I guess you could say my musical influence came mostly from my parents Tony and Quintina, but I was influenced by a score of different people, places and things. Certain types of music from jazz to blues to rock to country & western have played an important part in how I developed as a musician. My influences go back to when I was around the age of 5 or 6 when I used to watch The Mickey Mouse Club and I would watch Cubby on the drums and every once in a while they used to have a guest drummer on the show, and of course, later on I found out that was Steve Gadd.

I was influenced by my father's LPs by the Big Band Music of Frank Sinatra, Matt Monroe, Dean Martin and also my older brother Gary used to have records by the Doo Wop artists in the early sixties. I was also influenced by The Beach Boys in the early sixties. Then The Beatles came along and the rest is history. Then, there was Woodstock and the rest is all a blur.

So throughout the years I've taken drum lessons at the Eastman School of Music Prep Department from the great Bill Cahn (Nexus), and I've also taken private lessons from the incredible Dave Mancini, and I've also worked with many talented musicians from the Rochester area. My dear friends and colleagues, Doc Salatino, Dave Profeta, Dick Calari, Jimmy LaPiana, Tom Aquilina, Mike Kornrich, Dave Lott, Doug Hilsinger, Ted Paris, Tony Mancuso, Billy Joe, Dave Ricione, my talented brother Chas Valentine, Mike Patric, Howard Samuels, Rockin' Robin, Rockin' Red, Walt Kaminski, Steve Keon, Ted Mosher, Henry Viola, Ted Peck, Jai Mate, Gary Culotta and a host of other great musicians.

I've worked also with bands such as The Coupe DeVilles, Billy Joe and the Blues Gypsies, Certified Groove, Jaspur, BlackoutBlue, The Spaceheaters, Side Pocket, Subject to Change, Rockin' Robin and The Bucket of Blues. In certain ways, each and every one of these musicians has influenced me one way or another and I've gained vast experience along the way. 

I would have to say though, that one of the most memorable moments in my musical career was just this past year when I was invited to record with my dear friend Steve Wittman at Levon Helm Studios down in Woodstock, NY. It was something I would only have dreamed of it it weren't for Steve. I recorded with Doc Salatino, Chuck Elberti and Steve Wittman. I got to play on Levon's personal  drum kit, which by the way is featured in the April 2008 issue of Modern Drummer Magazine. Check out Levon's website at www.levonhelm.com.

I'm now working with a talented group of musicians in The Chris McKain Band and it's so refreshing to be collaborating with such talent. Christine sings with such powerful confidence and is such a sweet person. I really enjoy working with her. Chuck Elberti is the person responsible for getting me involved with CMB and I thank him for that. He's also a great bassist. Gary Spinelli, although he hasn't performed live in 20 or 30 something years, you would never know it by his playing abilities. He's fun to work with and I enjoy his sense of humor.

Hope you all come out to see us perform in the near future. You'll be glad you did.