With summer temperatures soaring near the century mark, the most recent installment of Live@5 convened in air conditioned comfort on the Catherine M. Bellamy Theatre stage in the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas.
Rock City Jukebox is aptly named with their repertoire of classic hits bridging six decades of rock music. The quartet consists of David Valley on bass guitar, Chris Moore on drums, Ron Stambaugh on keyboards and Jimmy Rolett with lead vocal and guitar.
The evening’s crowd on Aug. 2 drifted in by twos and threes, eventually filling the stage seating area with 50 fans.
Rolett’s tenor voice soared on a collection of 21 songs, kicking it off with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and “Higher Ground.”
The band rolled through an additional wealth of familiar material including Santana, Tom Petty, Credence Clearwater Revival, Joe Walsh, James Gang, Joe Cocker, Elton John, Sly and the Family Stone, Redbone, Procol Harum, Black Crows, the Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Train, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Van Morrison, Mountain and the Allman Brothers.
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They capped off the two hour non-stop set with Prince’s “Purple Rain.”
Rolett worked his guitar magic on a seafoam green American standard Stratocaster that has been custom outfitted for his purposes. He additionally swapped instruments on various numbers, picking up a black Gibson SG. Both guitars were played through a vintage 1970 tube style Fender bass amp.
His guitar work included a masterful slide as well superb picking, replicating every classic number note for note. He further employed an MXR Talk Box device to create the “wah wah” effect on Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” and Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way.”
Stambaugh’s keyboards included synthesized horns and strings, Hammond-style organ, and point-on electric piano, earning Rock City Jukebox the title proclaimed by many as “the best cover band in the state.”
His rendition of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale” had old timers in the audience singing along.
David Valley laid down a solid backline on his Fender Jazz bass guitar accompanied by Chris Moore playing a classic Pearl drumkit he personally refurbished in an aquamarine metal flake finish. Striking the dome of his ride cymbal, Moore nailed the rhythmic cowbell complement on Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” and James Gang’s “Funk 49.”
Nearing the end of the show, Rolett burned it down with lead guitar on Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.”
Remarkably, considering the well-oiled quartet they prove to be, the band only began performing together this year.
The next opportunity to see Rock City Jukebox will be in Hot Springs Village at the Beehive tonight from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m.
Rock City Jukebox members are Ron Stambaugh (left) on keys, David Valley on bass, Jimmy Rolett on lead guitar and vocals and Chris Moore on drums. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)