Bios

Stan Greene – vocals

Stan Greene has been a singer for as long as he can remember. Although the story line is familiar enough to be a cliché, he really did get his start singing in church as a child. “Oh yeah, my grandmother was sure I was going to be a preacher,” he laughs. “I did all the youth choirs and male quartets at church and in school. Then there was the Boogie Band in college, where I got my first taste of performing R&B, rock and blues. I can remember the first time I told an audience to stand up and clap their hands – and they did it! I thought, ‘Whoa!’ I can look back and say that it was my first experience of mojo.” After realizing that performing was “something I gave up on the way to other stuff I thought was important,” Stan began to reconnect with that performance buzz in 2002, hitting open mike nights, meeting musicians and jumping on every chance he could to find a live microphone. He’s simply “Stan from Michigan” when he hits Club 544 on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. “The All Purpose Blues Band has a standing gig there. I’ve sat in with them three years in a row, including taking the stage to close out Fat Tuesday this year.” Three days later Stan debuted with Tailshaker. Stan notes that blues is about stories. “I tell people that the stories might be sad but the music isn’t. If you can sing about hugging your pillow where your baby used to lay, that means you came out the other side of pain with some attitude intact. My job as a blues singer is to pour that attitude into every lyric.” back to top

Dave Taalman – guitar

Dave Taalman is the founder and leader of Tailshaker. He is also the band’s guitarist. Dave has been playing guitar since the age of eight and credits his grandfather as a major musical influence in his life. His grandfather, who was born in the south, was a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, harmonica, and piano. Dave was also influenced – and enlightened by – his mother’s 1965 Ventures album, “Knock Me Out.” Ask him about it when you have the chance. Taalman has played country, blues, rock, metal, prog rock, and even some surf. Says Taalman, “I love all kinds of music, but the blues is my favorite!” back to top

Dave “Rip” Miller - Harmonica

Dave "Rip" Miller credits his early interest in the harmonica to friend and teacher Dave Borgman. "Borgie" introduced Rip to a number of musicians (there are stories that can't be told here), and an eventual date with his musical destiny.

In the summer of 2000, Rip heard Billy Rider play with the Mighty Little John Band on a stage in downtown Grand Rapids. He was hooked. Rip asked Billy if he would teach him his craft. Rider, who had toured with "Shakey" Walter Horton, Carey Bell, James Cotton, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, took Rip under his wing. For the next four months, all they did was play. Rip learned. And he learned well.

It didn't take long for Billy to tell Rip to "get his ass on stage." Rip laughs as he tells the story. "Rider actually told me 'he wouldn't teach me no more.' I started looking for a band." Soon thereafter, Rip joined his first band, Blues Stew, followed by stints with Straight Up and Bluz Dawg.

Rip is grateful to Billy Rider for his influence and teaching, and to this day refers to Rider as "The Prophet."

"Thanks to Billy, I got to share some of the best talent in the world of blues." says Miller. "If you ride a bus with as many talented musicians as he has, some of it rubs off on you."

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Kaja "Dr. K" Lill - bass

Kaja Lill grew up listening to everything from classical to blues. Other then the constant stimulation of his father’s piano playing, Kaja began to branch out and discover music genres that later moved him to become a musician. His eclectic tastes later pushed him to spend his time playing with various bands ranging from reggae, to metal, to electronica rock.

Now a music major in college, he continues to further his melodious education by participating in orchestra pits for musicals and jazz, classical and contemporary styles -- both as a bass player and saxophonist. The time Kaja has spent with each of his instructors throughout the years has helped him become the well-rounded musician he is today.

As for the future, Kaja is determined to continue to study until he receives his Doctorate degree, and hopes to later find a university position as a Professor of Music Theory. “There is so much music out there. I want to hear as much as I can while my ears still work,” Kaja explains, exemplifying his need to learn and develop as a musician. As a whole, Kaja’s inspiration stems from life and the language of music.

Michael Brown – drums

Michael Brown is one of the original members of Tailshaker. He has been playing the drums for over 30 years, and credits the late legendary Hastings (MI) percussionist Wolfram Fechner as a key musical influence in his life.

Says Brown, “First and foremost, Wolfram taught us all how to count. He stressed the value of technique and the importance of dynamics in every lesson. He was also hell on wheels if you didn’t practice. Swearing in German directed at you isn’t much fun when you’re 11 years old. Anybody who studied with Wolfram practiced -- a lot.”

Michael has been a blues aficionado since the late 80’s when he came across a B.B. King recording of “The Thrill Is Gone.” At the time, Brown was living in Florida, trimming trees for a living, and had about $60.00 to his name. “That song resonated with me unlike any music ever had up to that point in my life. Looking back, I now know why it affected me the way it did. I honestly don’t think you can understand the blues until you’ve had ‘em.”

Mike Rizzo – keyboards

When Mike was three years old, his mother saw him banging on a relative's piano and decided to get him piano lessons. Mike took lessons until the age of 12, focusing primarily on jazz. He formed a jazz trio and played locally in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, until he was 18. Mike attended college for a year, developed a love for R&B, and became a major part of the northeastern Ohio R&B circuit. In 1970, Mike went on the road, touring with many lounge Top-40/Top-100 acts. He settled in Holland, Michigan, and quit playing for a while to raise a family. Mike's love for playing took over in 1993 when he was in New Orleans on vacation. He decided to sit in with some local New Orleans players and ended up playing the night in two Bourbon Street clubs. The rest, as they say, is history. Mike has been playing and singing ever since and refuses to quit! back to top