[Allen Winters]: “My dad Al Winters, Sr (guitarist and band leader)… had his own bands from 1958-1997.
His first band was called Al and the Tru Tones. Which he had until 1965.
He changed the name to Al & the Exciters in which he played rhythm guitar with Vince Sanzone on bass, Joe Sanzone on lead guitar, and Will Tomlinson on drums. They played all the great places of the day…
Joe and Vince left to start the Classic 5 band. Al Winters and his Exciters then was Al Winters on rhythm guitar, Al Bombardier on lead guitar, Will Tomlinson on drums, and Don Jordan on bass
In 1974 Al Winters retired from playing music until 1979 when he started back playing music with his son Allen Winters. [At that time] it was Al Winters on rhythm guitar and his son Allen as lead singer and played drums. But Will Tomlinson returned on drums, and Joe Sanzone came back as did Vince Sanzone, both played off and on with the band. [Later] the band was Al Winters (rhythm guitar), his son Allen (lead singer and drums), Joe Hughes (lead guitar), and Don Jordan on bass. Joe Hughes was later replaced by John Linthicum on lead guitar and the band played many great places around the Maryland area, until Al Winters Sr was diagnosed with lung cancer and the band ended in 1997.
I would like to thank all of the great players that I had the pleasure to know and play with in the time that my dad started Al & the Exciters back up so we could have the pleasure to play music together father and son… I will never forget the great guys that played in my dad’s band from the early 1960s until 1997… Thanks to Vince and Joe Sanzone… And Will Tomlinson who started with my dad from 1965 till 1997… And all the other great players… Yours truly Allen Winters from Al & the Exciters band.”
