Southern rock band from West Springfield, Virginia began in the mid-‘70s with Jay Nedry (drums) and Bill ‘The Senator’ Schmidle (guitar). After a number of personnel changes the line-up settled as Nedry, Schmidle, Bill Culver (guitar, vocals), and Bob Gaynor (lead guitar, vocals) and they became known the Dixie Road Ducks. The group began performing southern rock and good time party music at numerous battles of the bands at Louie’s Rock City in D.C. and quickly developed a following. They soon shortened their name to the Roadducks to avoid being confused as a country band.
The group’s party song “Budweiser Beer” became a regional favorite. The 1981 release on Eastern Records was pressed on gold vinyl.
Vocalist Phil McCormack joined in 1982. Nedry was replaced with Jimmy ‘Ace’ Racey (ex-Nightrider) on drums.
A 1985 line-up included McCormack (lead vocals, harmonica), Gaynor (guitar, vocals), Schmidle (lead guitar), Culver (guitar, vocals), Rob Melchoirne (bass), and Racey (drums).
In 1988 they released the album “Get Ducked” on Duxsongs Records.
Later members included Emmitt Carroll (keyboards), Jay Powell (guitar), Linda Cirba (vocals), Dexter Dunn (lead guitars), Eddie Callan (keyboards ex-Nightcrawlers), Jeff Bean (keys, vocals), Edmund Brown (bass, vocals)…
The Road Ducks played the VA, DC, MD local club circuit as well as traveling to many cities throughout the U.S… The group opened for major acts including Molly Hatchet. McCormack went on to join Molly Hatchet as lead vocalist in the ‘90s. Callan went on to join the Marshall Tucker Band, and toured with Delbert McClinton. Most recently seen with Frederick based Gipsy Souls Band.
Continuing into the 2020’s the band consisted of Nedry, Cirba, Dunn, Bean, and Brown.
1981 Eastern 08 Budweiser Beer / Keep on Rockin’
1988(LP) Duxsongs 87001 Get Ducked (also released on CD – Duxsongs RDCD001)
