Tribute Band Sessions

Meet Robert & Jodi Costin: Two Concert Superfans Who Reveal Why Tribute Bands Keep Rock's Greatest Music Alive You've heard from the tribute bands, musicians, managers, agents and producers—but what about the FANS? After receiving so many requests from Tribute Band Sessions viewers asking us to explore the tribute band world from the audience's perspective, Mike Gendler decided it was time to turn...

What does it REALLY take to land a major gig in the music business—and why doesn't being the best musician always get you hired? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, host Mike Gendler sits down with drummer, singer, songwriter, producer and music career coach Matt Starr, whose career includes performing with Ace Frehley, Mr. Big and Raiding the Rock Vault, along with working alongside some of...

In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike sits down with Ian Cattell, bassist, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for Brit Floyd, to trace his remarkable journey from growing up in a musical household and discovering Pink Floyd through The Wall to touring in a box truck, playing shows for gas money and eventually receiving the email that led to an audition with the Australian Pink F...

How do you build a tribute show when you're not recreating ONE legendary artist… …but an ENTIRE DECADE? On this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike sits down with drummer Michael Maenza of Jessie’s Girl and the Back to the Eighties Show for a look behind one of the most ambitious concepts in the tribute world. Think about the challenge. The ’80s didn't have one sound. You had massive...

What does it really take to recreate Bon Jovi in their 1980s arena-rock prime? On this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike Gendler sits down with Mike Parkes, founder and frontman of Slippery When Wet New Jersey, a Bon Jovi tribute band that has spent more than 20 years recreating the look, sound, energy and live experience of classic Bon Jovi. Mike shares his journey from playing bass in origi...

How do you build a tribute around one of the most powerful—and difficult to reproduce—voices in rock history? You find five musicians crazy enough to try. On this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike sits down with members of Superunknown: A Chris Cornell Tribute, a Philadelphia-area band taking on the music of not one, but THREE legendary catalogs: Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the...

What happens when you look and sound so much like Rod Stewart that even musicians who actually toured with Rod say playing with you feels like they're playing with him again? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike sits down with Rob Caudill, the man behind Rod the Show, for an incredible conversation about a career that went from playing bass in clubs to becoming o...

What would it feel like to walk into a small club in 1969 and witness Led Zeppelin before the stadiums, mythology and excess took over? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mike sits down with Legend Zeppelin to explore one of the most ambitious concepts in the tribute world: a chronological, period-correct recreation of Led Zeppelin’s live career that begins with the band’s raw, bl...

The Truth About Getting Your Tribute Band Booked You can have incredible musicians. You can look like the original artist. You can sound almost identical. But does that mean anyone is going to book your band? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we flip the script and look at the tribute industry from the business side with Rich Rubin of Maximum Bands. Instead of...

Imagine spending years playing the music of one of your favorite legendary bands... Then the actual singer calls and wants to perform with you. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Andrew Graziano of The Band Geeks for an incredible conversation about the music of YES, the world of progressive rock, and the remarkable journey that eventually connected The...

Doors Tribute Fans Are Blown Away Inside the Most Controversial Doors Tribute Jim Morrison wasn’t just a singer — he was a force. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Jordyn of The Ultimate Doors breaks down what it takes to channel one of rock’s most volatile front men. We talk authenticity, obsession, and the line between performance and possession. This isn’t imitation...

Lady Gaga isn't just a pop superstar. She's an experience. From powerhouse vocals and elaborate costumes to nonstop choreography and larger-than-life stage production, recreating a Lady Gaga concert is one of the biggest challenges in live entertainment. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Donna Marie, the internationally acclaimed performer behind one of the premi...

Bruno Mars isn't just a singer. He's a vocalist, dancer, entertainer, bandleader, and one of the most dynamic performers in modern music. So what does it take to recreate that level of energy night after night? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Evan Saucedo, the frontman behind 24K Magic – The Ultimate Bruno Mars Tribute, to uncover what goes into deliv...

Wait... That's NOT Tom Petty?! | Dan Grennes' Unbelievable Transformation The Story Behind Petty and the Heartshakers—The Tom Petty Tribute That's Leaving Fans Doing a Double Take Have you ever seen someone who looks, sounds, and performs so much like a rock legend that you forget you're watching a tribute? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Dan Grennes, frontman...

The Iron Maiden Tribute So Intense, Even Metal Fans Are Blown Away Inside Eyes of the Nile and the Extreme Challenge of Recreating Iron Maiden Live Few bands in rock history have built a fan base as passionate and loyal as Iron Maiden. But what does it take to step onto a stage and recreate one of the most iconic heavy metal shows ever created? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit...

The Most Unique Tribute Band You've Never Seen The Roddenberries Turned Star Trek Into One of the Wildest Live Shows on the Planet What if a tribute band didn't pay homage to a single artist... ...but an entire universe? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we go behind the scenes with The Roddenberries—one of the most original live entertainment acts you'll ever encounter. Blending...

Becoming Billy Joel & Elton John Night After Night? Kyle Martin Inside the World of America's Top Piano Man Tribute Kyle Martin Reveals the Pressure, Precision, and Passion Behind America's Premier Piano Man Tribute This dynamic and unforgettable super-charged tribute to  ELTON JOHN & BILLY JOEL features over 20 of their greatest hits! Billy Joel's & Elton John's musi...

What It Takes to Become Mick Jagger The Chris LeGrand Story  For decades, music fans have argued one question: In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Chris LeGrand, the incredible performer behind Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Show and his work celebrating a tribute show Beatles vs Stones-A Musical Showdown We discuss the differences between The Beatles and The...

Most tribute bands never make it — not because of talent, but because they don’t understand the business. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Heather Felicetty, of Naked Glory Entertainment breaks down what managers see that bands don’t. We talk branding, bookings, scaling, and the brutal mistakes that quietly kill careers. This isn’t motivation — it’s a blueprint. If you’re serious about tr...

Motley Crude Brings Back ChaosMötley Crüe wasn’t just a band — it was chaos, danger, and excess on a world stage. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Shawn Band Leader & Bassist from Motley Crude breaks down what it takes to recreate one of rock’s wildest live experiences. We talk authenticity, theatrics, musicianship, and why hair metal still packs venues today. This isn’t nostalgia — it’s...

Most tribute bands share a stage. These two share a bloodline. In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, Mark and Eric Henkels open up about building careers in tribute music as father and son performers. We talk legacy, mentorship, family dynamics, and what happens when music becomes generational. This is more than performance — it’s inheritance. If you love tribute bands, this story will hit dif...

Can a tribute band truly capture the sound, energy, and musicianship of one of the greatest bands in rock history? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Mike Pinto of San Antonio Transit, one of the premier tribute bands celebrating the music of Chicago. From massive horn arrangements and intricate vocal harmonies to recreating some of the most beloved songs ever recorded, Mik...

What happens when a tribute band becomes so accurate… the original band endorses them? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Ian from The Musical Box—the internationally acclaimed Genesis tribute act known for recreating entire classic-era Genesis performances with astonishing precision. We go deep into what it takes to faithfully reproduce one of the most theatrical and compl...

Inside the Mind of a Musician Recreating Two Completely Different Legends What does it take to embody not just one legendary artist—but two completely different icons of rock history? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Garrett Lechowski, the powerhouse musician behind Harvest & Rust (Neil Young tribute) and Who Are You (The Who tribute). Garrett breaks down the massive chal...

What does it take to recreate one of the greatest rock bands of all time—night after night—and still sell out iconic venues? In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, we sit down with Tommy Zamparelli of Get The Led Out, one of the most celebrated Led Zeppelin tribute acts in the world. Tommy takes us behind the curtain of what it really means to honor Zeppelin’s legacy while building a massively...