It should come as no surprise that the District of Rock Island has secured terrifically talented bands for its eighth annual Hornucopia festival, taking place on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15. If you've attended Hornucopia in the past, you know the drill: two stages showcasing the finest in R&B, funk, soul, jazz, rock ... basically, any genre that incorporates a little brass. As the festival's motto states, "If it has horns, you'll find it at Hornucopia."
No surprises there. But while researching the first group to perform this weekend - local favorites The Gray Wolf Band, whose set begins at 5 p.m. on Friday - I was floored to discover that drummer Tom Drabek not only served as Alpine Race chairperson for several U.S. Ski Association events, but is a former Special Forces Green Beret, to boot. And he's not the only Gray Wolf performer with an interesting history. According to the group's Web site (http://www.graywolfband.com), Kenny Carleton began his musical career at age 18, playing bass on riverboat cruises with his brother; Jim Ryan, employing the Isabel Bloom technique, has spent two decades years making original concrete sculptures; and Larry Burns has been described as "the biggest rock star that no one has ever heard of."
So much I didn't know about these classic-rock performers! What other gems could I unearth if I did a little Web-site digging on the Hornucopia bands?