The Fat Tuesdays Band

                           The band

   Willis Greenstreet had a weekly gig playing jazz guitar at a Roanoke nightspot when he was still in high school, but his favorite instruments are the saxophone and the clarinet. When the Fat Tuesdays play, melodies flow from his old Buffet clarinet like bourbon in the French Quarter on a Saturday night. Willis also plays with the Virginia Tech Jazz Ensemble and often performs at area nursing homes.

 Trombonist Bud Hartkern is a New Jersey native who grew up in the big band era. His earliest influences on the trombone were Tommy Dorsey and Jack Teagarden. During two years of Army service in Germany he was a member of the Army Band as well as a  Dixieland combo called "The Riverboat 5." After a break to raise a family, Bud played with numerous big bands in central New Jersey, then moved into traditional jazz and Dixieland. His career highlights include playing with singers Merv Griffin andJerry Vale. Since moving to Virginia in 2004 Bud has played with the the Smith Mountain Lake Brass, the Blue Ridge Trombone Quartet, the Shriner Big Band and the Stardusters Big Band. He is a member of the Blue Ridge Jazz Trio with his vocalist daughter Noreen Hartkern and pianist Al Broholm. 

 Robert Vaughan is one of Roanoke ’s most sought-after young drummers. He can be seen performing on stages near and far with the Big Lick Boptet, the Key West Band and the Ministers of Soul as well as the Fat Tuesdays Band. He is a fan and a student of classic New Orleans jazz.

 Liam "Old Man" Kelly is a multi-instrumentalist and dance caller who has played in numerous bands in central and southwest Virginia, including The Jugbusters, The Don't Tell Darlings, and Welcome to Hoonah.  He brings his tenor banjo to round out the Fat Tuesdays’ classic Dixieland sound, and also shares upright bass duties with Kevin.

 Kevin Kittredge played clarinet and bass guitar in his youth, then put music aside for many decades to make a living as a journalist. A few years ago he ventured back onstage with the blues/ fusion band, Talk is Cheap, and a few months later became a founding member of  the Americana swing band Welcome to Hoonah. With the Fat Tuesdays he comes full circle, returning to his first instrument, the clarinet. Kevin also plays upright bass and sings.

 Josh Smelser is a busy young freelance drummer who plays regularly with some of the Star City's best musicians. We consider him part of the band, and he'll step in when Rob can't make it, without missing a beat.  

 Patrick Turner. A multi-instrumentalist, jazz educator and member of many Southwest Virginia bands, Patrick contributes occasional bass, banjo and vocals.

  Trombone ace Dayl “Dr. Jazz” Burnett has a doctor of music arts degree from the University of Miami and studied jazz with Buddy Baker and Dante Luciani. For nearly twenty years he was principal trombonist of Opera Roanoke and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. He has taught at Virginia Tech, Radford University , Roanoke College , Christopher Newport University and the College of William and Mary. Some notable musicians and personalities that Dayl has performed with include Bruce Hornsby, Arturo Sandoval, Tony Bennett, David Sanborn, Doc Severinsen, Billy Taylor and the Moody Blues.