The Favorites

Dana Messing, keys & vocals, is a founding member and the only ‘original’ member still with the group. Dana started playing professionally in the ’60s and in the early ’70s toured nationally with ‘The Beast’ who recorded over 20 songs, including several of his own with Norman Petty, Buddy Holly’s mentor and collaborator. In 1986, after much success in the Midwest, he led the band to the ‘promised land’, the Bay Area, where the Fabulous CruiseTones have continued to prosper. Dana enjoys writing songs, recording & serves as fearless leader for the band. He has appeared in concert with War, Muddy Waters, Flash Cadillac & the Continentral Kids, Kansas, the Tubes, Sugarloaf, Bo Diddley, Delbert McClinton, the Drifters, Tommy Bolin, The Grass Roots, Shooting Star, Bill Joe Royal, Suzi Quatro, Rudy Love, Stephanie Teel, O’Dell Reed & Maria Muldair to name a few.

LeeAnn Christopherson, vocals, possesses an amazing voice and wonderful stage presence. Herb Caen described LeeAnn as “a gifted songbird”.  At age 19 LeeAnn joined The Serendipity Singers, who toured the U.S. with Lou Rawls and other name acts. Returning to the Bay Area she was now in a class by herself, rockin’ and recording with folks like Eddie Money, members of Journey and Night Ranger.  Whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll, R & B, soul or jazz, LeeAnn’s special talent and passion brings joy and fun to everyone!

 

Ric Wilson, guitar & vocals, is one talented guy. In addition to performing with the Favorites, he is a composer, studio musician & personal instructor. He has been performing since his early teens and received several gold albums for recording projects with folks like Huey Lewis & the News, Narada Michael Walden, Tracy Chapman, Jaco Pastorius, and Doobie Brother, John Hartman. He has performed with David Crosby, Booker T Jones & Neal Schon (Journey/Santana) among others.

Bob McElwain, drums & vocals, is the kind of drummer that makes everyone in the band, and therefore the whole band, sound better. Bob has performed in the Bay Area and toured North America with several top artists for 30 years. He has shared the stage with such performers as Tuck & Patti, John Lee Sanders, Steely Scam & Jimmy Crockett,  just to name a few. Known as a ‘drummers drummer’, Bob also possess’ an amazing voice with a tremendous range, inflection and veracity. He is a joy to play with, see perform and adds a wonderful element to the Favorites.

Stephanie Teel, vocals, guitar and flute has been playing and singing professionally since the 1960s. She has toured nationally with many top names including the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra and an all female band, Jenny Jones & the Cover Girls. You may have seen Stephanie on one of Jenny’s recent bios on ‘E!’ or Lifetime. Herb Caen, San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Stephanie Teel is a ’12’, beauty plus talent.  She has many recording credits including her own critically acclaimed CDs, “More Than a Dream” & “Going Coastal. She has appeared in concert with Sammy Davis, Jr, Petula Clark, and the Smothers Brothers.

Deborah Del Mastro, vocals & trumpet, has enjoyed a career that spans from playing trumpet and singing in the US Navy Band (Treasure Island, 1900’s!), to studying Italian Opera in Busseto, Italy with Maestro Carlo Bergonzi, to singing Motown, R&B and rock in Bay Area bands, toconcertizing with Jazz and American Songbook orchestras, to becoming a professional actress onstage in Musical Theatre and Musical Comedy, filming, touring and recording with many TV and film stars. Kaye Ballard mentioned Deborah in her memoir (*pgs 159,163!) In the theatre world, Deborah has been best known for her work as Sr. Robert Anne in the well known “Nunsense” series where she originated the role of Sr. Robert Anne and toured, filmed and recorded the last 6 Nunsense shows, including her one Nun show “Sr. Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class” which Deborah premiered and recorded. . Other favorite roles have been Margaret Johnson; The Light In the Piazza, Willows Theatre and Patsy Cline; Always, Patsy Cline, The Ordway Music Theatre St. Paul. Deborah teaches voice, sings with cool bands and does theatre when she can.

Nancy Wenstrom, is a singer, guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire who has recorded 6 solo albums since 1990 and has had a musical career that spans 4 decades. Her unique talent as a female lead guitarist has seen her on the stage rocking with such Bay Area greats as the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, Chris Isaak, also Big Brother & the Holding Company, plus opening Huey Lewis, Joe Cocker & Elvin Bishop.  She started studying the piano at age 8 & the guitar at 12 & has been in the Bay area for the past 30 years playing & singing rhythm ‘n blues, rock, pop, jazz & country, touring & recording with many Bay Area bands.  She was the lead guitarist with the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra, (13 Souls Out Of Control/Hubbub Records) a premiere R&B band out of San Francisco.