The Jaggerz & Carpool - #1 Tribute to The Cars

Best known for their 1970 smash "The Rapper," the Jaggerz were formed in Pittsburgh during the mid-'60s by singer/guitarist Dominic Lerace, guitarist Benny Faiella, bassists Jimmy Ross and Billy Maybray, keyboardist Thom Davies, and drummer Jim Pugliano. After earning a fervent following on the local club circuit, the group ultimately signed to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's label Gamble Records to issue their 1969 debut LP, Introducing the Jaggerz. When the record tanked, the band signed to Kama Sutra for 1970's We Went to Different Schools Together, falling just shy of topping the charts with "The Rapper." The single was the Jaggerz's lone chart hit, however, and they were soon reduced to again hitting the local club scene. After one final LP, 1975's Come Again, the group disbanded. Frontman Lerace promptly changed his name to Donnie Iris and joined Wild Cherry, scoring a major disco-era hit with "Play That Funky Music" before going on to mount a solo career.

In 1998, Ross, Faiella, and Pugliano teamed up with Dennis McAbee (guitar), Jamie Peck (saxophone), Hermie Granati (keyboards, vocals), and David Granati (guitar) to record And the Band Played On..., an album comprising Jaggerz favorites and some new songs. Re-Rapped by Request followed in 2001, and the band continued to be sporadically active during the 2000s and 2010s, releasing their sixth album, The Walk, in 2014.

With their sleek, synth heavy, steady beat and driving guitar sound all inspired by proto-punk, garage rock, and power pop, Boston-based quintet the Cars racked up a string of multi-platinum albums (6) and a whopping 16 Top 40 singles, becoming the most successful American synth-pop-rock (New Wave) band of the late ’70s and ’80s. Their immense popularity made them and their sound cross over into all top radio formats and movie soundtracks. The first two albums (1978’s The Cars and 1979’s Candy-O) became instant classics; their fifth album, 1984’s Heartbeat City was a modern pop masterpiece fueled by a run of videos that became MTV staples. The Cars broke up in 1988, but their music’s popularity and influence never faded. These incredible pioneers were officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Carpool tribute band recreates the sound, feel, look and vibe that made the Cars world famous. The band is composed of five of the best and hardest working full-time musicians in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Their performance meticulously captures all the essence and brings it onto the stage. A Carpool show will take you right back to when the Cars were (and continue to be) the soundtrack of our lives, reminding us all of why the Cars hold a very special place in all of our hearts and minds.

Host or Publisher Ventures Group