Saxophone, Vocals

Jeremiah Miller has enjoyed playing the saxophone for 33 years. Jeremiah likes to combine musical styles in order to contribute to any ensemble or musical situation. 

Many years were spent practicing and honing his craft at the School of Music at East Carolina University. Jeremiah performed with the ECU Jazz Ensemble A under the direction of Carroll Dashiell. In 2003, Jeremiah graduated with his Masters in Jazz Studies and continued to teach as an adjunct faculty member at ECU and Campbell University

Through 2007-2012 Jeremiah directed bands in the Edgecombe County School system. In 2012, Jeremiah started a new chapter in his career in school administration. Shortly after that he joined the Pitt County School system and is currently a Principal. Jeremiah enjoys working with the students, staff and Farmville community while building positive relationships and raising student achievement. Jeremiah has also earned a Masters in School Administration from Western Carolina University and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration and Supervision from ECU.

“Traveling and making music with The Main Event Band is enjoyable.” “Seeing people smiling and having a good time makes it all worth it while making good music on stage with the band!”

Trumpet, Vocals​

Originally from northern Virginia, Scott Pagona came to Eastern North Carolina to study trumpet at East Carolina University where he earned a Bachelor in Arts in Music with a Minor in Speech and Theater, a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, and a Master of School Administration. While at ECU Scott performed in multiple university ensembles, including the Jazz Ensemble “A” where, during his senior year, he was awarded Outstanding Soloist.

Scott has taught Band, Orchestra, Chorus, and General Music at all levels, k-12 in Wayne and Pitt Counties. In addition to working as a free-lance musician, he has played with several bands over the years including Take-5, The Brym Mars, One Hour Late, Mixed Emotion, The Star Light Jazz Orchestra, The Emerald City Big Band, The Johnny Dollar Band, and The Holiday Band. Scott has found his home with The Main Event Band playing trumpet, singing, and arranging horn charts since 2005.

Keyboards, Vocals

​Veteran keyboardist Ken Hardee has been playing music for over 60 years and is from Halifax, North Carolina. He graduated from Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC with a degree in Journalism and Psychology in 1972. Ken also has a degree in Photography from Chowan in 1978. His musical career began at the age of 11, taking piano lessons … his teacher wanted him to learn Bach and Beethoven and Ken wanted to play Southern Gospel. After three or four years of instruction, he decided to follow his dream and pursue gospel. He performed with several gospel groups in Roanoke Rapids prior to age 16. He served as Minister of Music as well as Choir Director for six years at Weldon Baptist Church in Weldon, NC.

He has performed with or opened for such bands and artists as Sawyer Brown, Exile, Delbert McClinton, Ronnie McDowell, Clarence Carter, The Hager’s, Steve Wariner, Mel McDaniel, Shelly West, TG Sheppard, T. Graham Brown, Johnny Paycheck, Billy Joe Royal and also performed with Percy Sledge on stage during his entire concert.

Striving for a tight, well-defined edge of showmanship and musical creativity, he works to build a strong rapport with the audience…no matter if it’s 10 or 10,000, he feels he owes them the respect of presenting “all you have from the first note of the evening to the last one played”! Incorporating the sounds of R & B, Country, Blues, and Gospel into his keyboard voicing, creates a unique
sound he is proud of. Whether he’s playing ballads or hard-hitting hammer notes on his keyboards, Ken adds the fullness needed to give the band his very best…all night long!

From his first professional gig with Exile in ’88, which was termed the “opening act” in his stage career, he has met and played with many terrific people in the music industry, mostly from Nashville. Working closely with the road techs proved to be the most rewarding because he was able to learn from them some of the cool “licks” heard in older country music.

Lee Carrol (Exile) and Steve Shepherd (Ronnie McDowell) were his two greatest keyboard mentors with Shepherd (over 12 shows together) going above and beyond to teach him exactly how it is and was played. The knowledge and experience he has gained from his well-diversified musical endeavors have been injected into the “The Main Event Band Sound” with the blending of his country roots sound, along with the talents of TMEB.

Currently, he is retired from Springleaf Financial Services, Roanoke Rapids, NC, where he served as Branch Manager. Presently, he has found his home performing with The Main Event Band and “living the life”!​

Bass Guitar

​Dr. Willie Lockett is from Jacksonville, Florida. He enlisted in the US Army on August 30, 1973. He attended basic military training at Fort Knox, KY. He graduated from Central Texas College on May 1, 1988, Fayetteville State University on December 5, 1990, and Pembroke University on December 11 2002. He earned a Masters degree in computer information systems from University of Phoenix on July 23 2004 and a Ph.D. in Organizational Management Technology from Capella University.

His military music education includes Army basic music course, Army intermediate music course, Army enlisted bandleaders, and Army Warrant Officers basic certification and advance music course at the Armed Forces School of Music. 

He has held a variety of key leadership positions as an enlisted soldier and as a warrant officer. As an enlisted soldier, he served as a percussionist in the 8th Infantry Division Band Germany, Rhythm Group Leader in the 1st Calvary Division Band Fort Hood Texas, and Senior Instructor at the School of Music.

His warrant officer positions include; Commander/Bandmaster of the 82d Airborne Division Band Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Commander/Bandmaster of the 2nd Infantry Division Band Camp Casey Korea. His final assignment before retiring in 1998 was Technical Advisor Counselor (TAC), assigned to 1st Warrant Officer Company, Warrant Officer Career Center Fort Rucker. Currently, he is a computer science instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

Drums

​Brian Luckey is from Harlem, New York. Brain went to the Harlem School of Arts from 10 years old to 17 years old. Brain moved to North Carolina to finish High School and play in the marching band and Church with his very talented musical family.

After High School, Brian moved back to New York playing with different Rock, African, Hip Hop, and R & B groups over the years. When his father, (Ivan Hampden Jr) who played drums for the famous Luther Vandross started teaching, he moved back to North Carolina. Brian started teaching music with his father and brothers. Brian has been in North Carolina ever since. 

Baritone Sax, Vocal​s

Al Martin, originally from the Winston-Salem, NC area, has been playing the saxophone for over 35 years. He attended college at East Carolina University and graduated with a BM in Music Education in 2004. During his time at ECU, he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble B, and the Marching Pirates. Upon graduation, he began his teaching career at Southwest Edgecombe High School and has subsequently taught at Clayton High School, Springfield Middle School, West Bladen High School and is currently the band and chorus director at Contentea-Savannah K-8 school in Kinston, NC.

Along with teaching, Al has performed professionally for over 25 years with many bands, including the Coastline Band, Trainwreck, and Backyard Groove where he was a founding member. Al has also performed with various musical artists over the years, including The Embers.

Outside of performing music, Al enjoys spending time with his wife, Courtney and their three beautiful children. His hobbies include traveling, fishing, watching sports, and of course, playing not only the saxophone, but also singing and playing acoustic and electric guitars.ce.

Trombone

Originally from Tyumen, Russia, Yuliy began his musical journey by studying piano and later the guitar. After moving to Greenville TX at the age of 11, he picked up the trombone and the rest as they say, is history. He continued to play guitar, piano, and trombone in his school’s marching band and jazz band and always knew that music was his calling.

He went on to earn a bachelors degree in trombone performance from Oklahoma City University and then a master of music degree in the same field from the University of Houston.

As a big advocate for music education, Yuliy maintained a large studio of private trombone students in Houston Texas, where he helped his students earn many various accolades. After moving to North Carolina, Yuliy continued to share his passion for music by serving as a band and orchestra director in Pitt County Schools for three years. He currently serves as the band director at the Oakwood School in Greenville, as well as an adjunct professor at Edgecombe Community College and Pitt Community College.

As a performer, he has played in orchestral, chamber, wind ensemble, jazz, and pit orchestra settings. He is an active freelance trombonist and is delighted to join the horn section of The Main Event Band, playing some of his favorite tunes.