About the Showvinistics

The Showvinistics

Take some oldies but goodies, mix in some street corner harmonies, then stir it up with a contagious sense of fun, and you have the Showvinistics! , one of Western New York’s most popular a cappella performing groups for over 25 years. Filled with the spirit of showmanship manifested by their favorite 50s R&B groups, Dave DeLuca and Dan Guilfoyle gathered a group together to sing for a charitable event in 1982, marking the beginning of the group, and chose the name Showvinistics as a parody of early singing group names.

Through the Years

Through the years the Showvinistics have opened for a who’s who of rock ‘n’ roll. The list includes the Beach Boys, Impressions, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, Chuck Berry, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Danny & the Juniors, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Del Shannon, Bobby Rydell, Ricky Nelson, Neville Brothers, Temptations, Persuasions, Isley Brothers, Drifters, Three Dog Night, Grass Roots, Manhattans, Chiffons, Cadillacs, Spaniels, Del Vikings, Shirelles, Otis Day and the Nights, Chubby Checker, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and many, many more. Their repertoire of more than 75 songs from the 50s and 60s has been performed at a variety of functions, festivals and fundraisers. From the opening of Frontier Field and the Rochester Convention Center, to the stages of the Lilac Festival, the Eastman Theater, the Fingerlakes Performing Arts Center and performances in New York City, New Jersey, Ohio and Nashville, this all-male quintet has entertained audiences with their unique harmonies and style. Always a favorite at private parties and corporate functions, the Showvinistics have performed for the last 13 years at The Red Osier Landmark in Stafford, N.Y.

The Showvinistics released their first CD, “Heart of Saturday Night” in 1999 on the Forevermore Records (still listed at Mainly Acappella). They hit the Carolina Beach Music Top 10 in 2000 with a song from the album, “Maybe Baby”. This song also ended up as the number 49 song on the year’s ending Beach Music Top 50. The group has performed the National Anthem at Jacobs Field (Indians-Tigers), Camden Yards (Orioles-Toronto) and Ralph Wilson Stadium (Bills-Raiders) as well as the Canadian National Anthem at the 2001 International League Baseball All-Star Game.

In April 2000, their “Heart of Saturday Night” CD won Contemporary Acappella Society of America awards in two (2) doo wop categories: Best Single (“December ’63” – “Oh What a Night”) and runner up to the Persuasions for Best Doo Wop Album of 2000. These CARA (Contemporary Acappella Recording Award) recognitions earned the group an invitation to sing with the Bill Pinckney Drifters, the Contours and the Velvelettes at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland for the Hall’s “Tribute to Black Music”. The group was also invited to perform at the Sing Acappella convention in Nashville, Tennessee.This three day convention featured groups from around the world, and a group from New Zealand paid tribute to the Showvinistics by performing songs from the Heart Of Saturday Night CD in their hotel lobby.

In 2002, the Showvinistics released a medley of Jimmy Reed tunes (“Baby What You Want Me To Do”/ “Bright Lights, Big City”) which received air play on many beach music stations of the Carolinas and remained on the charts well into 2004.

In 2003, the group opened for an enthusiastic audience at Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center at a show featuring Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, the Charlie Thomas’ Drifters , Shirley Alston’s Shirelles, Little Peggy March and Danny and the Juniors featuring Joe Terry.

In 2005 the group released a new CD for Forevermore Records entitled “My Heart.” FVR 4617 The title song entered the Beach Music Café charts in July of 2005 and hit # 1 in December , and it remained in the Top 50 for a full year. The CD also includes “Tell Me Why”, “I Go To Pieces”, “The Jimmy Reed Medley”, “Once In Awhile”, “Sixty Minute Man” and “Ms. Grace”, a song that they released as the “Smitty Smooth Band”. There is also a Top 50 holiday beach music chart put out every year and the Showvinistics version of “Dig That Crazy Santa Claus”, led by Dave DeLuca, placed at #3 on this list of all-time Christmas favorites.

In late 2008, “Sixty Minute Man” was included on a Forevermore Records compilation called “Summer Solstice”. The song, led by bass Dan Guilfoyle, entered the Beach Music Café’s Top 50 in January of 2009, peaked at #4 in June, and remained in the chart for a 10 month run.

The Showvinistics have also been involved with the Rochester School System at both the elementary and high school levels, performing a “history of music” and discussing it’s development, as well as vocally interacting with the students and teaching them various parts of songs.

This group of talented guys, together for the last 24 years, consists of:

Brian McCarthy: lead singer, former assistant U.S. Attorney and current Monroe County Judge, whose outstanding vocal range complements his soulful interpretation of a song.

Dave DeLuca: an attorney with a general law practice who contributes middle harmonies, occasional leads, and much of the personality and (most of the) showmanship to a Showvinistics performance”

Don Stothard: a brand manager for SentrySafe of East Rochester, and also a certified judge in the International Barbershop Singing Society, who contributes the high harmonies, occasional leads and years of barbershop quartet singing and judging experience to the group.

Tom Nasman: a retired Kodak engineer, who also brings extensive experience to the group from his many years with barbershop quartets and gospel ensembles, also with some leads, singing the low notes, the high notes, and whatever is left over.

Dan Guilfoyle: the bass, a former radio advertising executive, long time disc jockey and music historian whose extensive knowledge of early rock and roll, especially doo wop and R&B, is matched only by his extensive collection of over 150,000 records.

The Showvinistics look forward to performing at your next event!

Related Web Sites:

Mainly Acapella		www.acapella.com
Forevermore Music		www.forevermoremusic.com
The Showvinistics		www.showvinistics.com
United In Group Harmony		www.ugha.org

Heart of Saturday Night

The newest Showvinistics CD is here.

My Heart

A classic by the Showvinistics.

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Jane S.

The Showvinistics playing in Rochester

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