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Kookie Gee "The Professor" Bass Guitar & Lead Vocals
"As long as I can remember, making music has been my life". Kookie is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist.
He is a founding member of VIVA and has been its lead singer/bassist/composer, for the last 33 years. Kookie has also
enjoyed a fruitful career of studio session work and touring musician role with the likes of KC and The Sunshine band, Timbreflash,
Harold Melvins Blue Notes and too many others to mention. While he is a fan of ALL types of music, his early influences were
The Beatles,Tin Pan Alley, Early Country artists, Elvis, The Platters, The Rascals, Jimi Hendrix and Motown. Kookie arrived
from Cuba at the age of 10 and has had a lifelong personal and musical relationship with Paul Saca (VIVA'S other founding
member). Kookie plays vintage Fender Precision fretted and fretless basses, Shure in-ear monitors, and uses Hartke amplifiers.
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Paul Saca Keyboards, Rhythm
Guitar, & Vocals
Paul
is the keyboardist, manager, and "Heart and Soul" of VIVA Classic Rock. He is a founding member of VIVA
and is an instrumental part of the VIVA sound and work ethic. Paul was born in Washington, DC and moved to Miami
at the age of 8. Paul has had a personal and musical relationship with Kookie Gee (bassist, lead vocalist) for over 37
years. Together they created the band VIVA and have composed songs such as "Dance the Night Away", "The Kiss
That Touches Me", "Brutus", "Feel The Love", and New York City Here I Come" (TOP 50 Pop
Charts Sal Soul Records), "Hearts and Flowers" (Top 50 Pop Charts RCA Records), as well as the remakes of "Do
You Wanna Dance
and "My Prayer" (Top 100 Pop Charts, Moon Stone Records) in the 90's. Paul has toured and or
shared billing with such notable acts as Three Dog Night, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Platters, The Drifters, Blood,
Sweat, and Tears, Mike Pinera of Iron Buttterfly fame, America, The Guess Who and many other National acts. VIVA continues
to be a main focus for Paul as evidenced by the fact that VIVA performs well over 200 shows a year throughout the State of
Florida as well as National and International bookings. Paul plays Yamaha and Korg keyboards, Mackie monitors, Fender,
Guild, and Gibson guitars, and uses Roland amplifiers.
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Heppi Pettit- lead guitar, lead vocals Heppi has been playing professionally for over 40 years. He was a founding member
of the band Wowii which wa signed to Arista records and toured with the likes of UB40, Twisted Sister, The Fixx, and many
other acts. Heppi was born in Florida and began playing at a young age with local bands like Rufus and other notable artists
like Rudy Sarzo who would later join Quiet Riot and Whitesnake. Heppi is influenced by many artists from early Eddie
Cochran and The Faces to artists from today like Muse and Coldplay. Heppi is a high energy performer who can
play any style from standards to hard rock. He considers himself a lifelong student of the instrument and continues
to work on original material when not performing. Heppi plays Fender and Gibson guitars and uses Marshall and Vox amplifiers
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Julio del Valle Drums
& Vocals
Julio has been playing the drums since
the age of 6. He studied the drums formally from the age of 10 to 13, and from there on is basically self taught. He
has been playing professionally since the age of 15. "I have and continue to be inspired by: Neil Peart(Rush), Stewart
Copeland , Ringo, John Bonham, Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick), Guy Gelso (Zebra), Tony Thompson (Chic, Power Station),
,Buddy Rich, and finally Kookie(simply the baddest bass in the West!)". Julio has been playing in and around South
Florida for the past 32 years. Julio plays DW Collector's Series Maple drums in beautiful Broken
Glass Finish in sizes : 18x22" Bass drum, 10".12" 14" and 16" toms and
6-1/2 x14 DW snares drums , DW hardware and pedals, Sabian APX amd Paragon cymbals sizes: 22 in.
ride, 13in. hi-hats, 19" and 20" crashes and Wuhan Chinas, Promark 747 Nylon Tip Japanese Oak sticks
***Big thanks to our Road Crew for keeping us going!!!
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