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David Owen
David joining the group in 2009. Besides playing keyboards and trombone, he is one of the featured vocalists adding high harmonies or taking the stage front and center for a solo. His “rock ‘n’ roll” career began early with a band called Rasberry Cream that included the Monarchs’ current drummer, Jeff McAllister. Dave also played with The Leaves, Inc., Shag, the Wulfe Bros. (for a year) and finally The Fanatics for more than 30 years. David has performed with Bo Diddley, Three Dog Night, and Peter Noone. His musical influences come from all types of music including Rock, R&B, and Southern Gospel. |
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Billy Grinstead
Billy Joined The Monarchs in 2023. He brings a lengthy musical history into his new position as Lead Guitar for The Monarchs. Billy began his rock ‘n’ roll journey in the ‘60s with The Chateaus, The Company Front and the Mag 7. He, along with Paul Cunningham, started the Wulfe Bros. Billy would go onto to short stints with The Fanatics and Sherry Edwards Band. Current Monarchs’ drummer Jeff Jarboe, vocalist Dave Owen and Billy are all former members of The Wulfe Bros. and so their musical legacy lives on.
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Leon Middleton
Leon is the business manager and sax player for The Monarchs. Leon begin performing with The Monarchs in 1962 and has appeared with The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, The Righteous Bros. and many more. With The Monarchs, he has performed with the Louisville Orchestra and for President George W. Bush.
His professional musical career began with playing clarinet at the VFW on Longfield Ave. in a band he started,The Squires. They played on Sunday afternoons and would pass the hat. He purchased an alto sax and at age 15 filled in with various bar bands around the Louisville area where he honed his rock ‘n’ roll skills. He moved on to play with Jimmy Orten and the Emeralds and The Aztecs in 1961.
As a studio musician, Leon developed a talent for record production. As President of SaxKing Records, he has produced projects for rock, blues, jazz and Christian acts. In 2008 he released a CD “Leon Middleton — Solo” that contains many of his favorite instrumentals. He also produced the CD “The Monarchs Appearing Here Tonight” and co-wrote one of the cuts.
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Louis "Dusty" Miller
A founding member of the Monarch’s started on rhythm guitar in 1960 and switched to bass guitar in 1962.
In the early 60’s opened for such artists as Dee Dee Sharp, Johnny Tillotson, Dr. Feelgood and Bo Diddley.
Backed artists in concert, Del Shannon, Freddie Cannon, The New Beats, Al Wilson, Ray Peterson, Eddie Holman, Gene Hughes (The Casinos) Pat Upton (Spiral Staircase)
In the mid sixties opened for such artists as Lonnie Mack, The Beach Boys, and over the years have opened for such performers as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Everly Brothers, The Righteous Brothers, B.J. Thomas, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Gary Puckett and The union Gap, Chubby Checker, The Buckinghams and Blood, Sweat, & Tears.
Also in the mid-sixties was bass player on the composite recording group named Boothog Pefferly and the Loafers with the recording of “I’m Not Going To Work Today”.The song reached Number 2 on the regional charts. It was covered in 1966 by Clyde McPhatter using the exact original version. One of only three muscians that had two records in the top five with two different bands, the Monarch’s with “Look Homeward Angel and Booithog Pefferly and “I’m Not Going To Work Today.”
Concert venues range from playing behind chicken wire in “Roadhouses” to playing for President George W. Bush. Played five concerts with the Monarch’s being backed by the Louisville Orchestra. |