The Simms Brothers Band

The Simms Brothers Band
The Simms Brothers Band (from left to right) – Mickey Leonard, Frank Simms, Budd Tunick, George Simms, Rob Sabino, Shimmy Maki, and Dave Spinner
Background information
Origin	Connecticut
Genres	Jazz, rock, funk, R&B
Years active	1975–1982
Labels	Elektra
Members	Frank Simms George Simms David Spinner Mickey Leonard Budd Tunick Pat Rustici John Van Epps Dennis Collins
Past members	Shimmy Maki Rob Sabino Bob Murray

The Simms Brothers Band is an American rock/jazz/R&B group.

The band was formed in early 1974 in southwestern Connecticut. The group began as a trio; Frank and George Simms, and Dave Spinner, composed their harmonies set to an acoustic guitar and played local coffee houses. With Budd Tunick handling the booking, they regularly appeared at popular seventies Manhattan nightclubs like Tramps, Reno Sweeny's, Catch a Rising Star, and The Bitter End.

The trio became a true rock band with the addition of Mickey Leonard, lead guitar, Ted MacKenzie, drums, Doug "Shimmy" Maki, bass, and Rob Sabino, from the Bronx, on keyboards, late in 1975. Ted moved on a few months later, and Budd Tunick replaced him, after serving as the band's manager up to that time. They became regulars throughout Connecticut at clubs like The Player's Tavern of Westport, and Toad's Place in New Haven with their blend of original tunes and sophisticated arrangements of unique popular tunes. In 1979, The listeners of WPLR, the area's largest and most popular rock radio station, voted The Simms Brothers Band Connecticut's number one act.

The original manager of the rock group Boston, Paul Ahern, met the band at Westport's Players Tavern one evening, and eventually procured a two album record deal with Joe Smith of Elektra Records, currently riding a crest of popularity representing Queen, The Eagles, The Cars, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, and other rock "royalty". The band jetted to Miami Beach to record their first album Elektra assiduously titled "The Simms Brothers Band". Mike Stone, engineer and co-producer to acts Queen and Journey, produced the first effort, a thickly produced work (unlike their unique live performances), with glossy vocals and seventies rock-guitar flair. Premier Talent booked the men on an east coast tour opening for Peter Frampton in 1979.