Dirty Jack: Bio
Tony Switzer - Lead Vocals / Lead Guitar
Tony’s career, spanning two decades as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, has performed in over 100 clubs, in 1000’s of powerful performances, from Virginia to Delaware. His soulful vocals led Bitter Creek, a band Tony founded, to much acclaim and success, and I can tell you, now that he is fronting Dirty Jack, Ol’ Jack is damn glad to have him. This dude’s lungs will be a Smithsonian attraction 100 years from now and people will come from all over the world to pay tribute! In a recent statement to the press, Tony said, “Hey man, it’s no big deal… I just love giving the people their money’s worth in a performance.” His vocal influences range from Paul Rogers to Steve Perry and his eclectic guitar styles range from Southern Rock to modern day alternative and he is considered one of the area's finest musicians.
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Michael Murphy - Lead Guitar / Backing Vocals
My boy Michael has been playing guitar since he was 14… I ain’t sayin’ how old he is now but dude can still wail…
He started off as a classical musician, then a stroke of genius infected him and he began focusing on classic rock guitar. He continues to be inspired by the likes of Aerosmith, Van Halen, Joe Satriani and blues players like the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robben Ford.
He has played in numerous bands throughout his musical career but ain’t none of ‘em rocked the way my band does… and that’s the fact… Jack!
Michael uses Carvin, Peavey, Fender, Musicman and Line 6 equipment… oh! And did I say the dude can wail?
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Rick Pennline - Bass / Midi / Backing Vocals
When Rick was a little boy, his mother bought him a cute little toy… it wasn’t the motorcycle he wanted, and boy is ol’ Jack happy she didn’t! Rick started his music career at the ripe old age of 7 playing drums. In middle high school he started playing guitar and then switched to the bass because nobody wanted to play it! In high school, he formed his first rock band and began his gigging career. In 1979, he formed another band called AMBER which became one of Pittsburgh’s premier club bands playing in every big building in Pittsburgh to include the exclusive Duquesne Club and every other VIP dance venue in the city. In 1985, Rick left the music scene to expand the minds of rug rats in Prince William County. However, with the creation of midi music, in 1992 he rediscovered his performance juices and hit the local coffee shops as a solo act which later became a duo. Influenced by the Beatles, Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat and Rush, Rick brings his huge musical talent to Dirty Jack with blistering harmonization’s that add that extra to the vocals. This dude is just plain awesome! Rick plays a 1975 Rickenbacker, a 1962 Vintage 501 Hofner bass (Paul McCartney’s violin bass) and a 2008 Fender Precision American Standard.
Frank Vollmer - Drums / Percussion
My boy Frank has been playing drums since he was 12 growing up listing to Kiss and mimicking cool-cat Peter Criss. In the early 90’s he joined Southern Rock power house Snake Goozley and enjoyed mild success opening for bands like Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and Blackfoot as well as 100’s of other gigs.
In 1993 he went on a 12 year sabbatical from playin’ to recover from a drum-jammin’ overdose and seek a career in the real world. Rumor has it he was taken in by Tibetan Monks in a Himalayan Monastery where he used his gifted genius to create a super endowed spot-remover called “Jack-Be-Gone” …the product is currently endorsed by Monica Lewinski. The original founder of Dirty Jack and my protégé, Frank has produced one of the area’s premier bands and put together some of the finest local musical talent you will ever see.
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