14/07/2025
RUSSO & CO Friday 14 Defiance Ridge Vineyards
"Are you tap dancing tonight?"
Honestly, a lot of factors go into this at our shows. Some clubs have small stages and it's a challenge to make everything fit with our 6-pc band. Sometimes there's a line of stage monitors across the front and you can't see the band from the knees down.
Here's another side of it I don't share too often....since I was a kid I've been known for one thing...tap dancing. It was my career, my identity, my life. I learned to play the guitar in the back of a tour bus on the road with Tap Dogs, a show I toured with for 18+ years. I started hitting open mics with my guitar in New York while I lived there, and various open mics on the road. Once I landed back in St Charles, I started playing music gigs and sharing some of my original songs. Every gig, someone would ask, "Are you tap dancing tonight?". And I could sense their disappointment if I said no. So I made a decision....I stopped dancing at my shows until people stopped asking. I wanted people to listen to the music, I wanted people to listen to the original songs. People would tell me they brought friends to my show just to see me tap dance. And in my head I'm thinking hey, I play music too.
Well, it worked. Almost 6 years strong playing every Sunday on Main Street in St Charles, building from a solo to a duo, to a trio, then a band, and being awarded Best Original Band 2024 from STL Magazine's A-List.
People still ask, "Are you tap dancing tonight?" We are going to start adding a "👞" on our show listings where you can see me tap dancing. Starting with this Friday, July 18th at Defiance Ridge Vineyards for their Summer Concert Series!! Click the link below for details....full band, old songs, new songs, tap dancing, and a fireworks display at 9pm. All in a picturesque setting of Missouri's wine country. See ya, Friday!
https://www.defianceridge.com/calendar/russoco2025
