Nikki O'Neill: lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Joshua "Cartier" Cutsinger: bass, vocals
Rich Lackowski: drums, percussion, vocals
Auditioning new keyboard/Hammond players in West LA.
If you're age 25-35 and have the chops, gear, transport, great work ethic and attitude, send us a message here on the page with your Myspace/website and clips of your playing.
Influences
Hi, Stax, Motown... and Ann Peebles, Mavis Staples, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Al Green, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Albert King, Prince, Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Randolph, Ray Charles, Black Crowes, Phish, Greatful Dead, Amy Winehouse, John Lee Hooker, The Meters, Galactic...
Sounds Like
"Nikki O'Neill is like listening to Chrissie Hynde singing to John Lennon in Otis Redding's kitchen."
- Will Ray (The Hellecasters)
"Nikki's songwriting is a breath of fresh air. She breaks the mold
without moving outside the boundaries of popular music. Her songs are
infectious and satisfying and her solos are tasty and melodic. I always
feel better after hearing her play."
- Ron Manus, Executive Vice President, Alfred Publishing
"Nikki O'Neill is like listening to Chrissie Hynde singing to John Lennon in Otis
Redding's kitchen. She takes everything she's learned about life, puts it in a blender and pours out a glass of soul!"
- Will Ray (The Hellecasters, Solomon Burke, Steve Earle)
Get the single that Will Ray reviewed here!
NIKKI O'NEILL BAND BIO
Nikki O'Neill is a singer, lead guitar player and songwriter in LA. Her band appeals to fans of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Chrissie Hynde, Ann Peebles, and fans of Soul and Blues worldwide.
The Nikki O'Neill Band's unique flavor lies in Nikki's soul shouter vocals and lead guitar playing, and a sound that blends sensual Southern soul and funk with Beatlesque songwriting that expands the traditional 3-chord format. This helps them carve out an identity of their own on the contemporary blues circuit.
The band also includes drummer Rich Lackowski and bass player Joshua "Cartier" Cutsinger. The band is auditioning new keyboard/Hammond players in West LA (see member section for info.)
"Starting Over", "It's Simple (But It's Not Easy)", and "Some Day" from the band's 2007 debut, feature Nikki on vocals/guitars and Rich Lackowski on drums. The production and arranging was handled by Nikki and Dapo Torimiro, keyboardist with Stevie Wonder.
Through 2008, they've played numerous clubs, festivals and acoustic shows.
They've played at International Pop Overthrow Festival; the LA Marathon; NAMM, a 4th of July fest in Chicago, and Make Music Pasadena. They were invited to play at the 2008 W.C. Handy Festival in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and hope to play there in 2009.
Nikki is featured in "Guitar Women" - Sue Foley's upcoming book with top players like Bonnie Raitt, Me'shell Ndegocello, Ani DiFranco, Jennifer Batten, and more.
www.guitarwoman.com
Nikki is endorsed by Daisy Rock Guitars and Seymour Duncan pickups.
NEWS!!!
*Nikki will demo Daisy Rock's guitars and basses at the NAMM Show in Anaheim on January 16, 2009 at 11 AM.
*She will be teaching another round of group guitar and songwriting classes for the LA-chapter of Girl Guitar in February, 2009. For info:
www.girlguitaraustin.com
*Nikki's song "Starting Over" was featured on NBC's The Today Show in 2007. She also co-wrote three songs with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare in 2007.
*Nikki is the new lead guitar player in Fem Zeppelin, an all-female Led Zeppelin cover band.
ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT THE BAND:
Nikki moved to LA from NYC, but grew up in Sweden and Poland. She's featured in Sue Foley's upcoming book "Guitar Women"; is the founder of Women's School of Rock; taught the only university-level guitar class in the U.S. on women's contemporary rock guitar at The New School in NYC, and she's been a guest clinician at the all-female rock college ELLA in Sweden. She played on Kokolo Afrobeat Orchestra's 2002 debut album "Fuss And Fight", which was produced by Gabe Roth of The Dap-Kings.
Rich is from Chicago. He's the author of smash hit drum instruction book "On The Beaten Path," which won the 2008 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll Award and the 2008 Drummy Reader's Poll Award for best drum book.
Josh is also from Chicago. He is a Grammy-nominated producer and engineer, and his client list includes Rachael Yamagata, Pink, kd lang, members of The Smashing Pumpkins, and many other major label artists.
Hope your holidays are going great my friend :) Gonna make some bread in my new bread maker....x-mas pressie :) Take care n keep warm. Keep on Rockin' Peace n Harmony Kim
Hi Nikki! I am actually Cale's ex-wife and have known Rich and Chris since college (and they were both in my first wedding)! I am SO, so very glad you and Rich found each other! :-) I am so happy for you both ... for both the success of your relationship and your music. How exciting! When is the big day??
