About Sixwire
Ever since their debut on Warner Brothers Records, the members of SIXWIRE have been one of the busiest, hardest-working bands to come out of Nashville. Not only have these guys played on countless hit records, but they’ve also written hits for many top artists and toured with literally hundreds of stars. Comprised of guitaristSteve Mandile, bassist John Howard, drummer Chuck Tilley, and keyboardist Steve Hornbeak and guitarist/vocalist Andy Childs, SIXWIRE derived their name from a band-invented slang term for a guitar, fitting for a group fronted by two guitarists. They are the “go-to“ guys for television. Collectively, SIXWIRE members have been seen on television programs that include American Idol, ABC's Nashville, FOX's The Next Great American Band, USA Network's Nashville Star, CMT's Can You Duet, CMT's Next Superstar, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The View, The Grammy Awards, CMT's Flame-Worthy Awards,The ACM Awards,The CMA Awards, and many more. They also serve as the house band for the Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam and Academy Of Country Music's "Party For A Cause" featuring the topstars in Country Music.In 2019, SIXWIRE served as the first-ever “house band” for the NFL Draft on ESPN, which took place in Nashville. Other recent television appearances include theAll-American New Year’s Eve on FOX, and as a musical guest during theUS Figure Skating Championship on NBC and Peacock. SIXWIRE returned to perform pre-game entertainment at SUPER BOWL 56 in Los Angeles, and SUPER BOWL 57 in Glendale, Arizona. Charitable entertainment events that SIXWIRE has been involved in have raised nearly$30 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. SIXWIRE has also helped raisefunds for Scott Hamilton’s Cancer Research Foundation, Convoy of Hope, American Cancer Society, and many others. As the backing band behind the All Star Jam, SIXWIRE works with each of the special featured guest artists toproduce a Greatest Hits show, with high energy songs that the entire audience knows and loves.
About John Elefante
John Elefante is an American singer, songwriter, and musician, born on Long Island, New York. He gained prominence as the lead vocalist for the rock band Kansas in the 1980s. Beyond his success with Kansas, Elefante has also pursued a solo career, releasing several albums showcasing his versatile musical talents. Known for his powerful voice and contributions to the rock music scene, Elefante’s impact extends beyond the stage, as he continues to be a respected figure in the music industry. Elefante is a 3 time Grammy Award winner, as well as an Emmy award recipient.
About Derek St. Holmes
Detroit, Michigan may be known as The Motor City, but the area is as famous for music as it is for car engines! Eleven-year-old Derek St. Holmes was being influenced by the local music scene around the time he acquired his first guitar. As he honed his skills in his parents’ basement, he could not have fathomed that in a little more than a decade he would take the world of rock ‘n’ roll by storm. Motown was the sound of Detroit in the 1960s, but by the end of the decade, and into the ‘70s the area was a hotbed of hard rock that included The Stooges, The MC5, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes. Soon, that scene would also include Derek St. Holmes. It all began in 1974 when St. Holmes’ band, Scott, opened a gig for Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes. Nugent was making a name for himself around the Midwestern portion of the United States, but thus far had been unable to take his music to the next level. After seeing, and hearing, the young St. Holmes on stage, he knew what was missing and invited Derek to join his band. Derek brought a strong set of pipes, solid musicianship and songwriting skills to Nugent’s music, and in March of 1975 the world was introduced to him via Nugent’s self-titled debut album. While it was Nugent slinging down the guitar licks, it was Derek’s voice all over FM radio singing the soon to be classics “Stranglehold,” “Stormtroopin” and “Just What the Doctor Ordered.” In addition, Derek wrote, arranged and sang the classic tune “Hey Baby.” Derek quickly became regarded as one of the best voices on the international rock scene, all at the tender age of 22 years old. Nugent and St. Holmes continued their winning combination for three more iconic albums, Free for All in 1976, Cat Scratch Fever in 1977 and Double Live Gonzo in 1978. St. Holmes left the band and formed St. Paradise with ex-Nugent bassist Rob Grange in 1979, releasing one album. St. Paradise never took off as hoped, but the in-demand St. Holmes quickly teamed up with Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford to form Whitford/St. Holmes. In 1981, they released the album Whitford/St. Holmes, which was produced by the legendary Tom Allom (Judas Priest, Krokus, Def Leppard, Loverboy). The album was well-received and remains a cult classic to this day. In 1984, St. Holmes lent his vocal skills to German guitarist Michael Schenker’s band, MSG, on the album Built to Destroy. Derek also continued his on-again/off-again relationship with Nugent in the 80s and 90s, co-writing several songs on Ted’s comeback album, Spirit of Wild, in 1996. On July 4, 2000, Derek released his first solo album, after a quarter century in the music business. The critically acclaimed album, titled Then & Now featured songs that demonstrated the many facets of St. Holmes talents. His vocals ranged from the expected hard rockers to bluesy numbers, to a heartfelt ballad. His guitar playing covered everything from hard rock, to blues, and even included an acoustic number. Derek spent the next ten years performing in many bands and being a part of many projects, always remaining active in the music business. After years of Nugent fans begging Ted for Derek’s return, St. Holmes was invited by the Motor City Madman in 2011 to once again take his place on the Nugent stage. Derek appeared on Nugent’s 2014 album ShutUp&Jam, singing the tune “Everything Matters.” In 2015, Derek wrote and recorded new music with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Brad Whitford and released the long-awaited follow-up to 1981’s Whitford/St. Holmes album. The Reunion album prompted a 2016 summer tour with the band White Snake. Derek is presently playing solo on a variety of Blues Tours and traveling with his own band, The Derek St. Holmes Band and pleasing rock and roll fans throughout the US. Derek St. Holmes is a living testament to hard work and dedication. His voice remains as powerful as it was in 1974 when Nugent knew he had to snag him for his band. His guitar skills are equal to Nugent's as well, a fact often overlooked due to his stellar vocals. St. Holmes’ abilities are surpassed only by his spirit and love of music.