Percy Sledge and the band at Zephyr Stadium 

• Douglas Kinler born 

• Doug and Steve Levert-Alfonso₁ are playmate punks at Terrytown  playground in Gretna, Louisiana. Doug and Stephen Lundgren₂ are 8th grade schoolmates at Jesuit High School. 

• Inspired by an up and coming battle of the bands competition, Doug and Levert assemble a band. Doug invites friend, and high school keyboard crooner, Stephen Lundgren to join. (of the non performing garage band, The Turning Point) Steve brings together fellow school choral members to cover bass guitar and lead vocals. 

They name the competing group, The Mix. (see The Mix) 
• The Mix (1987-1990) 
• first cover is "Don't Change" by INXS.
• perform Jimmy's through 1990. 
• The Mix later disbands with bass player Joey Mangiapane leaving to tour with Black Diamond (he would eventually start the popular band Tom's House), and others going to college. 

• Doug, Levert, and Lundgren decide to revamp a new version of the band, but with a Memphis style horn section, and focusing on the R&B soul of the 60s. 
• Rick Ropollo (bass), Harold Schwander (vocals), Paul Grossimon (trombone), Kendall Hellmers (trumpet) are aquired. 
• Rehearsals are promptly begun at Phil and Maureen Lundgren's Sena 

Drive Casa. Early memories are said to have included cookies and milk, among other refreshments. Doug on those early rehearsals: "oh they were terrible, not serious at all, goofin' off and jammin', we were definitely in way over our heads". 

• College hiatus. 

• While attending a family reunion, Doug learns of his uncle's extensive and storied R&B resume'; having been a former frontman of numerous New Orleans acts. Newly inspired by his uncle's vocal talent, Doug reorganizes rehearsals and invites Uncle Jerry to join. Meanwhile, with the year long hiatus having diminished the brass section to a lone trombone, and without the luxury of knowing horn players, Doug puts in a call to his alma mater for some horn players. This request yields Ryan Thibodaux₃, Dave Carey, and Timmy Leach. Two new rehearsals are scheduled and include new members, Uncle Jerry (vocals), Ryan Thibodaux, (trumpet), Dave Carey (trumpet), and Timmy Leach (tenor sax).  These rehearsals would foreshadow what would be the characteristic instrumentation and trademark sound that remain today. Interestingly, Lundgren is absent from these spring sessions, having committed to a European tour. Moreover, it is not until he returns Doug's urgent message from the airport, that he is informed of these key rehearsals. Meanwhile, Ryan's looming departure for LSU weighs heavily on his commitment, and with it, his interest. A determined Doug begins negotiations with Ryan's mother. Enter Kathleen Thibodaux. Although with interest reeling, Ryan begins the gig. Yet still, trombonist, Paul Grossimon, leaves within weeks. Levert contacts UNO music student, Kenny Williamson, as filler. 
During a final rehearsal leading to the Jimmy's show, Lundgren arrives at the name "The Bucktown Allstars" . He later claims it is was a combination of his softball team, "The Bucktown Trouts" , "Cyril Neville's Uptown Allstars", and that the Lundgren Casa proudly rests on the skirts of what is Bucktown, USA.
 

• Personnel: Uncle Jerry; Doug Kinler, Steve Levert, Stephen Lundgren, Rick Ropollo, Ryan Thibodaux, Timmy Leach, Dave Carey, Kenny Williamson 

Fall, 1993

Hotstream, sax and horn arranger- (contact, Steve Levert) 

• The fall of 1993 would bring a personnel change to the reed position with Timmy Leach bowing out for graduate school. Levert invites  Hotstream, also of the Loyola College of Music, to sit in.

• on Alfonso on Levert: "master storyteller" 
• on Doug: "once had the flexibility of an Ethiopian villager." 
• on Daniel: "his lips take on bulbous proportions during shows." 

 

• Dave Connick, bass- (contact, Lundgren) 
• Once again the band's stability waivers as Rick Ropollo parts to attend law school. Calling upon an old classmate at the Tulane School of Architecture, Lundgren summons friend and bassist, Dave Connick. Dave remembering the call: "he said something like 'hey Dave, you still play bass?'". 
• years earlier Dave actually hires the band for his own wedding reception 
• on Lundgren: "great sense of humor... probably needs a designated driver ... prototypical Jesuit boy (take that for what it's worth)" 
• on Levert (when he was not yet Alfonso): "unreal combination -
• this guy could break your freggin' legs while singing falsetto." 

• Kenny Kerth, trumpet (contact, Kenny Williamson) 
• With Dave Carey gone for college and on the heels of his own departure, Williamson invites friend, Kenny Kerth, to field the, now vacant, lead spot. Interestingly, its Kenny's alias, "SuperTiger", not his strong lead playing, that actually lands him the gig. Memorable moment after first rehearsal: "...almost ended with Ryan and Doug nearly going at it!"

 


• Daniel Davis, trombone- (contact, Hotstream) 
• "....at Loyola he asked me if I wanted to join a band ...I showed up at a rehearsal and realized the band was legit, but the rehearsal was jive...they told me I had to play the first three shows for free in order to buy into the band." 
• on Doug: "maybe a little too uptight"
  
   

• Maverick Farr, Lead Vocals- (contact, Luke Adams) 

• Maverick rounds out the Allstars most recent additions. Inducted by 

former Allstar frontman, Luke Adams, Farr brings to the band a strong, 
versatile, and dynamic register. 
• on Doug: "at the first rehearsal he was stickler for an exact rendition of the music"

 

February, 2007

• Rod "The Show" Schouest, keyboards, (contact, the Bucktown All-Stars)
  Stephen Lundgren gracefully bows out from keyboard duties due to increased offspring and domestication down on Sena Dr. Rod, also of the Alleycats, is courted for the newly vacant keyboard spot. Rod brings strong musicianship and many years of experience. Lundgren, still on board as "Band Manager", can often be seen sippin' a cold one at shows.

• Wesley Raymond, Lead Vocals-(contact, the Bucktown All-Stars)
  Wes joins the band to fill the lead vocalist spot. Little known trivia here- Wes actually sang w/the band back in the Jimmy's and TJ Quill's Days, circa 1993-94. If you were ever underage and partied w/the band up on Maple St., chances are, Wes was gettin' a lil' soulful on ya. A native of New Orleans, Wes brings many years of experience to the band

• Reid Wick, guitar- (contact, the Bucktown All-Stars)
  Reid, Loyola music alum and veteran of many local jazz fusion bands, rounds out the recent changes in BTA's lineup. Reid brings a strong jazz/funk influence to the band. By day, Reid coordinates all things Grammy in New Orleans. Reid was the "go-between" linking New Orleans musicians and the Grammy Awards's Music Cares grants post-K.

• Steve Levert-Alfonso₁ 
  on Lundgren: "all I remember about early Lundgren was that he was always wreckin' cars...would go through lots of cars...however, real organized." 
• on Ryan: "school boy" 
• Lundgren₂ 
• on Ryan: "slacker" 
• on Alfonso: "...remember thinking, 'my mom wouldn't want me hanging around this guy'." 
• on Dave: "... used to play the 'air T-square' to U2 in the Architecture Studio. 
• Ryan₃ 
• on Doug: "...just a pain in my..." (referring to Doug's wooing of Ryan into joining the band) 
• on Alfonso: "...would pull up to Jimmy's Music Club in an old truck, flip flops, and an ice chest of liquor."