Grumpies keep 'em singing and dancing

By GLEN SILVERTHORN (Brantford Expositor June 23, 2011)

The Grumpies are still getting the crowds at local service clubs singing and dancing.The quartet, which originally started as the Grumpy Old Men, performed recently at Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 90, on Oak Street.Drummer Dave Petit-pas is a member at the legion and its entertainment chairman. He likes to play during the earlier hours of evening.He keeps a solid and steady rhythm on his Pearl set, and uses a piccolo snare drum, which has a snappy bright sound, adding a nice backbeat to the songs.Another veteran member of this ensemble is Jerry Zavodny on keyboard and bass. He also does solo and harmony vocals.When I did an article on the group about four years ago, Zavodny was making his debut appearance with The Grumpies. His vocal offerings were energetic and expressive. They included Run Around Sue, Return To Sender, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and more.Petit-pas said that musician Dave Anderson told him about talented guitarist Frank Tamas at a rehearsal one night about 10 years ago. Petit-pas was impressed and brought Tamas on board.Tamas demonstrated his vocal talents on songs like Can't Stop Loving You, Jumbalaya, Poor Side Of town and more.Petit-pas recalled his early days, after moving to Ontario, and knowing he wanted to buy a drum set before a car.He soon started jamming on amateur night at the Brantford French Club. One Sunday afternoon, Petit-pas's brother got Pierre Maher to come to the club to hear Dave play. Maher liked what he heard and, after six months of rehearsals, Petit-pas started playing in public as a member of the Loose Ends band.Petit-pas said that, if not for Maher, he would not be playing today.Loose Ends now operates with Maher and Walker. Maher also was a member of The Grumpies for three years.The current guitarist/singer sharing playing chores with Tamas is the great solo artist, Mike Thorpe, who has been with the band for about one year.Thorpe has been busy doing a solo act for a number of years. He has been a member of the Circular Impressions band and occasionally gets together with Alter Ego.He did a superb job on vocals Pretty Woman, Old Time Rock and Roll, and a John Fogarty song, as well as many others.Petit-pas said that, with the addition of Thorpe, the band is doing well. Thorpe and Tamas work together at rehearsals to get things just right.What amazes me with this group is that all four musicians are vocal soloists, as well as being able to add up to three harmony parts with the soloist. This happens in the majority of the repertoire, which includes rock, country, country rock, standard tunes and more.Petit-pas's distinctive and clear singing style was evident in songs like Act Naturally, and the oft-requested French Song.He said that band will be opening for the Retro Rockers at an annual fundraiser in September. The Grumpies also will perform at the Telephone City car show. And they will be featured at The Waterford Legion's steak barbecue on July 23.

I encourage you to have some fun and be happy with the Grumpies, soon