MockingBird

About Our Band

MockingBird is a full, energetic and harmonious sounding band; blending acoustic, bass and electric guitars with vocals, keyboards and drums. They perform a variety of 60’s to 80’s classic-rock, and country-rock standards.

Band Members:

Terry Worth - Guitar/Vocals
Tony Williams - Electric Guitar

Dave Wilson - Bass Guitar/Guitar/Vocals

Bob VandenBranden - Drums/Vocals

Hometown:

Kewaunee & Green Bay Wisconsin

Record Label:

RiverRaft Records

General Managers/Booking Agents:

Bob Vanden Branden 

920-336-6374

Terry Worth

920-388-4212

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Band Bio

Bob Vanden Branden

Drums and Percussion, Vocals

                                                                                "Hello, I'm Robert Vanden Branden. I play drums for MockingBird, a Kewaunee                                                                                      County-based folk rock band."

                                                                                 "I  was born in Green Bay Wisconsin in the fifty's era. I started playing drums at                                                                                  the young age of eight and have been playing for the last fifty plus years.  My                                                                                    first experience with playing drums was on my mother’s pots and pans, which                                                                                   she was not happy about. I finally asked my father to show me how to play.

 (My Dad played in the Green Bay Packer Band, as well as dance bands for 36 years).  He started teaching me on what they call a practice pad, which is nothing but a rubber pad on a wedge-shaped box to hit on.  This was not what I wanted; so, at age 16,  with my first paycheck,  I bought my first set of drums.  I taught myself to play the drums.
In high school,  my friends and I started a band called the "Pastimes".   We played in that band for about 20 years."

 "Having stopped playing for a few years, I wanted to start playing again. Now, I got my wish in the band called 'Mockingbird'.  The type of music we are playing is the music I grew up with, and it’s great.  Come and see us when we play. Have fun, remember the music, and judge for yourself."

Terry Worth

Vocals and Guitar

                                                                           "Music, (like a beautiful painting),  has always had a way of transporting me.                                                                              Whenever I listen to, or play a song that  I love, I feel like I'm                                                                                                        being carried off into another world.  So, for me, via my imagination, music                                                                              can be just as visually experiential as it is auditory."

                                                                           Worth grew up during the 60's British invasion and Dylan era. At age 10,                                                                                    drums were his first instrument. At age 16, Terry discovered the world of                                                                                acoustic guitar, and the endless possibilities of singing and writing his own                                                                             songs, as well as performing covers. 

Worth first began performing in a duo called Dusk To Dawn, in 1977.

In the '80s Worth moved to Door County, where he often did solo gigs at a fish restaurant, and also performed in two Christian bands.

In the early '90s, Worth helped form a Milwaukee based folk-rock cover band called Cascadence, with Eric Kiefer and Mykl Stanley. Kiefer and Stanley later went off to form the popular Milwaukee based band - Suburban Gypsys.

Somewhat adrift after departing from Cascadence, the mid-'90s found Terry writing his own music and performing as a solo artist - in bookstore/coffee shop settings.

The Original Forming of MockingBird

In 2000 Worth moved his little family up to Kewaunee, Wisconsin, to start a new full-time art teaching position.

In 2009, Terry met up with Bill Wright, and together they formed  Worth and Wright.

In 2012, Roy Malvitz and Bob Vanden Branden joined with Worth and Wright to form MockingBird.  Malvitz later left MockingBird to collaborate with one of his old 60's bandmates.

Leo Jelinek joined MockingBird in 2015.

Leo retired from the band in the fall of 2018.

Tony Williams joined the band in the winter of 2019.

Bill Wright retired from the band in September of 2019.

Dave Wilson joined the band in September of 2019.

Tony williams

Lead Guitar

Tony started with the band in the Summer of 2019.

He is an amazing guitarist, and we are very fortunate to have him flying with us.

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Dave Wilson  Bass Guitar

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"

Music has been very important to me for as long as I remember. Listening to records by Duane Eddy inspired me to learn how to play guitar."

Dave and his twin brother were very involved in music throughout grade school. One of their friends introduced them as the "Neverly Brothers" for a show because of the way they harmonized.

Dave was in several bands during High School and his adult life. He taught himself how to play bass guitar and drums along the way.

He shocked his family by bringing rock n' roll into the house! Dave matured musically listening to Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Chicago and James Taylor.

MockingBirds Of The Past

Bill Wright

Accordion and Keyboards

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In 2009, Terry met up with Bill Wright, and together they formed  Worth and Wright. He went on to help found MockingBird.

Bill was an original member of MockingBird - since 2012.   After seven years with the band, (as of September 2019), Bill retired from the band.    Bill is a very versatile accordion and keyboard player.  He will be missed.

leo jelInEK

Vocals and Guitar

Leo had been with MockingBird for four years.  As of October 2018, Leo retired from the band. He will be missed.

Leo is a super-talented vocalist, bass and lead guitarist.

Roy Malvitz

Bass Guitar

Malvitz, Worth, Wright and VandenBranden were the original members of MockingBird. Roy and Terry started it. Roy brought in drummer VandenBranden. Worth brought in Keyboardist Wright. They founded the band in 2012.

Malvitz later left MockingBird in 2014 to collaborate with one of his old 60's bandmates from a Milwaukee based '50s - '60s doo-whop band called The Lancers.