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The Fabulous Ripcords can be heard most weekends in CNY rippin’ through Roots, Rock-a-Billy, Country, Blues, Swing, and music influenced by both New Orleans, Bakersfield and more.The Ripcords have performed across the northeast to crowds in New York City and Boston as well as their home in Central New York at events including the New York State Blues Festival, Taste of Syracuse, Central New York Jazz Fest, the Inner Harbor Block Party, and the Ganandagan Native American Festival.  The band and its members have opened for and played on bills with such noted musicians as Santana, Steve Miller, Blues Traveler, Ry Cooder, Rick Derringer, Phish, John Lee Hooker, Edgar Winter, Leon Russell, Kim Simmonds, Terrance Simien, Gene Taylor, Bill Kirchen, and Chip Taylor over the years.
 
The Fabulous Ripcords began as a project put together by Rex Lyons to explore some of his favorite music using some of his collaborators in The Roustabouts, another renowned (do you have to be nowned first?) roots band in CNY fronted by Dugan Henhawk.  Dugan and Rex go way back to CNY’s seminal punk and roll band, Whiteboy and the Wagonburners, that set CNY afire in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  Rex’s cousin, Irv Lyons Jr. (the artist formerly known as Terry), was brought in to play guitar and sing along with Whiteboy alumni Phil Regan on the drums.  Jay Gould, who holds down the bass, and Scott Ebner on keyboards round out the lineup.  Both are veterans of the local music scene and former Roustabouts members.

 

Rex Lyons is the respected guitar player, vocalist and band leader of the Fabulous Ripcords, sitting in regularly with Los Blancos, Pete McMahon, and other local luminaries around CNY.  Rex’s style is equal parts country, blues, rockabilly, and swing.  Rex is best known for his work with Whiteboy and the Wagonburners which rose to local and national acclaim.  Rex has also played with The Mudd Kats and The Insurgence.

   

Irv Lyons Jr. is a talented vocalist and guitar player with a distinctive sound rooted in latin influenced jazz and straight ahead country and blues.  Irv is a major contributor of original material for the band including straight ahead blues, instrumentals, latin, and roots rockers.  He loves it when you ask him how he plays the guitar left handed and upside down.  He says it came that way.
Scott Ebner is known for his barrelhouse piano playing and swirling Leslie speaker sound along with accordion, mandolin, guitar and songwriting.  Scott’s playing is influenced by New Orleans, Nashville, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Payne, The Band, and Chicago blues.  He plays in many respected CNY bands including currently with The Tipphillbillies, Conan and The Showdogs, and Mike Ryan.  Scott has played at the Bottom Line in NYC, The Broken Spoke in Austin, and other venues with CNY native and current Austin favorite Penny Jo Pullus as a member of the “Vanishing Breed”.  He has appeared at the Hillbilly Lane showcases in Austin Texas during the SXSW Festival and with Penny Jo at the festival.  In the past, Scott has played and recorded with Kim Lembo, The Casual Dogs, The Z-Bones, Ron Spencer and Jumpstart, Penny Jo Pullus’s Trailer Trash, and Ron DeRollo.  He currently operates Skunk City Studio and is responsible for recording and mixing The Tipphilllbillies last release, “Recipe”, The Roustabouts “Fried Chicken To Go”, and the first release from The Fabulous Ripcords due out in early 2008.

Jay Gould is a first call bass player who is an integral part of the Ripcords and an accomplished jazz guitar player.  Jay hails from CNY but lived and played in Boston before returning to CNY.  His work with The Roustabouts, Ron Spencer and Jumpstart, and Beyond The Pale in Boston show his deep dedication to roots and american music and skill at arranging. Phil Regan is a veteran of the CNY music scene as a drummer for Whiteboy and the Wagon Burners and The Sputniks.  Phil is a musicologist who is steeped in traditional American music and his jazz and roots influenced drumming is a major component of the Ripcords sound.  Whether mastering the shuffles, cajun beats, country swings, or straight ahead rockabilly and blues, Phil brings authenticity to any song he plays.