“The Stingrays are like a live jukebox who play and sing all the hit rock-and-roll songs from the era.”
A professional and very talented 4 piece band; The Stingrays cover a mixture of classic rock, oldies and blues from the 50's through 80's with a few newer tunes. Also Specializing in Music Customized for Events, Holidays and Private Parties. Venues include Casinos, Elks Lodges, Blues Festivals, City Events, Fairs and various Clubs throughout the Oregon/Washington area. Their song list focuses on tunes to facilitate Dancing and The Stingrays have a Good Rapport with their Audiences. Drawing on their extensive repertoire, The Stingrays play and sing the hit Rock-And-Roll songs from the era’s.
Sandy Simmons
Vocals
Sandy had her professional debut as a singer in Las Vegas at the age of 14 as Candi James which continued to be her stage name throughout her career in Las Vegas. Music being apart of her life from birth. Her Father Danny G (a life time Professional Entertainer) and her Mother brought her into this world while they were on tour together with their Band Hot Sugar.
Since then Sandy’s been Headlining, or Dancing/ Singing back up, for Large and Small Productions, for ticketed and free Shows, performing as Herself and also in the roll of an Impressionist/Impersonator in three Shows on the Las Vegas Strip. Now more recently throughout the Vancouver, WA/Portland, OR surrounding areas she performs with The Stingrays as Lead Singer for last 8 years and enjoys performing many Genres and Styles.
Sandy, having extensive experience Coordinating Special Events and Weddings throughout her Career, is very well suited to maintaining a smooth and exciting atmosphere for any situation. She also worked as a Sound and Lighting Engineer and Stage Tech early on. As well as a Voice and Performance coach to several Professional Entertainers in the Las Vegas area and also to Aspiring Vocalists alike.
Jeanie Sherman
Bass
Originally from Chicago, Jeanie grew up listening to Chicago blues players such as Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Other influences were bands such as: Led Zepplin, Jimmy Hendrix, and Cream. Jeanie moved to the Bay Area where she met Bill Sherman, a drummer at a jam session. They later married. Although Jeanie played guitar she started playing bass in a church band when they needed a bass player.
After relocating to Portland, Oregon Jeanie joined Lightrail. Lightrail was an edgy Southern style rock trio including her husband and Darrell Brown. They recorded an album and got airplay on a local radio station for their single “This Battle”. They also were featured with their single “When” on the TV show Rolling Thunder. Four years later she and Bill formed a heavy rock band with Blind Charlie Carroll called Holy Fire. One of their gigs was in Vancouver Park with Blues Harpist Darrell Mansfield.
During this time “The Lipstick Dollheads” were playing weekly at the Chinook Winds Casino and needed a bass player. Donna Beaudin, leader of The Dollheads asked Jeanie to play. Jeanie accepted. She did that for a couple of years before founding The Stingrays with Bill. The Stingrays have been in existence for over 10 years and Jeanie has provided the strong bottom bass guitar for all of these years.
Bill Sherman
Drums
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Bill’s early musical influences ranged from big band music of the 1940’s through all genres in the 1960’s which included rock, folk rock, country, blues, and jazz. He started playing the drums in the late 1950’s when his father died and his mother used some of the insurance money to buy a drum set and private lessons. He was a founding member of the Stingrays, a rock and roll band in high school. After graduating, he left the Stingrays to pursue a career as a drummer. He worked with a local Cleveland band, the Dave Griggs blues band until he was drafted.
After a two year stint in the army, he decided to go to the west coast where he thought there was a strong music scene. Throughout the 1970’s he freelanced with countless bands in the bay area including rock bands, country bands, blues bands and jazz trios playing all types of venues from small neighborhood clubs to posh hotels to high end concert halls. During this time he also took music classes which included theory, harmony, voice and piano.
His music education helped him when, in the 1980’s he was asked to be the music director at a church, where he arranged music including writing parts for flute, trumpet, as well as piano and guitar. He also directed a music cantata as an Easter presentation. While doing this he was also working three nights a week with a rock trio that he formed as well as working a full time job as an electronics technician. After moving to Portland, Oregon, he and his wife, Jeanie, were involved in forming three different original bands and some years later formed the rebirth of the Stingrays which is still going after more than ten years.
Richie V
Guitar & Vocals
Our newest member, Rich Virkelyst hails from Seattle but calls Portland home. Rich has been playing his
guitar most of his life, beginning in the 4th
grade. Coming from a musical family, his mom was a gifted Hammond B3 organ teacher and singer, his brother a powerful drummer and singer, and his sister a
pianist and singer. He played in bands as early as junior high school leading a popular cover band called
The Lite Side of Nite playing numerous venues in the greater Seattle area. While attending Washington
State University he led two successful horn bands called Slime and Downright Nasty. They played all the
frats and sororities weekly as well as local taverns, rock concerts and other venues in the Inland Empire
region. He studied theory in Seattle using the Howard Roberts Guitar methods and started honing his
jazz skills. Moving to Portland he was introduced to a variety of white collar professionals with musical
backgrounds. It was at this time he formed White Collar Crime, another successful R&B horn band
playing in the greater Portland area. They played numerous corporate events, clubs and the Oregon
State Fair. Subsequently, he formed Richie V. and the Groove Grifters playing funk, soul and jazz. He
has also performed with the Curtis Hammond Band and Mojo Cannon, a highly rated blues band out of
Seattle. Most recently, he has been performing with Iowa’s Rock and Roll Famers Stone Soul Picnic (aka
Wiseguys) in Idaho and Arizona.