DONNIE
Donnie’s first exposure to country music came early in life, in a home that had country playing in the background almost all the time. Soon he was imitating George Jones, Hank Williams, and Elvis, and enjoying the emotional responses that his youthful performances elicited in people. During his childhood, Donnie experimented with a variety of instruments, including the trumpet and the saxophone, but ultimately it was the guitar that got him fired up. A self-taught guitarist, he started out performing with a couple of local bands. He credits guitarist, Glen Brant, with giving him the encouragement he needed to pursue his dream.
In 1999, a chance encounter with former Glass Tiger drummer Michael Hanson brought Donnie a recording opportunity with Aeroplane Records. Aeroplane released For the First Time in 2001.
In 2003 Donnie joined the Cadillacs Show Band discovering how much he loved the music of the 50’s and 60’s.
Donnie is now a member of the Shadowz. He is often heard saying that he not only loves the music he plays in but also the members he plays with.
VICKI
Vicki is also from Trenton. Like Donnie, she was raised on country music and was inspired by Patsy Cline, Patti Loveless and Brenda Lee.
She has played rhythm guitar and bass in various bands since the age of 16. She has also written a few award winning songs.
She has competed in many contests and came home with a few awards of her own.
Vicki has been a backup vocalist with “Mike E & the Hound Dogs” and currently in “The Shadows” and “Kinfolk”. She plays rhythm guitar and sings lead and backup vocals.
JENNIFER
Jennifer was born and raised in Belleville and started playing music in high school. She started playing piano at 4 but because of her love for the Beatles she started playing bass at fourteen. She also attended Humber College studying Jazz on the bass.
She has played in several local groups including “The Commodores” and “The Arlingtons”.
Jennifer has also played bass guitar for theater productions by Caroline Smith at the Empire T heater of “The Full Monty” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”.
She enjoys playing different venues as well as a variety of music.
KENN
Kenn has been a member of the “I Play Music Because I have a Ton of Fun Doin it” Club for the past 45-50 years!
He is a music lover in all genres. Rock and Classic Rock are his influenced favourites, but also has a genuine love from Classical to Folk and Country. If he was forced to pick his favourites, it would probably be Led Zepplin, and Dave Mathews, but truly has a love for all things musical including his current band mates from the Shadowz, who in Kenn’s opinion are some of the “Best Musical People you would ever want to spend some quality time with”. “We are not only bandmates, but good friends who truly do enjoy each other’s company, and hanging out together…..This is what makes music magical”!
He has played in numerous bands and projects from his native St. Catharines / Niagara days, and also been a part of many Quinte projects including …..Ray Jones and JukeBox Live, The Kentucky BlueByrds with his good friends Tommy Hughes and Dean Austin, with John Frietas and Roger Dafoe in “Mary’s Grave” (now Big Motors Gasoline) and most recently, “The Shadowz” !
He has also sat in on drums with local favourites “ The Reasons”, and is lead guitarist with “This Way Up” with the Mowers Brothers, and…..he is also an accomplished Bass Player.
Kenn admits one of his most favourite venues playing music, is with “My Brothers And I”, which is his words, is an acoustic ensemble with Brothers Dan and Phil Mills that caters to the Kitchen Table Crowd, but includes whomever may choose to show their faces at these gatherings. They have included Tommy Hughes, Members of the Shadowz including Donnie and Vicki Wallace, Dave Connely, and Jennifer Scott, Steve and Bob Moore, Steve Wilson (Former Shadowz Keyboard Player), Greg Gillespie (a good friend and fellow drummer from Niagara) and many many more musical friends. Another of Kenn’s favourite places to play is when “The Shadowz” have what they refer to as their home field advantage at Belleville’s ANAF Club. “The folks that come to see us at the ANAF, are just simply the best” says Kenn.
DAVE
Dave Conley joined the Sands of Time from Belleville, Ontario in 1968 at the age of 15, touring Maritime Canada that summer, The following year the group toured Western Canada.
That fall, the group relocated to Toronto and recorded “I’ve Got a Feeling” which did very well in Canada, even getting the group the back cover of Billboard Magazine internationally.
After the group separated in 1970, he Joined United Power, a horn-based showband for a 2 year stint. In 1974, he formed a 4 piece dance group called Boojum working out of London, Ontario for 2 1/2 years.
He then relocated to Vancouver, Where he formed the September Rock group and toured Westen Canada for 3 years.
Subsequently, Dave joined Cameron Molloy and the Molloy Gang in Vancouver, who had a local hit with their remake of Ghost Riders in the Sky.
In 1983, he relocated to Toronto, joining first the Essex Rock and Roll Band and later forming the Delta Duo, a high energy dance and convention duet.
In 1988 he entered the solo piano circuit in Toronto as regular at Toronto’s largest hotels, including the Delta, the Prince, the Sheraton and the Inn on the Park.
In 1991, Dave began his European era as one of the founding fathers of the Pianobar Circuit in Switzerland. This led to a great series of month long contracts in Europe including Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland and Ireland, as well as 4 three month contracts on Carnival Caribbean cruise ships.
After 25 years of this work, Dave retired to Belleville, Ontario where he now plays with the Shadowz, a top level dance and vocal group in the Belleville area.
