PHIL ROBINS
Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals
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Born in Delaware, the son of a Country Rock musician,
Phil has been playing guitar since he was eight years old.
He is a self-taught guitarist with influences from his father and
other guitar masters. In 1987, he toured throughout the south with his father’s band, "Second Sun"
and worked as a studio session guitarist. His blues band Mr. Blue was formed
in 1989 and toured extensively up and down the east coast in support of major CD releases.
Phil has been invited onto stages of such blues greats as Albert Collins, Buddy Guy,
Johnny Copeland, and Otis Rush. Currently, Venom Blues is Phil’s hottest new act, playing and
recording original blues.
Message from Phil!
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KEVIN SMITH
Vocals, Bass Guitar
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A Delaware native, Kevin joined the band at its inception. He has been creating and playing
music in the Delaware area since the late 70's. A self taught guitarist and vocalist pounding out blues and rock classics in his first band,
he developed an interest in the blues cornerstone that helped build today's music.
As the songwriter/lyricist for an all original band in the 80's and 90's,
he found an appreciation for the stories told by musicians of the past and how their message has been carried across generations.
Switching to playing bass with Venom Blues offers new musical challenges;
an opportunity to delve into true blues styles, expand on the idea of original music and still
have the ability to pass on some powerful history using the words and music of some of the world's greatest blues pioneers
while writing some new history along the way...
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KITTY MAYO
Vocals
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Miss Kitty is a blues story all to herself!
She has been singin' the bluze for so long, it's not true, but, you better believe this story. For such a small package, she sure packs a whollop and puts the rest of this ole boy band to shame!
With a range a mile high and a sweet seductive lilt, she truely gets the crowd on their feet!
A Chicago native, Kitty was born into a musical family and was singing before she walked. Her father would take her to the Jazz and Blues Clubs in the Roosevelt and Kedzie area to sing as a child.
Kitty started professionally while in High School to pay for singing and piano lessons.
After High School she sang in various jazz clubs around Chicago then moved on to New Orleans hitting the club circuit and Preservation Hall.
Kitty continued singing and started composing her own songs while she raised children. She eventually settled in Delaware as a singer, songwriter and vocal coach.
In her spare time you can find her writing, arranging, producing and performing in the Wilmington, Philadelphia and Harrisburg area at various local haunts and at numerous music festivals.
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FRANK McKITTY
Saxophone
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Frank grew up in New York, studied saxophone and flute in New Orleans and returned to New York before moving to the DE/PA area.
While in New York, Frank played with a number of rehearsal bands, worked with society bands, led his own quartet, and worked a great deal in the Latin music scene.
By day, Frank worked as a Financial/Operations Analyst for large independent film company in New York.
Frank has had original compositions performed at Merkin Hall and has performed at Birdland, Iridium,
the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and other venues in the NY and PA/DE Tri-State areas.
A partial list of acts performed with includes the Temptations, the Four Seasons, the Stan Rubin Orchestra,
the Lynn Oliver Orchestra, Los Tremendos de Colombia, Los Chevres de Colombia, Las Chicas and Kitty Mayo's Empress Band.
He performed in the reed section for off-broadway productions of "Mame" and "No, No, Nanette".
Frank has also recorded and worked with the jazz groups Kombu Combo and the 23rd Street Quartet.
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STEVE LONG
Percussion
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Steve fell in love with playing drums at the age of 10. Over the years he has worked as a freelance artist and has had the opportunity
to play in many of the area’s top bands including a fifteen year stint with southern rock legends Dyin’ Breed.
Steve eventually seized the opportunity to play with Venom Blues for a short period while the band was planning their fourth CD release.
Steve moved on to other endeavors for a brief period after the fourth Venom Blues CD was recorded and released but eventually returned back to Venom Blues to stay
and to put out some rhythms that will keep your feets a stompin'!
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Some more pics
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