THE HEAVIES is a Los Angeles-based music group, founded by Melanie Martel & Steve Fekete, whose members have collectively worked with some of the biggest artists including Gwen Stefani, Cher, Kid Rock, Avril Lavigne, Madonna, America, Poison, and many more.

They bring their love of music into every performance and make each show a truly memorable and fun experience. Unlike a carbon copy of other bands, The Heavies incorporate their individual talents and personalities into their shows.


MELANIE MARTEL

Before moving to LA, vocalist Melanie Martel was a mainstay on the Nashville music scene, always drawing a crowd with her powerful vocals and soulful covers of popular hits.  She has shared the stage with Kid Rock, Jamie O’Neal, Big & Rich, Mark Wills, Poison, Rascal Flatts, Edwin McCain, Tanya Tucker, Shelly Fairchild and Skid Row. 

Melanie also sang backup for Poison on a Capitol Studios recording and live on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.


STEVE FEKETE

Guitarist/Vocalist Steve Fekete has worked with a variety of artists including Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, America (the band), Vertical Horizon, Five for Fighting, Don Felder, Cassadee Pope, and Marc Broussard. He was also a house band member for the Bonnie Hunt Show on NBC.

Steve is a resident guitarist for Soundcheck Live, a monthly show in Hollywood, CA which features some of LA's finest musicians.  A few of the guests he has performed with include Jackson Browne, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Smokey Robinson, Gavin Degraw, & Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme).


JIM MCGORMAN

Jim McGorman is a professional singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist currently playing keyboards for the Goo Goo Dolls.  After graduating from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, Jim moved to Los Angeles where he has served as musical director for Avril Lavigne, Weezer, Gwen Stefani, Michelle Branch, Paul Stanley, Cassadee Pope, and Arizona Grande.  He has also performed with Shakira, Cher, Poison, and New Radicals. 

Jim was a multi-instrumentalist house band member for Rockstar: INXS, Rockstar: Supernova, MTV Starmaker, and The Voice.  His songwriting/recording collaborations include Johnny Reznik, Miley Cyrus, Bret Michaels David Lee Roth, and Kenny Wayne Shepard, among others.  Jim has traveled all over the world and appeared on numerous TV shows including Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Regis and Kelly, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Dancing With The Stars, The View, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.


NATE MORTON

Nate Morton is currently the drummer driving the house band on NBC’s hit show The Voice.  A graduate of the renowned Berklee College of Music, Nate eventually moved to Los Angeles where he has since amassed live performance and recording credits with Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Richard Marx, Paul Anka, Paul Stanley, and Pink among others. 

Nate was also the house band drummer for Bonnie Hunt's day-time talk show as well as the Mark Burnett shows ROCKSTAR: INXS and ROCKSTAR: Supernova. In 2010, Nate began performing with Cher during her residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. He cites Animal from The Muppet Show as his first and biggest influence.


DAN ROTHCHILD

Dan Rothchild carries an impressive music pedigree. Son of maverick producer Paul Rothchild (Doors, Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, etc), he has forged a career of his own playing bass in studios and live for artists including Heart, Beck, Sheryl Crow, Tonic, Fiona Apple, Stevie Nicks, Shakira, Melissa Etheridge, Carole King, Aimee Mann, and many others. 

Dan enjoys album production as well, and produced Better Than Ezra’s platinum-selling album “Deluxe” and Heart’s latest full-length, “Beautiful Broken.”  You can also see Dan playing bass and singing in the backing band for the celebrated music film “Echo In The Canyon”.


A FEW OTHER “HEAVY” PLAYERS…


James East is a multi-Grammy Award winning bassist who has recorded/performed with artists such as Eric Clapton, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Babyface, Quincy Jones, Sergio Mendez and Al Jarreau, to name a few. His first influences include a long list of talented musicians… Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Canonball Adderley, George Benson, Bob James, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Jimi Hendrix, and Santana. His unique bass style and vocal harmonies makes him a double threat.  James is also the brother of Grammy Award winners Nathan East and Marcel East.


Marc Slutsky is an in-demand drummer and was a former member of the band Splender (1998-2003).  He has also toured and/or recorded with Adam Ant, Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Kylie Minogue, Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Mickey Thomas (Jefferson Starship),Todd Rundgren, Kate Voegele, Terri Nunn (Berlin), Tonic, Pink, Cassadee Pope, Grace Potter, and Gavin DeGraw, among many others.  Marc’s TV appearances include X-Factor, The View, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Last Call with Carson Daily, Late Show with David Letterman.


Ken Zambello is a an accomplished bassist/vocalist who has arranged for and performed with Jeffrey Osborne, Jennifer Holliday, and Christopher Guest.  A true rock historian, Ken was a long-time educator at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston and is an official voting member for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.  One of his many roles at Berklee was arranging and conducting for honorary doctorate recipients who performed at special college concerts, including Steven Tyler, Chaka Khan, Gloria Estefan, and Phil Collins.  Ken has also composed for and produced various radio and television jingles. Other performances include the Coasters, the Belmonts, the Original Drifters, the Teenagers, and Frankie Ford, as well as various Legends shows.