The Smokin Aces BIO :
Drummer Sonny Rock was born in New York in1961 and moved to Los Angeles in the early 1970’s. He played in original bands including actor Billy Wirth’s “Dust n’ Bones”. He played as house drummer at Hollywood clubs like The House of Blues, Whiskey Au GoGo, Spice Club, and China Club.
He has shared the stage with Bryan Adams, members of The Who, Kiss, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Jones, The Cult, Peter Frampton, Leslie West, Robin Trower, Pat Travers, and Heart. He has recorded with members of The Cult, Heart, Jojo Gunn, and with Niki Hopkins for motion pictures.
He is now bi-coastal, playing with Mason Casey out of LA and The Smokin’ Aces and Lex Grey out of NY.
Guitarist Robert “Cue” Gerhards, who also sings lead vocals, has played throughout the New England area for decades in bluegrass, old country, R&B bands, and straight blues bands. He has jammed with Del McCoury and Little Sammy Davis & Midnight Slim. He has performed at The Egg in Albany and the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC.
Buck “The Hammer” Spero has been playing guitar since childhood. He took up the bass 10 years ago. While growing up in NY, he led The Sundowners, playing guitar and writing both musical and vocal arrangements. In 1966, the Sundowners opened at Greenwich Village’s Café Wha for Jimi James and the Blue Flames. He later became more well known using his real name, Jimi Hendrix.
He lived in San Francisco in the late 1970’s, playing with many great musicians and performing as a member of drummer Bob Braye’s Peace and Rhythm Unit. He also worked with drummers Eddie Marshall and Larry Hancock, bassists James Leary, Chuck Metcalf, and Glenn Howell, saxophonists Eric Kloss, Vandi Harris, and many others. Upon returning to NY in the early 1980’s, he has worked with his wife, pianist, singer, and songwriter Christine Spero, for many years on guitar and bass before joining The Smokin’ Aces as bassist.