The Pit Pops play a wide variety of popular hit songs from the 60s and 70s, best described as “rock and roll with soul”. To learn more about how we got our name, and how the band began, please read our story.

	Clyde Pikes has been singing in choirs as far back as he can remember. At the age of 8 he first led a song at his church choir in Houston and received an overwhelming response. This encouraged Clyde to continue singing in various school and church choirs. A graduate of Prairie View A&M University, with a Masters in Education from the University of North Texas, Clyde works as the community liaison for W. W. Samuell High School in Dallas. He has also been a special education teacher for students with emotional and behavior disorders. Clyde enjoys many types of music, and as lead singer for The Pit Pops he gives the band a great sound and stage presence.
	Brad Mitchell began playing bass guitar as a high school sophomore in Louisville, Kentucky, after being coerced by his cousin into starting a band. During college, architecture school drew most of Brad's time so he sold his musical equipment to help pay for schooling. Today Brad practices healthcare architecture creating healing environments as a Vice President of HKS, Inc., the 10th largest architectural firm in the world. But the fond memories of playing in his band never faded, and after a 26 year hiatus Brad bought a bass guitar and started rockin’ again. He now lays foundations in music for The Pit Pops.
	Jim Shaw began playing guitar at the age of 10 after being inspired by the skills and renown of an older brother. At the age of 13 a local music store asked Jim to give guitar lessons to very young students. This eventually lead to a full time position in sales and instruction at the music store, which lasted through Jim’s graduation from Midwestern State University with a business degree. During those school years, he played with numerous bands embracing all styles of music including country, folk, religious and of course rock & roll. After graduation, a career in accounting and becoming a CPA took away the time and desire to continue in music. For the better part of 22 years Jim’s guitar collected dust, until at the insistence of the other Pit Pops, Jim was lured out of musical retirement. The rest is still history in the making.
	Jonathan Wolfert grew up in the New York City area, where he began playing piano at age 7. His music education continued through high school, including lessons and courses at the Mannes College of Music in Manhattan. Jon’s interests and abilities in music, broadcasting and audio production prompted his move to Texas in the early ‘70s, because Dallas has long been the center of the radio jingle industry. After a few years in that business, Jon and his wife founded JAM Creative Productions which quickly became one of the world’s top producers of station ID jingles and commercials. Jon has written and produced countless jingles but says that playing keyboards for The Pit Pops is quite different from working in a secluded studio because “you can just look around and see that people are enjoying the music”. And that includes the guys in the band as well.
	Roger Holmes is a native of southern California who majored in music composition and woodwind performance at North Texas State University (now known as UNT). After playing with and writing for the school's famed 1 o’clock Lab Band for two years, he toured briefly with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd before moving to Dallas to begin a freelance playing and writing/producing career. Roger has written countless commercials, jingles and music for TV and films, and his performance credits include legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Doc Severinsen, The Four Tops, and many others. For the last 17 years he has been employed by Hal Leonard Publications as a staff arranger. Roger has also written for the Lake Highlands High School bands, given private lessons to saxophone students, and has provided The Pit Pops with its brass arrangements and great sax performances.
	Gary French had his initial musical experience playing trumpet in junior high and high school bands and playing bass guitar in garage bands. He attended SMU on a partial Mustang Band trumpet scholarship, and also played bass guitar in the SMU Jazz Band. Gary went on to play bass with various bands in the Dallas area, covering all styles of music from 50’s doo wop to rock and big band. He continues to play trumpet in the SMU Mustang Alumni Band on a regular basis. Gary’s career as a sound mixer for film and video has won him many industry honors, including four Emmy nominations and, in 2001, an Emmy award. He is The Pit Pops’ second trumpet, and provides backup and lead vocals.
	Skip Alexander grew up in Smyer, Texas, a small town with two paved roads and three stop signs. In high school he played both coronet and football. (With a graduating class of only 12, you had to be diverse!) Skip attended Texas Tech and got a degree in Graphic Design, but after only a few years he decided that working with his hands was his true calling and became a professional carpenter/woodcrafter. His work is now showcased throughout DFW's finer homes and businesses. Skip joined the Pit Pop band originally to help with equipment and logistics, but at the insistence of Tommy Nuckols he was persuaded to learn percussion instruments. He’s a fast learner with an incredible ear and now plays a vast array of rhythmic "toys" that compliment the band’s soul, latin, pop and rock repertoire.
	Art Buhl is a drummer who played and recorded for a number of groups since the 70's including the New Generation, Young Country, and PAMS Productions (which is now owned by Jon Wolfert, the band's keyboardist). He was a member of the SMU Mustang Band, SMU Orchestra, Air Force Band of the West, and former director of the Highland Park High School drum line. Art has toured nationally and internationally including a U.S.O. tour of Vietnam and Thailand. He received his BBA and MBA from SMU, and today serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for BroadStar Wind Systems, a wind turbine company in downtown Dallas.
	Brent Pfieffer has been playing trumpet since elementary school. He first got the itch when attending an SMU football game in the '60s and seeing the SMU band and the upswept trumpets that they have made famous. Brent went to SMU and played in the Mustang Band after graduating from Kimball High School. He also played in several big bands in the area and started performing professionally with a small jazz ensemble that appeared at several local venues. After an 18 year career in the telecom field, Brent now owns a video production company and a small travel agency within the Dallas area. He's currently the lead trumpet player of the PitPops.
	Tommy Nuckols has played drums professionally for over 30 years. He has backed up artists like Willie Nelson, David Alan Coe and Dash Riprock among others, earning him Buddy Magazine’s “Texas Tornado” award for drums. After attending Richland College and SMU, Tommy began a career in music retailing and worked for Brook Mays Music Company for 17 years. He loves collecting, restoring, and playing vintage drums. Although currently recovering from complications from an injury, Tommy has been one of the driving forces behind The Pit Pops and is one of its founding members.
	Dave Stephens began playing the trumpet when he was 10, after his parents took him to hear the great sound of Don Jacoby. He has played trumpet ever since, including a stint with Florida State University’s “Marching Chiefs” band, various community orchestras, bands and churches. He also plays guitar with the Dallas Christian Jazz Band, a big band playing Christian music. The Pit Pops is Dave’s first serious foray into R&B and rock music and he’s having a great time playing lead trumpet. His trade is financial consulting, and in June 2005 a business opportunity resulted in Dave relocating to Colorado.