Jim Stevens
Saxophone

Jim began playing saxophone at age 9. At age 13, he began playing with local bands and sitting in at jazz clubs in the St. Louis metro area. By age 17, he was playing with most of the big-name dance bands in St. Louis such as Ralph Butler and Bob Kuban as well as the SIU-Edwardsville Concert Jazz Band. After graduating high school in 1982, he briefly attended North Texas State University, entering their Jazz program in the prestigious 3 O'Clock Jazz Big Band. After returning to St. Louis, he headed up a contemporary jazz/dance band called "The Bottom Line." This group gigged around town at most of the major venues and even appeared in the movie "White Palace" in 1990. In the following years, Jim has freelanced around the Midwest and played shows at the Fox Theater with the Four Tops and Temptations as well as with local bands such as Fluid Drive, Encore, 40 West, The Z-Band, and the Ralph Butler Band among many others.

The Jim Stevens Group marks the first time Jim has headlined his own band. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to play with musicians as talented as John, Curt and John.

Curt Sharkey
Bass/Vocals

Curt Sharkey grew up in Seattle WA and started playing in bands in Junior High School. A few years later, got his real education traveling around the midwest playing every joint and roadhouse from Dallas to Wichita. Moved to Los Angeles and concentrated on an original project called Q 16 co-writing and producing three records and was nominated for MTV's independent video of the year in 1985. Being somewhat of a gypsy and wanting to raise his family away from the rat race of LA, Curt once again relocated to St. Louis where he quickly joined up with Buffalo Bob & the Bedroom Blues band. Curt co-wrote and produced Bob's 1993 album "Living on the Edge." Curt was also voted number one keyboardist in Spotlight magazine that same year. Curt moved on to the house band at the Coyote Club (which is now Pop's) did a house gig with Brian Clark and the St. Louis Browns, followed by yet another house band at the Adams Mark Hotel called Adams Edge. In 2007 Curt produced a CD for his daughter Ali Rae titled "RAW" which of course is the highlight of his career.

John Mondin
Guitar/Vocals

John has been an active part of the St. Louis music scene for nearly forty years.

He began studying guitar at age seven. By fifth grade he had organized his first band which debuted at a local roller skating rink. Throughout junior high and high school, John continued playing with various conglomerations of teenaged musicians, forming bands such as Tinley Park and Zebulon Pike.

John then attended college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville studying classical guitar and string bass.

After college, John played with local groups such as "Galaxy" and the "Rhythm Rockers" as well as the internationally acclaimed "Soulard Blues Band", acting as lead vocalist as well as guitarist. During his tenure with "Soulard", John toured Germany and recorded a CD.

In 2005, John became more involved with the hard rocking band "Eat a Peach" which later morphed into his current group "Mondin Band." John is joined in "Mondin Band" by Curt Sharkey, John Coatney and Paul Graves.

John Coatney
Drum/Vocals

Growing up in Illinois, John Coatney started playing drums in ninth grade and soon began playing in local clubs throughout Illinois and Missouri.  A self-taught drummer and singer, John provided lead and backup vocals in various bands, including the Ralph Butler Band.  John was the drummer and vocalist for Street Corner for more than 15 years, recording two CD's and opening for Roy Orbison.  John and Curt Sharkey have been playing together for more than 10 years in such bands as Fluid Drive, Adam's Edge, and Capital X.

R. Scott Bryan
Percussion/Vocals

For R. Scott Bryan, a career in music came into focus early. As a child growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO, Scott heard the Beatles on the radio. And suddenly everything made sense. Bryan soon found he had a natural gift for music, one that blossomed into a rare ability to sing and play everything from guitar and bass to keyboards and percussion - and do it all exceedingly well. That versatility led to Bryan's first big break, when superstar Sheryl Crow - a former St. Louis resident - returned from California in search of a versatile musician who could handle the multi-instrumentalist role in her band. Bryan spent the next five years with Crow's Band -- playing keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, pedal steel guitar, percussion and singing vocals. During that time Crow and her band opened for the Eagles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Steve Winwood - and the group appeared in videos with legends Eric Clapton, Don Henley, James Taylor and Emmylou Harris. Bryan also honed his songwriting skills with Crow, co-authoring the 1996 Top Ten U.K. single "Hard to Make a Stand."

Bryan moved back to St. Louis in 1998 to raise his sons after the death of his wife Nancy from cancer - but his commitment and passion for music continues to expand his passion in many directions. In addition to touring regularly around the country with longtime friend Peter Mayer (guitarist with Jimmy Buffett's band for the past 18 years), Bryan has recorded two CDs as a leader; Somebody's Thinking and It's Your Life.

Pete Ruthenburg
Keyboard/Vocals

Pete was born and raised in the Evansville Indiana area. Around 8 years old he started messing around with the family piano. He started private lessons soon thereafter. He also studied the trumpet playing it and piano throughout high school. Upon graduating high school, Pete came to St. Louis to attend Webster University. There he studied classical and jazz piano performance. He graduated in 1991 with a B.A. in music.

Pete has been working consistently since graduation with many diverse groups. He has played with Ralph Butler, the Heather Dawn Band, the Alteration, El Cribe Tropical, Bill Tucker, Spectrum, The Sessions Big Bag, Dan Rubright group, Metro, and has been the keyboardist for many years for Dangerous Kitchen as well as many other groups. In addition to a lot of freelance work Pete is the pianist/organist at Epiphany United Church of Christ and plays during the week at Grace church. He has performed with numerous national touring theatrical events at the Fox theatre and has performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

In additional to his work as a musician, Pete is also in demand as a recording engineer having recorded/mixed/mastered/produced many original and commercial projects. He works at Music Creek Studios in St. Louis where he is also a partner. Pete is currently working on a cd of original singer/songwriter style music due out in 2009.