Peninsula Banjo Band

Peninsula Banjo Band
Peninsula Banjo Band August 28, 2013 Top Row, left to right: Sam Morocco, Bill Lundgren, Jim Strickland, Gordon Ashby, Don Brayton, John Krakar, John Lathrop, Ray Buhler, Mary Horne, Charlie Tagawa. Middle Row: Rich Boss, Ralph D'Avolio, Barbara Fiedler, Cliff Tranberg, Adrienne Griffin, Bob Lasley. Bottom Row: Jean Avram, Gaylen George, Betty Jean Miller, Dave Marty, Joan Goldstein, Joyce Taylor, Jimmie Min.
Background information
Also known as	PBB or Peninsula Band, Original name Cupertino Banjo Band, then Golden Gate Banjo Band
Origin	Cupertino, California
Genres	Jazz, Dixieland, Ragtime, Music of the early 1900s, 20's, and 30s.
Years active	1963 (1963)–present
Labels	PBB Records, DiscMakers, Suspect Studios
Associated acts	Dallas Banjo Band, Junior Banjo Band (1972-1985), Pittsburgh Banjo Club, Sacramento Banjo Band
Website	http://www.peninsulabanjoband.org
Members	Performers: Steve Adkins, Gordon Ashby, Jean Avram, Rich Boss, Kathy Boucher, Don Brayton, Ray Buhler, Marian Chabansky, Ralph D'Avolio, Tom Faith, Barbara Fiedler, Michael Fiedler, Gaylen George, Joan Goldstein, Adrienne Griffin, Mary Horne, John Krakar, Bob Lasley, Jim Lathrop, Bill Lowrey, Bill Lundgren, Dave Marty, Lee McLaughlin, Clyde McMorrow, Betty Jean Miller, Jimmie "Banjo King of Maui" Min, Sam Morrocco, Arlene Okerlund, Jim Raddatz, Jim Strickland, Charlie Tagawa, Nori Tagawa, Joyce Taylor, George Thum, Cliff Tranberg, Kitty Wilson. Auxiliary: Beth Ashby, Rene Avigdor, Ed Bellerive, Dolly Freese, Phyllis Heeter, Ellie Hobson, Scott Hobson, Pat Klapper, Bette Klemm, Beverlee Kuhar, Helen Mattson, Dick Nebel, Jeanette & Floyd Oatman, Janice Oldenburg, Mary Raddatz, Carole Thum, Maria Tranberg, Gen Trovillion, Eileen Yumet.
Past members	Carleton Adams, Vera Adams, Mark Anthony, Jessie Archibald, Jim Arrasmith, Milton Atkins, #Glenn Atkinson, Anita Avery, Phil Avery, John Babcock, John Babcock, Tim Babcock, John Babot, Nichael Babot, Winton Balmer, John Bartleme, Bob Beavers, Steve Belser, Dan Bergthold, Barney Bernard, Mike Berry, Debbie Bibar, Kelii Bibar, George Bielski, Max Bierman, Joy Birdsley, Ed Bishop, Fred Blair, Jim Blankenship, Pat Borum, Jim Bostwick, James Bottorff, Ron Bradley, Richard Bradley, Phil Bresler, Lloyd Bucks, Billie Cox Bull, Charley Bull, Terry Bull, Don Bunce, James Burget, Sally Burns, Joyce Camp, Cecil Campbell, Leo Campey, Phil Campey, Clara Campidonica, Larry Caputo, Bill Carlson, Lorrie Carmichael, John Carrol, Carol Carter, Claude Causley, Dean Cerva, John Chessel, Rick Chiverton, George Chung, Al Clark, Jim Clement, Jack Cleveland, Nancy Peterson-Cooper, Dave Cotter, Dell Coy, Ester Coy, Dick Dalbec, Chuck Daley, Red Dalton, Eileen Daniel, George Davish, Ralph D'Avolio, #Jerry Deerwester, Bob Delaney, Charles Dennis, Donna Dignon, Jean Dignon, Vernon Dignon, Bill Dildine, Ray Dodson, Joe Donnely, Allen Doxsee, Patrick Dutrow, Art Earle, Edward Erickson, Faith Esenbock, Brian Faith, John Fehd, Ray Ferrie, Ernie Fiedler, Andrews Fielding, Edna Fisher, Jack Fix, Scott Fix, Kurt Flammer, #Don Flora, Ron Flora, Mike Foley, Rolfe Folsom, Henry Forbes, Dee Freeman, Eugene Freeman, James Freeman, Ron Freeman, Stan Freese, Barbara Fuller, Verne Gallaway, Robert George, Christina Gill, Jack Gill, Barbara Gooch, John Goulais, Jordan Grane, Bill Gray, John Greunig, Todd Greunig, John Griffin, Christina Gross, Alf Hakanson, Emil Hakkila, Mercy Hall, Alice Hamed, Millie Harden, Carolyn Harris, Jeannette Harruff, Ted Harruff, Scott Hartford, Barbara Heimans, Art Henderson, Roger Herold, Penny Hess, Shirley Hess, Charlie Hevrin, Bob Hodson, Roger Holliday, Mara Hook, Dorothy Horning, Norn Horning, Steve Howard, William Howard, Ed Ingraham, Duncan Insley, Filicia Isbell, Gary Isbell, Lori Isbell, Gracie Jackson, Warren Jaeger, Greg James, Judy James, Tom James, Max Jerman, David Johnson, Steve Johnson, Bruce Jolly, Konnie Kane, Bob Karkalik, Connie Karkalik, Garry Kerr, Bette Klemm, Al Knowles, George Lamb, Pat Lansdon, Jerry Larson, Richard Legrand, Florence Lewis, Doug Light, Keith Little, John Littlefield, Joan Lotta, George Lowell, George Lyon, Bob Mager, Mel Manger, Robert Mapes, Steve Mapes, Tony maranon, David Marshall, Lee Marshall, Ron Marshall, Win Marshall, Dick Martin, Helen Wick-Martin, Paul Martin, Ralph Martin, Larry Martinez, Tom McAfee, Bill McCabe, Kevin McCabe, Jack Macfarland, Tom McGlynn, Dee McGuigan, Cathy Miksell, Donald Miles, Ivan Miller, Willian "Bud" Misson, John Monaghan, H. H. Monk, Jack Montgomery, Keith Montgomery, Dan Moore, Joyce Moore, Sam Moore, Bruce Morley, Scott Morely, Jack Murray, Robert Nach, Rick Neil, Goldie Nearhood, Paul Nearhood, Nick Nelson, Clint Nerenberg, Rose Nerenberg, Andy Nespole, Mike Nichols, #Pearl Nicolino, Paul Novak, Floyd Oatman, Charlie Obertone, Don Obertone, Kristin Victoriine-O'Leary, Bruce Olcott, Libby Orr, Anna May Owen, Kelley Panacy, Bob Paxton, Lea Patterson, Bill Perry, Lee Perry, David Peters, Herb Petersen Gus Peterson, Lynda Peterson, Marlow Peterson, Steve Peterson, Jurg Pfister, Bob Pinckney, Doug Pinckney, Keith Pinckney, Ward Pinther, Scotty Plummer, Ed Polen, Darell Pozzi, Karen Pozzi, John Randolph, Shirley Randolph, Betty Rapasarda, #Chuck Ray, Chuck Ray, Jr. Bill Reed, Carl Rein, Bob Rich, Linda Rich, Donna Richard-Dasgupta, Judy Richard, Mark Richardson, Lois Rigg, Gene Ripley, Gus Rizio, Tom Robertson, Frank Robins, #Manuel Rodrigues, Mickey Rose, Patsy Rose, Vinny Rose, Darryl roth, Tim Rowen, Joe Russo, Gene Sandberg, Sheila Sandow, Christie Saunders, Bob Schmeltzer, George Schoenbaum, Herb Schreiber, Wayne Schwartz, #Steve Sedlack, Dave Seeba, George Seeband, Dave Seiber, Alfred Shaw, James Shaw, Keith Shebesta, Hugh Sinnet, Sam Small, Ron Smith, Jerry Snyder, Harry Spear, Leonard Speth Weldon Squires, George Starkey, #Sydney Steele, David Stenseth, Peter Stenseth, Geoff Stich, #Cas Stockard, Leon Tagawa, Ruth Taylor, Zak Taylor, Betty Thomas, Burven Thomas, Jack Thorpe, Lou Thorpe, Kevin Tierney, James Tonn, George Thum, Sr., Wally Trabling, Ole Tranberg, Curtis Tresemer, Ed Tykla, Gary Van Brunt, Bill Van Dorn, Chuck Vaughn, Clem Vickery, Dick Vlach, Merle Vlach, Frank Vodich, Joe Wagner Jr., Paul Wallis, Shirley Wallis, Bob Warner, Sue Warner, Jack weeks, Dan Weininger, Debbie Weitzel, Howard White, Al Whitman, Dave Wick, Jerry Widmeyer, #Merle Wilhelm, Randy Williams, Roy Wood, Gwen Woodruff, John Woodruff, Ting Woodruff, Don Wyckoff, Lee Yamada. # indicates founding member
Notable instruments
Banjo, Tuba, Sousaphone, Washtub bass, Washboard

The Peninsula Banjo Band (PBB) is an American musical group and 501(c)3 non-profit foundation dedicated to preserving the musical legacy of the four-string banjo as well as raising money for cancer-related and other notable charities. The group is based in Northern California, around San Jose and San Francisco, and has performed publicly every week since 1966 (over 2000 performances). One of its other contributions is in the form of music education (scholarships), frequent free public performances, and the hosting of an annual jazz festival that has featured the best of the professional and amateur banjo community since the 1970s. Formed in 1963, the PBB is known worldwide as one of North America's premier banjo jazz groups that has headlined numerous times over its history and been the opening act for notable entertainers and musical groups of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. To date total charitable giving exceeds $200,000.

The band that eventually became the Peninsula Banjo Band was formed by Chuck Ray, Sr. in 1963. Ray was a music teacher and local musician in the South Bay area. Ray could often be found performing with his plectrum banjo at the Shakey's Pizza and Big Al’s pizza parlors in San Jose, California.

In 1962 a group of Ray's students approached him about forming a band. Ray agreed and an informal group was formed. As the group practiced together and improved they were eventually asked to entertain in public. They called themselves the Cupertino Banjo Band and the original nine members were Glenn Atkinson, Jerry Deerwester, Don Flora, Pearl Nicolino, Chuck Ray, Sr., Manuel Rodriques, Steve Sedlak, Sidney Steele, and Merle Wilhelm. Later, as the group increased in size, they temporarily called themselves the Golden Gate Banjo Band. Then in 1971, as an acknowledgment that band members came from a much larger area than Cupertino, they came up with the name Peninsula Banjo Band. The band included members from as far south as Santa Cruz and as far north as Burlingame.