About Us

Joe Suarez -- lead vocals, saxophone

Joe Suarez has over 30 years of experience as a musician. Originally from El Paso, Joe has played with bands in Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania, where his corporate career has taken him. Joe started playing violin as a youngster, but after picking up the saxophone, the love for music was truly born. Throughout the years, Joe has had the pleasure of playing with excellent musicians, present company included. He has studio experience recording music in both English and Spanish.

Mindy May -- lead vocals

Mindy (Smith) May has been singing on stage since the age of five, with the encouragement of her musical parents. A former show choir standout, she flirted with the idea of pursuing musical theater as a career, until the teaching bug bit her in college. Nearly 20 years of teaching high school language arts in public schools has taught her how to truly perform under pressure. Mindy also sings at weddings (and funerals!). After a recent move to the Dallas area, she drives "home" as much as possible to collaborate with this talented group of musicians. Having grown up during the 1980s and 1990s, Mindy’s musical influences include everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Billy Joel.

Alan Littlefield -- drums, booking contact

Alan Littlefield began playing drums when the Beatles invaded the American music scene. Alan played in the Lee College Jazz Band for two years before attending the University of North Texas. He majored in Jazz Education and Marketing, while playing with the progressive fusion band, Schwantz LeFantz. He also studied with drummers John Riley and Paul Guerrero, and big band great Joe Raynor. Alan presently holds down the drummer role for Monument Baptist Church in Deer Park and Trinity Assembly in Baytown, where his wife, Jennifer, sings on the praise team. Alan has also written several songs and will give free drum lessons to anyone serious enough to learn.

Don Bryan -- keys, vocals

Don Bryan (keyboards) was introduced to music at the age of six months when he stumbled on a local ad in "People" magazine for free piano lessons. Soon thereafter, Don expanded his training, studying piano with Elton John, Liberace, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. As a child prodigy, Don performed frequently with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, the Electric Light Orchestra, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As a teenager, he began performing solo acts at the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Grand Ole Opry, and The Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Upon graduating Suma Cum Laude from Harvard University with a triple major in international tax law, biomedical warfare, and early child psychology, Don turned his attention to the business world. In the late 1970s, Don purchased Walmart from the founding family and grew sales to over $850MM annually, eventually selling the retail giant in 1988 for $4.7BB through an initial public offering. Don is a past board member of the Mayo Clinic, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and the United Nations. He is past president of the Girl Scouts of America, the United States of America, the National Football League, and the Salvation Army. Don served his country faithfully as vice admiral in the Pacific Theater during World War II, earning the prestigious Purple Heart, the Flying Cross, and the Raspberry Beret. When not performing, Don can be found relaxing on the French Riviera, swimming the English Channel, scuba diving in the Arctic Circle, or writing poetry from his summer home in the Galápagos Islands. In November of 2021, Don returned to his initial passion of music, securing the keyboard position with Yacht Rock USA, but not without controversy, disturbing audience complaints, and disappointing reviews from music critics at Rolling Stone magazine. As of this posting (Jun 16, 2022), Don remains a member of Yacht Rock USA, albeit on an indefinite double-secret probation.

Bob Menefee -- saxophone, flute

Bob started playing sax in the 7th grade and studied with Horace Alexander Young, recording artist and professor of music at Washington University. He has played at weddings and private functions with various groups and has been a member of the bands at First Colony Church and River Pointe Church in Sugar Land. Bob specializes in contemporary jazz, R&B and pop genres and is influenced by the styles of Kirk Whalum, Richard Elliot, Warren Hill and Everette Harp. Check out http://bobmenefee.com/ to learn more about Bob.

Chase Ellefson -- electric guitar

Bio coming soon! Check out Chase‘s mad skills on Instagram: @chasewithnoinsta

Mark Burgess -- bass guitar, vocals

Mark comes from a musical family, and by 1973 was the full-time bassist for his father’s (Jerry Burgess) dance band. In 1978, his family moved from North Texas to the Houston area and began performing in local hotels, country clubs, restaurants, and private parties. By 1986, Mark was an established freelance, first-call bassist. Mark has the great fortune to have worked with the very best Houston musicians in different venues, playing rock, jazz, country, Latin, blues, and contemporary music. Mark decided to take his music career part time in 1993 and now runs a real estate business, while enjoying playing bass at church and with Yacht Rock USA.