S.L.A. Revival
SLA Revival (Howard Skaggs, Michael LeDonne, and Carl Alexander) presents fresh, high energy arrangements of Rock, Blues and R&B favorites spanning 5 decades that will lift your spirits, elevate your outlook and have you dancin' to the music!
Maestro, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and bandleader, Howard Skaggs is a lifelong musician following in his parent's footsteps. Hailing originally from Wichita, Kansas, Howard has also lived and contributed significantly to the music scenes in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin, Loveland, Fort Collins and Cheyenne. Beginning his musical career in Las Vegas, Nevada, where his parents were entertainers in the early '60s, Howard found himself and his High School musician buddies playing on a local television show. Throughout the years Howard has performed with the great Al Kooper, jammed with Jerry Jeff Walker, worked with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dennis Keller and Billy Ed Wheeler (Kingston Trio), and opened up for Three Dog Night, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, BTO, Molly Hatchet, and Ozark Mountain Daredevils to name a few. Even dating Buddy Rich's daughter in his younger days. But perhaps his greatest memory is performing with the father of rock and roll in the audience, after which Chuck Berry said “Your rendition of the Stephen Stills songs was great”! Wow! Currently, Howard plays in “SLA Revival” of Ft. Collins, CO and top rock band in Cheyenne “Black White Blues Band” with the great EJ Brown.
Michael LeDonne, a Fort Collins drummer/percussionist, returned to his musical roots at the tender age of 48 and has never looked back. 22 years of hard work and diligence has taught him how to channel his passion for music into an infectious intensity that drives the band's diverse grooves. Originally from Long Island, he performed with Pat Benatar during her early years. His local bands along the way include The Mike LeDonne Project, Delilah West, The Skaggs-LeDonne Process, and SLA Revival, as well as being a hired-gun percussionist for many local bands.
Last but far from least is our bassist, mandolinist and singer Carl Alexander. Carl is a multi-instrumental phenomenon, songwriter, teacher and host with several decades playing the Colorado music scene in numerous bands, duos and solo, including Big Pants, Lazy Bones, Second Hand Smokers, Mighty Zion, and currently SLA Revival, Carl Alexander / Charlie Stevens Duo, and Charley Pride's son's band Carlton Pride and Sol Pride. Carl has performed with WAR, Victor Wooten, JD Blair (Shania Twain, Lyle Lovett, Bootsy Collins), Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash), and Tony Jati Allen (Natti Love Joys, Max Romeo, The Congos, Bob Marley), and has opened for Steel Pulse, The Wailers, and Merle Saunders, among many others. In a former entrepreneurial venture as Production Manager for TransPerformance/Axecent Tuning, Carl ran the shop that retrofitted guitars with a patented automatic tuning system for such giants as Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Pat Metheny, Graham Nash, Eddie Van Halen, Mick Fleetwood, Robert Hunter and many others.