Queen Tipsy

QUEEN TIPSY's recordings and live performances are intense , passionate, and original. Our music combines blues, rock, soul, and jazz for a sound all our own. We like to create moods and grooves and build on them throughout the song and throughout the set, climaxing in grand endings and crescendos. We are influenced by artists such as Lucinda Williams, Janis Joplin, Etta James, Nina Simone, Eric Clapton, Freddie King, Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, and others. We're all native New Yorkers with the boys in the band playing music since they were teenagers. Lead vocalist Phyllis Forman came to music performance as an adult having been in the art field previously. The band has been together 12 years performing all around the tri-state area. Our 2012 CD "Blue Passion" has been receiving radio play, critical acclaim, and garnered our induction into the NY Blues Hall of Fame with 4 awards: "Great Band", "Master Guitar", "Master Drums", "Great Vocalist", and "Great Bass". We are the recipients of several grants from the Cultural Coalition of Staten Island, NY acknowledging excellence in the arts, and excellence in performance. Phyllis Forman was voted Staten Island's favorite DIVA by the reader's of the Staten Island Advance in 2007. All 4 members and the band were inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame in September 2012

Jon Specter (guitar/vocals/composer) - Jon has played with some of the great legends of blues music, performing with the likes of Otis Rush, Big Mamma Thorton, Lightning Hopkins, J.B. Hutton, Dr. John, Champion Jack Dupree, Johnny Johnson, The Neville Brothers, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Pinetop Perkins as well as Sam & Dave, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jaco Pastorious, Pappa Chubby, Buddy Miles and The Chambers Brothers, to name a few.
Jon joined The Dave Keyes Band in the early 1990's, after several years of playing and touring with Eddie Kirkland. They were recognized as the “Best Unsigned Band in the United States” at the International Blues Challenge of 2000. In 1999, Jon played with the David Johanson band. He now plays with Queen Tipsy in and around New York City. Jon is also a composer and arranger for the bands original music.

Nathaniel S. Seeley (drummer/ percussionist) - Nathaniel (Nat) Seeley has studied music since he was a child and played trumpet from childhood through high school, where he began his study of drumming. He has studied with various teachers/performers including: Titos Sampa, Freddie Waits, Charles Persip, Joseph Piazza, Pablo Landrum, the Colon Bros., Sam Ulano and John Amira.
Nat has performed with various bands and performers in the U.S. and overseas; most recently these include Karlus Trapp, Stapleton Latin Jazz Band, the Waldorf Astoria House Trio, Lonesome Debonaires, and now Queen Tipsy.

Phyllis Forman (vocals) - Phyllis and her husband, bass player Rick, created the Queen Tipsy band back in 2000. Phyllis has a visual arts background but began singing in 1999. She appeared frequently at that time with the Michael Packer Blues Band of which her husband Rick was a member. As well as being the premier vocalist, Phyllis is a lyricist for the bands original music.

Richard Peterson (bass/vocals) - Richard (Rick) has been playing music in the Staten Island, New York City, music scene since his teenage years. He has played rhythm guitar with various disco bands in the 70's, rock bands in the 80's, and switched to bass in the 90's to play blues, rock, and jazz.
His most recent experiences have been with the Michael Packer Blues band, Celange, Last Call, the Kind, and Lava.