Steve Karakas. Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards

  Steve began his musical career at age 7 playing the accordion.  Call it inevitable, call it fate, or call it his only viable choice-- nearly every step in his musical career would point him to the band called Beadhead.  After six years of accordion lessons he began fooling around with the guitar.  The leader of his high school band recruited him to play accordion in the marching band—seriously.  This impracticality eventually led him to play in the percussion section.  It was here he met his first rock and roll bandmate, Jay Lundell.  At 14 years of age they formed The Dynasty and even recorded an album.  The band broke up when Steve moved to California.  He teamed up with fellow Cal Berkeley students to form ...more  

Bob Hawkins. Drums, Vocals

   Although Bob (“Umberto”) started playing drums at 13, his first gig was as a lead singer in a high school band (there was another kid who was a better drummer than he was). After high school, his earliest gigging bands were country rock bands in Maryland. He made his way to Portland in 1977 and was in various bands in the Portland “bar wars” scene of the late seventies and early eighties including Hot Water and The Brats before eventually joining The Survivors. The Survivors was a short lived roots rock band that included members of the Lone Coyote Club and the Burnside Bombers. The Survivors opened for Quarterflash twice in...more

John Difalco. Lead Guitar

   John began playing the guitar at age 11 and bought his first electric axe after a friend turned him on to Rush's 2112. He was hooked. Through high school ( 80 grad Sunset High) , he began to develop his style and formed the band Equinox with current jazz drummer Alan Jones. Through that time, John cites Alex Lifeson, Brian May, and Jimmy Page as some of his early musical influences. John learned a great many of his guitar chops through jam sessions with his high school chum current KISS lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, whom he still remains in contact with. Previous to Beadhead, John played rhythym guitar with The Relics...more       

Shakara.  Percussion. 

  Percussionist Shakara joined Beadhead after a stint with the Oxymorons.  Her early influences include Tito Puente, Sheila E and Ralph McDonald.  She plays congas, bongos, cabaca, maracas, wind chimes and numerous other percussion instruments with Beadhead.  Shakara, no relation to Shakira, orchestrates the band’s choreography on tunes like Fins, 5 O’Clock Somewhere and Stars on the Water.  She’s an art history teacher and plays “Catholic Congas” at her church.  Shakara is the band’s bus navigator.  New music currently on her iPod is:  Tom Petty, Gnarls Barkley, The Pretenders, Nelly Furtado and Santana.

Bill Piland.  Bass and Vocals.

  Bill Piland is a legend in the Portland music scene.  He started with the Sleazy Pieces--one of the '70's bands that included other notables like Jon Koonce and Steve Bradley.  Bill joined the Sludge Bros. in the early '80's with Steve Karakas and Pierre Ouellette.  He's been a collaborator with singer/songwriter Gary Ogan.  A nod to musical versatility, Bill has been a long time member of the Beatles tribute band, "Hard Days Knights" and has been a regular with former Sludge Bros. player, John Dalrymple, in Seymour.  Before joining Beadhead, Bill paid his Jimmy Buffett dues with the Oxymorons.  Bill is a nationally ranked backgammon player and tours the country on its professional circuit. 

Shannon. Vocals and Percussion

   Shannon's last gig was with the choir but she's not a choir girl anymore.  She belts out Sheryl Crow, Pat Benatar and Carole King tunes like she's been doing them forever.  She came to Beadhead as the 'rubberboard' player--an instrument that makes a lot of noise and includes no rubber.  She puts the high end on the bands' harmony tunes.  After a weekend of Beadhead gigs she heads back to her full time gig of teaching kindergarten.