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In
1984, "Snacks" as they called him, Rick Jaeger
renamed our band "Backbone"
and we almost signed with Epic Records!
The band members consisted of Rick Jaeger on drums who
was at the time playing gigs with Steven Stills, and
he helped me find some of the other players which included
William “Smitty” Smith, who was a top session
player in L.A.; and Scott Robinson, an exceptional guitarist
who played with jazz flute player, Tim Weisberg.
The group also included Donnie Dacus on guitar! Now
this guy had some credentials! He starred in the movIe
"HAIR" and played with Chris Hillman,
worked on Crosby, Stills & Nash’s CSN album
and later with Stephen Stills for several projects.
Chicago selected him as a replacement guitarist and
vocalist after the death of Terry Kath.
Donnie is currently living in St. Petersburg, Florida
and is now sharing his incredible roots with us here
in Tampa Bay!
Smitty was a songwriter and rock, soul and gospel keyboardist
who added a lot of soul to my songs! He came to Los
Angeles in 1970 and worked with Bob Dylan, Tina Turner,
Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Crosby,
Stills & Nash and the Pointer Sisters, with whom
he recorded I’m So Excited. After Smitty suffered
a stroke on New Year’s Day in 1992, several performers
including Browne, Graham Nash and Bonnie Raitt staged
a benefit performance for him as he was ill and past
awy soon after. #RIP Smitty • RIP
Rick Jaeger.
The
group in 1999, reformed with band members Eric
Turner of Fortress and Bill
Lordan of The Robin Trower Band and was managed
by
Peter Bennett in New York, former Beatles
promoter with Apple Records. The band recorded two solo
albums at studios in Hollywood and Anaheim California,"Live
Your Dream" and "9
Ball in the Corner Pocket". In 2006 through
2011, Souza also toured with the New
RASCALS featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Dino
Danelli & Gene Cornish with Bill Pascali of Vanilla
Fudge. Charlie's music was influenced by the many artists
he has worked with including Tom
Petty, Gregg Allman, Bill Champlin, New Cactus Band
and Florida Music Hall of Fame Nominees The Tropics.
As author of a Rock 'n Roll Autobiography entitled "Live
Your Dream" Souza has written a pictorial history
book, "Tampa
Bay Music Roots".
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