Bandmember Bios

Mark L is the founder of the Decades band and provides lead vocals and lead guitar. He picked up his first guitar at the age of 5 and hasn’t stopped playing since! Mark grew up in a house where albums of orchestra music or artists like Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdink were  always playing at high volumes! At the age of 10, Mark begged his parents for a new and better guitar, which he ultimately received after meeting the challenge of learning how to play every single song on his mom’s favorite Englebert album! At age 15, shortly after a few years of formal lessons, Mark was asked to join a 50’s band with a bunch of “older” fellows. Despite the embarrassment of his mom having to drive him to rehearsals and gigs, Mark pressed on and started his own bands during high school. These formative years resulted in Mark co-founding other Jersey bands such as “SureFire” and “The Time Travelers”, each of which covered multiple genres of music from multiple decades. Now living in the Finger lakes region of upstate NY, Mark has replicated the successful formula of his prior bands with “The Decades band”. Whenever asked about his new band, Mark responds with, “The theme and goal of The Decades band is to perform hits from the 50’s through the 2000’s so that there is something for everyone!”

As the newest member of The Decades band, Zoee provides both lead and backing vocals, along with a variety of other instruments! She has been a musician since shortly after birth and loves to sing, dance, and entertain. Her parents remember her love of music and art as a toddler, as she would often dance and sing to the music in church as a young child. As an elementary student, she was inspired by her favorite orchestra teacher to learn how to play the violin. Among Zoee’s other great mentors were her chorus and saxophone teachers.
Zoee has competed at the NYS level for violin and voice and has been in many Penn Yan theater company (PYTCO) as well as Penny Yan drama productions. Some of these included “Press Start”, “Once up an Island”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Shrek Jr.”, and “Head over Heels”. productions. In addition to being a counselor at PYTCO, Zoee is also a member of the Penn Yan United Methodist Praise Band.
In addition to her music, Zoee is an animal lover and also enjoys gaming and watching Netflix. She loves all music and her current favorite singers are Billie Eilish and Bruno Mars. Zoee is interested in becoming a doctor or performing on Broadway someday.
Most of all, she loves to have fun!

Friday and Saturday nights while living in Richmond VA as a graduate student, Matt could be found moshing and shouting along with the crowd while distorted guitar sounds filled the air of small, sweaty venues.  While enjoying the city’s vibrant punk and metal scene in 2009, Matt could never imagine that his musical taste would expand and evolve into becoming a musician.  Upon returning home to the Finger Lakes area of upstate NY, Matt picked up an instrument for the first time when a family friend suggested he learn the bass to accompany him while performing living room concerts for family friends.  The duo performed songs by Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and Neil Young.  This duo eventually expanded into a four piece cover band and over the next 15 years their song catalog expanded to include The Eagles, Johnny Cash, CCR, Elvis, The Beatles, The Ventures, Skynyrd, and many others.  Fear not fellow metal heads, Matt’s taste for heavier music did not evaporate:  Matt, along with his twin brother, a guitarist, also formed punk and metal bands with musicians from the Rochester Area.  Matt and his brother continue to write music in these genres when time allows.  Today, Matt is currently on a mission to curate and deliver the low end frequencies from decades gone by.

Mark C joined The Decades band as a long-time musician: he has been “tickling the ivory” since he was 5 years old when his mom, a piano teacher, began giving him lessons.  At a young age, Mark was introduced to a variety of music including classical, pop, rock, country, and musicals. 
Fittingly, Mark cites The Beatles, The Police, Cheap Trick, and musicals including Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, and West Side Story as his primary influences (and of course, his mom!).  Interestingly, Mark’s family was among those who originally settled in Yates County as they were followers of Jemima Wilkinson.  Over the course of 40 years, Mark has played as a church organist at several churches including those in Penn Yan, Stanley, and Geneva. During this time, Mark also played keyboard for church praise bands.  After 35 years as an employee of New York State, Mark retired and when he is not behind a piano, he enjoys fishing, exercising, and watching sports...and yes, riding Stingray style bicycles from the early 70s!

Jay joined the school band in 4th grade and fell in love with the way his drum beats propelled the marching band. While in high school, Jay’s music teachers, one being a drum instructor and the other being lead of the music department, each mentored Jay and encouraged his exploration of music.  Jay was hooked!  His parents purchased him a drum kit comprised of home-made and Ludwig pieces, which he still has today.  Jay spent countless hours on this drum kit learning songs by Boston, AC/DC, Kiss, Molly Hatchet, Skynyrd, Journey, Styx, and Rush.  Jay also learned to emulate the vocals of these artists and developed his abilities as a singer.  He put these talents to work by forming garage bands, playing at parties, and delving into song writing. These influences can be heard today as Jay holds down the groove, sings lead vocals, and harmonizes with the members of Decades. Jay’s love for music, like the steady beat of a drum, continues to be inspired by seeing people filled with joy as they are surrounded by melody and rhythm.