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Angela Sheperd, Vocals
Being of Italian decent, my father taught me how to sing Italian songs at the age of 2. I knew then I wanted to be a singer and entertainer. I started out singing in school and church musicals. My first band, at age 20, was a country rock band called “County Line”. Traveling from California to Michigan, we played cover and original music. At age 22, I was fortunate enough to sing back-up vocals with Kenny Rogers at the “Good Time Theater” in Knott’s Berry Farm. At age 24, I made the transformation to disco and pop rock music with a band called “Ecstasy” . My brother was in the band and we performed in clubs all around the Los Angeles area. Pursuing a Law Enforcement Career at age 30, I joined a rhythm and blues band of all police officers called “Mutual Aid-The Cops That Rock”. We performed at many community events in Los Angeles and most of the time we performed in our police uniforms. My next band was called “Deuces Wild”, a contemporary rock and roll band that performed in clubs in the Orange Co area. Then one day, I met Les and the band and I knew I had found the perfect band for me. We have such a great time together playing classic rock. We are not just a band, we are family. |
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Les Samuelson, Guitar | Keyboard | Vocals
Originally a drummer, Les soon became tired of lugging all that equipment and envied the guitar players who simply had an amp and a guitar. So when he left home for San Diego State, he left the drums for his brother and started playing guitar full time. At that time it was basic stuff, with several years of lessons with fingerpicking style and baroque stuff mixed in. He was in a band in school that was mainly a Grateful Dead cover band as that was what everyone wanted to hear at that time. After moving back home to Orange County, he started taking Piano lessons and after several years started mixing in guitar lessons with piano lessons. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that Dennis and Les finally pursued their junior high school dream of being in a band. Clay was available now to play drums, Pat, who met Les in a previous band attempt, was interested, and a longtime friend Jay Bock also was ready for our “last chance” in being in a band. When Angela joined all the pieces were now in place and the band is now in full gear and a great time as everyone gets along well. Hopefully we will be at this for years to come. |
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Jason "J" Bock, Guitar | Vocals
OK, I started listening to guitar players with Duane Eddy's "A Hundred Years of Twang." Its been downhill ever since.My first band was Jason and the Argonauts, not because we were Greek or had ever heard of Odysseus, or because I was the leader. I just had the name. We played surf music. In our first talent show, we ran up against Thom Bresh at Hughes Jr. High in Woodland Hills. I found out later he was to have his own show on TV and was Merle Travis's son. I'd also never heard of Merle Travis, so it didn't matter very much, but I began to like music other than twang.
At Canoga Park High we played in the battle of the bands as the Union Jacks, but not because anyone in the band was from the UK. We just liked the name. By then it was all about the Buffalo Springfield, Yardbirds, Stones, etc. Eventually, we joined up with Mike Weakley of the Electric Prunes, who was our manager, and formed the Witches of Pendel, also not British, and made a couple of records that went possibly beyond nowhere.
After that it was weddings and Bar Mitzvahs in a band called the Entertainers, featuring John Raines (Hoenig), Bill Cuomo and Les Weiser. Before long I needed a job and did the LAFD thing to support an increasingly large family, cats, dogs, etc. Guitars got sold, dusty, closeted, neglected until one day...I saw one hanging on Les's dental office wall, picked it up, looked inside, when Les asked if I could play the thing. I said once I did, a long time ago. And here we are, two years later.
Its been fun with these guys, and I don't mind practice. You Tube is the best thing ever for learning songs, and I hang out there a little too much. |
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Dennis Ponzio, Guitar | Vocals
Born and raised in So. Cal., Dennis was introduced to music at a very young age when his mother, a concert pianist, would play as he sat quietly on the floor by an old upright listening to classics, standards and Italian favorites. Then in the sixties, his older siblings started blasting all of the classic rock n roll 45s and LPs of the day, striking a chord with young Dennis and music became his passion. He quickly persuaded his father to buy him a guitar and started lessons, studying all of the masters like The Beatles, Stones, CSN&Y and Zeppelin. This period was then followed by a long hiatus from music due to school, career and raising two wonderful children. Only now, with a little help from his friends, has he rekindled his love for music and fulfilled his longtime dream of being in a band. He is honored to play with such fine musicians, singers and true friends. This certainly is his “Last Chance” to Rock n Roll! |
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Pat Harvey, Bass | Vocals
Pat, who along with drummer Clay, holds down the rhythm section for Last Chance. Pat’s first exposure to rock n’ roll, like most others of his generation, was the Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Immediately he and the neighborhood kids got together with tennis rackets and coffee cans to form their first “band”. It was just a short time later that Pat got his first guitar (Silvertone acoustic from the Sears catalogue), and the rest, as they say, is rock history. After 25 years of raising a family and running a business, Pat decided it was time to get back in the game to sow some more of those rockin’ oats. He was a founding member of one of the 10,000 or so bands formed by middle-aged rockers named “Mid Life Crisis” (go ahead, Google it & see how many come up!). It was in MLF that he met Les Samuelson, who then persuaded Pat to join Last Chance. Pat was born in Wyoming, raised in Manhattan Beach, and has resided in Mission Viejo for over 30 years. He and wife Cathy have three kids, all accomplished musicians. Pat’s “part-time” job when not playing with Last Chance is as President of a South Orange County commercial interiors construction business. |
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Clay Samuelson, Drums | Vocals
" ....was introduced to the drums one day as my dad came home with a 5 piece drum set my brother had been wanting. I liked the color, but didn't dig the fact that they took up so much space. Had no clue how to play 'em, either. My brother said they were easy to play.....just takes a little coordination.....and an ear for music. There must of been over a hundred albums in his collection and I had heard 'em all. Had the ear thing down. Learning to move my arms and legs at different speeds and times was all that was left. This all happened in 1971 and I'm still learning new strategies and songs. And, yes, I still play that same drum set from time to time and it reminds me of what a big part music has played in my life". |
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Ted Taylor, Sound Engineer
Ted started his career in Sound mixing for a vocal ministry at church in the Silverlake area of LA at the age of 14, then moved on to running sound throughout high school in Glendale, Ca for the public auditorium. During this time he provided PA and sound mixing for various high school rock bands. At this same time Ted started a recording company that specialized in location or remote recording for various school music departments in the Glendale, Pasadena, and LA school systems. After High School Ted attended Pasadena City College studying Radio Broadcast Engineering, then graduated from SoundMaster Recording Engineer Schools (now named Pinnacle College). Though he never achieved a career as a recording engineer, Ted now runs a successful 20 year business in Orange County designing and installing high-end entertainment and integrated electronic systems. Ted and his wife of 28 years, JoAnne, live in Chino Hills, Ca. After knowing Les for years, he offered to try running sound for Last Chance and after the first band practice, he was hooked. |
