Low Bid Band

Pete Clarke – Rhythm Guitar, vocals
Pete grew up in Milton, Florida, when not traveling to foreign places such as Germany, France and Alabama as a military brat. He started "playing" guitar during his sophomore year at Boone High School. After one ill-fated attempt to play in a high school band, life as a professional surfer seemed more attractive.

While in France, Pete listened to BBC radio and became a fan of English rock bands such as the Beatles and Stones. His favorite band is the Moody Blues.

As the rhythm guitar player for the Low Bid Band, Pete is eternally grateful that he can continue to work his day job.

Dave Freeman – Harmonica, mandolin, percussion, vocals
Dave was born in Alabama but grew up in Orlando. He went to Valencia Junior College and Florida Technological University before joining the Orlando Fire Department in 1973. He retired from the OFD in 1994 to manage the Emergency Medical Services office for Orange County.

Dave’s family was very musical. He sang in the church choir and was a member of a barbershop quartet. Dave’s dad was the choir director at church, sang in a gospel quartet and was a jazz trumpet player. He taught Dave to play trumpet, guitar and harmonica. Dave grew up on gospel, big band, jazz, blues, country and rock and roll. He played trumpet in high school and college.

After joining Orange County, Dave hooked up with Pete and Mike to accompany the children at Great Oaks Village for their Christmas caroling. At first, they were called the “No Name Band,” or “the Pete Clarke 5.” Later they adopted the current name “The LOW BID BAND” and the rest is history!

Mike Robinson – Lead Guitar,
lead vocals
Mike grew up in a musical family. His mother played piano, doing everything from classical selections to rock and country songs and Mike took an early interest in music. Both of Mike's sons and his two brothers are musicians. He taught himself to play bass as a teenager and used reward money for finding a lost diamond ring to buy his first bass just days before his first gig at a neighborhood party. Early influences included everything from the Rolling Stones and Credence Clearwater Revival to Otis Redding and 1960's soul and blues.

Mike played in several bands playing local gigs in high school and college but took a long hiatus from playing live until co-founding the Low Bid Band in 2003. By then he had switched from bass to guitar and vocals and had become interested in song writing. He had several original songs recorded by groups in the Seattle area and one song, Rain on the Highway, was released by a small label.

Mike prefers Gibson guitars (Les Paul, SG and ES-335) which he plays through a 1972 Music Man amp. His favorite musicians are Neal Young, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Steely Dan.

Mike has had a long and rewarding career in social services and presently works with Orange County Family Services Department.

John Geiger – Drums, vocals
John grew up in Ohio where his drumming foundation was built, however, he has spent most of his life in central Florida. John says drumming fuels the creative side of his life. John took drum lessons starting in the sixth grade and has enjoyed membership in various rock and roll bands ever since. He enjoys playing a set of Gretsch drums with Zildjian cymbals and Gibraltar hardware. In addition to classic rock, John enjoys listening to smooth jazz.

John served as Peace Corps Volunteer in Central America. He is a licensed professional engineer with a master’s degree in environmental engineering. John enjoys protecting the natural resources of central Florida through employment with the Orange County Environmental Protection Division.

Dennis Ward - Keyboards,
lead vocals
Dennis inherited his brother’s accordion at age 6 and took lessons into high school when he traded the accordion for a portable organ to play keyboard in a rock and roll band. Back in the early sixties he was influenced by many R&B artists, the Beach Boys and, of course the invasion from across the sea. During his formative years, he also sang in the church choir and continued singing in all the bands he has played in since.

Dennis reached moderate success in his college years when a group he was in at the time was signed to a recording contract and played a number of gigs in the South Florida area. When “overnight success” didn’t pan out, he did what everyone else has done and got a day job. For a while, music became a hobby and form of relaxation.

He recently joined the “reformed” LOW BID BAND and has added a dimension musically and vocally that has rounded out the sound. His primary influences today are Billy Joel, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Eric Clapton.

Gary Danley - Bass

Gary's love for music began at age 11 when he got his first guitar and hasn't put one down since. After several high school and club bands, Gary began playing drums with his set of Premier drums and continued his quest for stardom. He enjoyed some success in an original rock band as a drummer in the Philadelphia area and after seeing a few bands make it and many go by the wayside, he married, moved to Florida and started his own musical group of crying children (they actually have talent). After dabbling in a recording studio business, he gained valuable experience in recording and production and still likes to record music in his spare time. He still loves to play old and new music with his musician friends and recently joined the Low Bid Band as a bass player to continue sharing his love for music. He plays an Ibanez 5 string bass through a Hartke system to bring the low end into the music that we make. "Long live Rock and Roll and those who play it".

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