Wedding band played venues throughout Maryland, Virginia and D.C. venues. Group formed by ex-Isabelle’s Dream John Howard (keyboards, programmed bass), Jerry Siegel (drums), and Rusty Hinshaw (guitar).
Paradise featured dual female vocalists Vanessa Buenger and Hope Barbalache, later adding male vocalist Ron Nuger.
Throughout the history of the group subsequent guitarists included Lakin Ducker, and Reggie Moses. The horn section included sax players Joe Simcoe (Joshua, OHO, Mixed Nuts), Joe Calianno, Vaughn Ambrose, Bill Barner, and Kevin Basiliko. Trumpeters Don Junkers, Eric Heavner. Trombonist Griz Gifford. Keyboardist Tim Tamassia (Romanos) played for the band when needed.
Later female vocalists included Precious Joubert, then when Hope left the group she was replaced with Lauren Szeckley, then Kimmarie Page, then Alicia Sweeney, then Christy Trapp fronted the band for a few gigs.
The group prided itself with professionalism in presentation and appearance. They performed special wedding songs including first dance, father-daughter, mother-son dances and so on. With the three vocalists they were able to provide a repertoire of selections from the ‘40s to the ‘90s and they always took care to learn any special songs requested for the event.
Paradise lasted for twenty years, and dissolved after everything shut down due to the covid pandemic.
