH. He has been playing guitar professionally for over 35 years! Additionally, he teaches guitar to many students of all ages, for more than a decade.   Pat started his musical career as a heavy metal musician!   Over the years he has incorporated many different musical styles & genres into his repertoire.   He has played in numerous Central Ohio bands, has toured, and has even been a Sound Engineer.   Pat has extensive recording experience with various bands and as a studio musician. Pat is an ever-learning guitarist, who helpfully teaches others. Perfect for this band, he is also a multi-genre lead guitarist.   Pat says “Sure, we can learn that!”  

The Manager and Vocalist - Karla Kay Eldridge 

Karla Kay has been memorizing lyrics, writing songs, and singing out loud, to the annoyance of her siblings, since age three.  She spent her childhood summers in community theater in Athens, OH where her father and mother were professors. After completing her MPA at OU, she worked for many state and federal government agencies, usually as a Budget Officer, and always made time for singing or acting in every state she resided, including CA, NM, GA, FL, AK, LA, VA.   Karla Kay has been influenced by many genres and styles, including various artists and songs with New Orleans roots.  Most recently, while living / working in D.C. area, Karla Kay routinely sang with many professional accompanists.  Mainly she sang Jazz, Great American Songbook, Pop, and Blues styles during those years..  While in DC, she recorded a one-take demo CD of multiple genres   Upon return to Columbus, OH, and on this sabbatical from 'real work', Karla Kay invested the time, energy, and finances to create this eclectic, smile-generating, multi-genre band; because .....just because. 

Danny DeSantis has been playing bass since before he could drive, and has been in central Ohio for nearly 15 years playing rock, folk, blues, jazz, and bluegrass. He has had extended runs with the "Resisters", "Erika Hughes and the Well Mannered," and the "Jack Fox Band." And has accompanied many local singer songwriters including Kelly Zullo, Jesse Henry, Andy Shaw, Chris Shaw, Jeff Tobin, and Eric Ransom. Danny also plays guitar and harmonica, and occasionally performs solo in the Columbus area. Danny is inspired by an appreciation of American roots music, and finds joy in the Blues.

The ‘Drums’ Player 1 - Roger Spencer

Roger may look familiar because he has lived in Columbus area all of his life and has been playing drums for over 40 years. He ‘cut his teeth’ playing jazz and swing tunes in clubs when he was 14 yrs. old.  After playing for rock bands in high school and college, he found himself in Chicago for a ‘blind audition; that landed him an 18-month touring gig with Kenny Rogers doing the Island of the Streams tour!  In 1984 he was teamed up with Kenny Loggins as the studio drummer for the Footloose soundtrack!   The Blues bug bit him many years ago and has been involved with several Blues bands and supporting the Columbus Blues Alliance. Roger has played with: Soul Satyr Band, Tin Pan Alley, Sean Carney, and Spencer-Ross bands

Roger Says: “I’m excited to be a part of The Victorious KayBirds with the talented musicians’ eclectic styles that presents great entertainment for their audiences”.

‘Suke’ is a native from Bryan-College Station, Texas, and is now residing in Columbus OH.  He is a self-taught musician who began playing drums professionally at age nine with his Dad’s Tejano group. Suke has played, recorded, toured and managed various types of groups including Tejano, Salsa, Country, Classic Rock, Oldies, Top 40, Pop, R&B, Funk, Jazz, Persian, and Contemporary Christian music. He has performed at major venues, concerts, festivals across the country. He also has Studio Recording experience and is now a full-time professional musician. He plays in more than one local band, currently. In addition to percussion skills, he is also a vocalist in Spanish and English.  Suke loves performing, and brings energy to the groups he plays with and to the audiences. 
Suke says "Music Succeeds Where Politics Fail".