Tony Mecca / Members
Tony Mecca
Guitarist Songwriter VocalistA Troubadour That Rocks - Really! Philadelphia singer/songwriter Tony Mecca serves wisdom from deep in the inner city via a delicious storytelling based blueprint that inventively incorporates elements of Pop, Blues, Folk and plain old Rock 'n Roll. His stories fuse equal amounts of humor and sympathy to thoughtfully examine life experiences, personalities and real people dealing with ordinary and sometimes surreal circumstances. But plodding and tedious meditation are avoided at all costs, and rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities are injected at every opportunity to keep the proceedings vibrant, fun and quite distant from the music of most other artists residing in the singer/songwriter region. Through live performances with his Heavy MeNtal Gypsys, and his steadily growing recorded output - Purple Monkeys (2003) / Princes of the New Dark Age (2005) / Hello, Goodbye & Everything in Between (2007) / Fun (2011) – Mecca has developed a loyal following in and around his home town that is gradually beginning to infiltrate other regions both nationally and abroad. In reviews his songs and sound has been compared to Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Tom Waits and Cat Stevens. In a poll of his fans he was described as: “The bastard son of Huey Lewis and Joni Mitchell” – “The Who fronted by John Prine” – “The Working Man’s Wagner”.
Stephanie Davis-Gonzalez
Clarinetist VocalistStephanie is a classically trained mezzo-soprano who has a great appreciation for the classics, as well as an open mind to all genres of music. She is a powerful vocal force, and has been a huge part of Tony & The Heavy Mental Gypsys live show from the very beginning. "Tony and I are musical soul mates. The other thing we have in common is that we are never wrong."
Jim Drnec
DrummerIf you took the time to listen to all the gigs Jim Drnec has played back to back, you'd have one hell of a headache. He's played with Hyde Your Daughters, Habits, Cinderella and Network to mention just a few. And according to Jim, "I'll need to draw on all of those influences to color the diverse auditory program that Tony Mecca offers his listeners."
Joe Pettit
GuitaristA lifelong student of the guitar who has studied with several of the worlds most renowned and accomplished virtuosos, including the legendary Pat Martino and east coast teaching guru Frank DiBussolo, Philadelphia native Joe Pettit has primarily operated in the more experimental realms of space fusion and improvisational jazz. A high caliber person guided by deep moral and spiritual beliefs, Joe's is best known for his compassionate disposition. His biggest complaint thus far? “When shirtless, barefoot drunks show-up at our live shows not knowing the lyrics.”
John Merlino
KeyboardistJohn grew up just outside of Philadelphia in Bensalem, PA. He began his relationship with the piano at just seven years old, and has continued his passion and quest to navigate the 88's for the balance of his life. Moving to South Philadelphia in 2001, John has participated in various Philly bands and recording projects. In addition to being a performing musician, John still finds time to teach piano on a private basis.
Bill Saltzer
BassistComing soon!
