Hal Becker – Drums, Percussion
Hal has been playing drums since he was 14 years old. He is the founder of BackTraxx and loves playing almost any music from the 1960‘s & 1970‘s. One of the kits he still uses are the original Ludwig drums he bought in 1968 while he was in junior high school. During the day, Hal is a best-selling author and nationally known expert on sales, customer service, and negotiating. Over the past 3 decades he has traveled around the world, known for his energetic and engaging speaking style to deliver actionable techniques for improving sales and customer relationships
Click here to find out more
Gwen Coats – Vocals
At the age of 15 her Band/Choir Director said Gwen “could not sing” so she didn’t for 20 years. A friend grabbed her and made her join the Church Choir. Gwen stated “her spirit has been re-vitalized.” She went from singing in church and acting to fronting numerous bands including two which she started. AfterThought, The NuSoul Band, Ladybluz & Her Cru. These musical groups has taken Gwen to Las Vegas, San Diego, Erie, PA, Mountaineer, WV, Severance Hall and many clubs and venues around the Cleveland area. During the day she runs a Bail Bond company.
Bill Friedson – Guitar
Bill has been playing guitar since he was a teenager. He was a founding member of the Flashback Band which later evolved into the Backtraxx Band. Originally an acoustic fingerstyle player, his early influences were folk and roots music, country rock, the Beatles and Rolling Stones. He is a retired psychologist, avid golfer and doting grandfather. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and gardening.
Bob Liskiewicz – Guitar, Vocals
A veteran of the music business and originally from the Northeast, Bob is an accomplished guitarist as well as a solid lead vocalist. He started playing guitar at a young age and joined his older cousins performing on east coast road tours. His influences include several music styles such as Rock, R&B, Blues, Funk & Jazz.
Billy Kazen – Keyboards, Vocals
Billy has been entertaining for over four decades and has played with numerous Cleveland area bands over the years. He also has toured the USA with various well known musicians. Billy is an accomplished keyboard player and has a wide range of vocals whether he is singing lead or harmonizing with the band. He currently lives in Highland Heights
Marc Paige – Saxophone, Clarinet
Marc has been playing saxophone and clarinet for over 65 years. He has performed with many rock, blues, jazz, and classical groups throughout Northeast Ohio. Along with Backtraxx, he is a member of The Dan Zola Orchestra, Swing Time Big Band, and the musical groups Sinatra Selects, Venner Clarinet Quintet, and Just Jazz. Marc lives in Twinsburg and enjoys his hobbies of riding and restoring bicycles and motorcycles. He also collects multichannel music played on vintage quadraphonic equipment.
Dave Rader – Bass, Vocals
Dave has over thirty years of performing experience and loves to see people have a good time. He’s played in the bands Higher Ground and Brother Nature. Dave was the house sound and stage manager for “Jackie Lee’s” in Akron. He owned and operated Aquarius Sound, and has worked with Dazz Band, Cameo, Walter Hawkins Singers, Baby Brother, and LeftEnd.
Doug Thomas – Vocals
When a very young Doug saw The Beatles on TV in 1964 he knew what he wanted to do. As multi-instrumentalist, lead singer and front man for countless bands and musical projects over the years, Doug has remained true to his calling. He is well known around the NE Ohio music scene and has recently returned to the area after years of entertaining audiences in Atlanta, Nashville, and throughout the South. Doug is also an award winning songwriter whose compositions have been recorded by numerous country and blues artists, including members of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!
Norman Tischler (in memory)
Norman Tischler was born in Brooklyn, NY and put his way through college at NYU working with bands at in the Catskill Mountains. He has toured with Tiny Alice, Robert Lockwood, Jr., The Easy Street Band, Mary Martin, The Bop Kats, and internationally with Travis Haddix. He also has worked with local bands including, Blue Lunch, The Edsels and The Motion (featured in the film, “Light of Day” starring Michael J. Fox). Norman taught at Academy Music, Arrowhead Music and Warren Henry Music.
Jeannie Tyler – Vocals
Jeannie’s been singing since junior high school. She’s sung all types of music, from classical with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, to jazz and swing. For 12 years she sang with Freddie and the Maybellines, New England’s premier show band, who opened for Herb Reed and the Platters and the Marvelettes. In 1996 the band won Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band Award. She also got to work with Denny Dias from Steely Dan, and recorded one of his songs. When not singing, she works for University Hospitals’ Transplant Institute, and hangs out with her family and her cat.