The Band
Dempsey Crenshaw-Vocals,
Harmonica, Guitar
David Isaacs-Drums
Mickey Carson-Bass
Danny Banda-Guitar
Charlie Lowe-Keyboards
D.C.
& THE CAPITALS
D.C. & THE
CAPITALS IS A GROUP THAT PLAYS A
FINE BLEND OF BLUES, RHYTHM & BLUES, SOUL, AND ROCK & ROLL, LED
BY
VETERAN MUSICIAN AND ONE OF THE
LAST ORIGINAL BLUESMEN IN DALLAS, DEMPSEY CRENSHAW.
Dempsey
(On Vocals, Harmonica, and Guitar), sings and plays with feeling and a
sultry
impact over volume and flash. Dempsey’s harp style is reminiscent of
Jimmy Reed
and Little Walter. His guitar playing bring to mind B.B. King and
Little
Milton. This together with his gritty yet smooth vocal style leave the
first
time listener thinking and wondering where this man has been hiding.
The answer
to that, like a lot of great American musicians trying to make a living
in the
early 60’s, gigging became more difficult as the popularity of British
rock
groups forced many musicians to supplement their income finding other
ways to
make a living, and try to keep their musical career’s going at the same
time.
Born
in Alabama, Dempsey came to Dallas around 1961. After learning harp
very early
in life , he picked up bass guitar playing with and opening for many of
the
Blues and R&B Greats. Around 1957 he started touring with a list of
artists
that reads like a WHO’S Who of
Rock & Roll and R&B. They include Sam & Dave, Jimmy
Reed,
Freddie King, Chuck Berry, T-Bone Walker, Eddie Floyd, Rufus Thomas,
Marvin
Gaye, Big Joe Turner, Etta James, and Little Richard’s guitar player.
He also
did a 2 year stint with The Drifters from 1963 to 64.
Dempsey
started his own band called Shame Shame, that had success and a
following in
Dallas. They toured and recorded a CD, and played B.B. King’s club in
Memphis.
The current band includes some former Shame Shame alumni.
Danny
Banda- ( guitar & vocals ) Hailing from Oak Cliff, Texas, Danny
played
around DFW as a teenager, then left Dallas to join the military. Played
around
Europe in several bands, then played on the east coast, before coming
back to
Dallas. He was asked to join Shame Shame with current D.C. drummer Dave
Isaacs after they had both worked
together with The Dunn Deal. Danny worked with Dempsey for 3 years,
then
started his own band called The Cat Daddy’s in 1996 and recorded a CD.
Then he
and Dempsey started D.C. & The Capitals with The Cat Daddy’s rhythm
section.
Mickey
Carson- (bass guitar), from Denton, Texas. Mickey has played all styles
of
music in N.Texas for over 20 years. Playing with bands such as;
Bluetail,
Nothing, The Amazing Hypnophones, and The Cat Daddy’s. He also
freelances with
several bands. He is also a sound and audio expert, and added his
expertise to
the CD with The Capitals.
Dave
Isaacs- (drums), had worked with Danny & Dempsey some years ago
with Shame
Shame, and Dunn Deal. He was in The Wee Bads with Memo Gonzales and
Hash Brown.
Then joined The Texas TopCats, who opened the 1993 Dallas Bluesfest at
the
Starplex for The Allman Brothers, and B.B. King. Doing revue shows with
Robert
Ealey, Curly “Barefoot” Miller, and Joe Jonas. Dempsey also did a show
with The
Topcats. Dave still finds time to work with 8 Ball & The Breakers
also.
With
the new D.C. & The Capitals CD-All Night Long, original material
Dempsey
has worked on for over 6 years, the band has the collective experience
and it
has been our pleasure working with one of the nicest, and modest guys
in the
business.
For
CD & Booking info contact Dave Isaacs at;469-682-1954, and you can
check
out Dempsey’s Shame Shame website out at: www.weblace.com/shameshame