jamie lavecchia

percussion

Jamie first played professionally at age fourteen. He later formed a band "Black Forrest Rhodes" with superb guitarist, Kenny Gwyn. This band enjoyed grass roots success. They were together for almost ten years. "Black Forrest Rhodes" played shows with Steel Mill (Springsteen) and opened for the likes of Edgar Winter's White Trash, The James Gang, Muddy Waters, Cactus and Tina Turner. Later, Jamie ran into an old band member, Harry Popick, who was now working sound for The Dead at the St. Petersburg '88 Dead Show, which rekindled the passion for the Dead that he had lost after 'Europe '72. Jerry's passing found Jamie picking up pieces, as were we all, and a missing piece was found when he saw Uncle John's Band at the State Theatre in St. Petersburg and they blew him away. Uncle John's Band's original drummer, Jimmy Fagan has a Mickey Hart style, being the graceful person Jimmy has always been. Jamie was given a chance to audition. "Basically, I weasled my way in, saying I could play like Billy, then went out and bought a set of drums." Jimmy said it, "It clicked", so I was in.