Gary Winters

I started performing trumpet in nightclubs playing R&B at 13 years old. After graduating high school I went to Northern Kentucky University on a full music scholarship. I left before finishing the first year to go "on the road" with a show band called "Cops and Robbers." I became the musical arranger of the band and toured throughout the U.S. for 9 years. I left the band in 1983 and became Director of Entertainment of a nightclub/restaurant chain called "The Red Onion" in Los Angeles, California. I was responsible for running an entertainment department for 8 nightclubs and in three years it expanded to 14 nightclubs.

When I moved back to Kentucky, I started playing trumpet again in a variety of bands and musical styles from wedding bands to big bands. In 1990 I joined a group called the PsychoAcoustic Orchestra, which was a very progressive jazz group. We recorded two CD's and the group contained dynamite players. This musical group exposed me to a whole new group of players and opened up many recording opportunities for different groups, theme parks, cruise ships, and commercials. In 1998 I met Fred Wesley at a recording session at Bootsy Collins' studio. I have been touring on and off with Fred, mainly throughout Europe, since 1999.

I have had the opportunity to perform with some of the best players in the world. I have performed with the "American Idol" orchestra in spring 2005 & 2008 as well as played in the orchestra for CBS's "The Genius of Ray Charles" and "Tribute to Lionel Richie." Other artists and groups having performed with include: Fred Wesley's Jazz/Funk Explosion & The New JB's, Manhattan Transfer, Frankie Valli, The Temptations, The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra with ABBA, Debby Boone, Lionel Hampton, Wayne Newton, Don Rickles, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Byrd, Clark Terry, The Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Lenny Kravitz, Regis Aretha Franklin, Pete Escovedo, Latin Legends, Little Anthony, Roland Vasquez, Maria Schneider, Jeff Coffin, Sherri Lewis, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Jones, Michael Feinstein, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra featuring Buddy Morrow, Clyde Brown, Jonathan Jeremiah, Pee Wee Ellis, Sherry Lewis, the Gordon Brisker Big Band and many more. Have also recorded for some of Nashville's top gospel groups, entertainment video games, national jingles, internationally in theme park shows for Paramount Studios, Disney, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Sea World, Warner Brothers, and on shows recorded on many major cruise ship lines.

www.myspace.com/ggwinters