I appeared as a call in guest on my own show, Hill’s Gallery, with my colleague Chris Fortier on WATR AM 1320 AM this past Saturday. Hill’s Gallery is a music show that appears every Saturday from 9 AM till noon. It’s a thrill for me to host a show especially based on the long history and previously hosted by Ed Flynn and before, Dee Patterson, who now a playwright.

While chatting with Chris this past Saturday, I decided to name my favorite top 10 bands out of Waterbury and it ended up up to be 11.

We’ve always said there’s must be something in the water in Waterbury that turns out world-class musicians, singers and songwriters!

The following list is really in no particular order excepting when I saw many of these bands last.

Here they are:

1.Micheal & Tom Devino band and they’re an ol’ school band. Lately they’ve been playing Ouzo Blue on Thursday nights. One never knows what fabulous musicians will be in the band

2. Eddie Seville and Steel rodeo. Typically the music is all original and he and his band are seasoned live performers and recording artists

3.Marty Q He has sold 50,000 records just out gigging from Waterbury to the Palace theater, to Infinity Hall, and even sometimes Florida.

4. Beau Bolero- billed as the worlds greatest Steely Dan tribute band. You’ve got to see them to believe them. Waterbury’s Bob Ranaudo amazing lead guitar work makes the show!

5.Bill Calabrese’s and his bands, CTA and Capricorn. They are spot on tribute bands and play theaters around Connecticut and Massachusetts.

6. Steve Atwood band! Steve’s take an 80s rock like Billy Idol. And his bandmates will rock your socks off

7. Funk That w/ The DeMichele brothers of Stonehenge & Magic still deliver! Mario is also in a HOT duo called Silver w/ Mike LiJuduce from the Townsmen.

8. Mario Infanti is back from Florida playing solo, touring and working with the Devino brothers from time to time.

9. What can you say about Vincent Ingala? You have to go to the national jazz tour to see him, and he has a new album dropping in March

10.Timmy Maia, probably Connecticut’s busiest R&B performer and always has a long line of musicians vying to be in his band.

11. Harold Zinno and his big band, as well as his smaller band. HZ Features many terrific singers with his big band at the Shamrock, including but not limited to WATR’s Tom Chute

In no way, do I mean to slight any other bands from the region, as the ones above are all ones that I seem to have as guests on Hill’s Gallery and come across my radar as super talented.

If any artists would like to submit CDs for consideration to WATR airplay or just guest requests to Hill’s gallery, we are hoping to hear from listeners & reader’s via email at talkback@WATR.com.