In the summer of 2000, a group of musicians gathered at Foley Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley to jam, play music and drink some good wine on Sunday afternoons.  That group was committed to playing an eclectic list of songs and to adding our own personality, creating fresh and interesting performances to familiar tunes. Time progressed, and our group became known as the "House Red Band".  Soon, the band began venturing out to other wineries, wine festivals, weddings, corporate and private parties, and sharing our love of music and wine and good times with people.

Through the years we have been invited to play for wine festivals and events all over the Central Coast of California.  We also love to play private parties and events and occasionally venture out into the local clubs.  Our performances have ranged from Los Angeles to Paso Robles.  And really, there’s not telling just how far we will go!

Mary Welsh - Vocals - The House Red band has what no other band on the central coast has: the prettiest girl at any party and she sings like an angel -- her voice has a smoky richness that reminds us all of Bonnie Raitt. Mary has been singing her entire life. In fact, she started singing before she started talking. In addition to growing up singing in high school and the church choir, she made her musical theater debut with the Santa Barbara City College Theatre Group in 1995. Her love however, is rock and roll and blues.  She has an amazing knack for memorizing lyrics and has been called a "walking jukebox". Her vocal quality, tone, pitch and smoky and sexy delivery are beyond compare.

Burning James Scoolis - Guitars and vocals - Jimi (a.k.a ‘the doctor’) has been burning on guitar and singing in bands for over 35 years from the “805” down to Southern California.  He is comfortable playing in many different styles from blues to jazz, rock to classic R&B and he loves them all.  He is an accomplished singer with ‘soul’ but also as as the only guitar in the band, he handles the lead, rhythm and slide guitar assignments.  His influences are varied and range from Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and the Allman Brothers to Steve Cropper/Stax, James Brown and Al Green to jazz composer/performers such as Miles Davis and Horace Silver.   Burning James is a founding member of the House Red Band. Burning James also fronts the band ‘Burning James and the funky Flames.”

Craig Welsh - Bass and Vocals - Craig is a talented multi-instrumentalist who began playing guitar too many years ago to count. He began performing with his band around the South Coast in the '60's before moving to Las Vegas. While there, he formed another band that performed as the opening act for such artists as Sweetwater, Iron Butterfly, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Craig has since returned to the central coast  and has been involved in musical theater, providing guitar accompaniment to many productions including Godspell, Schoolhouse Rock, Once on This Island, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Craig and his wife, Mary, joined House Red in the summer of 2002.

Terance Kyer - drums/percussion - The ‘mighty, mighty’ Terrance Kyer is our hard working drummer, managing the bands ‘engine room’. Terrance was born and raised in Kentucky and is well acquainted with rhythm and blues, rock, and funk genres. In addition, to drumming, he works as a personal trainer … we aren’t sure if those muscles are from lifting weights or swinging drumsticks. But we are sure that he makes the band go with the beat designed to move your feet.

Daniel Haller - Keyboards - The House Red Band has been fortunate to have played with several outstanding keyboard players over the years.  Currently, we have Dan Haller with us.  Besides being an excellent keyboardist, Dan has spent many years arranging horns for big bands.  And with our playlist of soul and R&B classics, that comes in very handy.

And for those of you “Red Heads” of several years, you also know about Lorenzo Casey and his “Soulicious’ organ sounds that reminded us of the great Jimmy Smith.  Lorenzo had to leave us for business reasons and is currently living just outside of NOLA and we are sure ‘rocking the house’.

Charlie “Conga Man” Katherman - Charlie began playing the drums at age 6, but gave them up after a short career in several bands during his high school years. A little later on he took up playing various percussion instruments including the congas. His interest in music spans everything from Classical Jazz and Big Bands to Rock & Roll to Latin Jazz & Soul Music to Rhythm & Blues. Since joining the HRB in 2005 on a part-time basis, he’s having more fun than imaginable not only playing with friends but playing for friends. He is clearly the happiest man on stage.

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