Biography

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Sammy Passamano III
Email: Sammy3@the615hideaway.com
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For booking or other information, please contact:
Rockheartsbluegrass@gmail.com


“I Know It's Wrong to Love You” is available wherever digital downloads and streaming are available including iTunes and Amazon and streaming on Spotify and Pandora.



Rock Hearts are performing throughout the United States on their Unfinished Bridges Tour - 2024.

The members of Rock Hearts have held the Bluegrass Cardinals in high regard for a long time. Banjo player, Joe Deetz, recalls playing at various festivals with the Bluegrass Cardinals during his years with bands including Frank Wakefield, John Herald, and Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys. Likewise, Billy Thibodeau met David Parmley and his dad, Don, many years ago when they played festivals in the New England area.

Alex’s dad, Sandy MacLeod, was a big Bluegrass Cardinals fan and exposed Alex to the “Cardinal Sound” as a kid. Alex recalls fondly seeing the Bluegrass Cardinals perform in the early 80s in Connecticut. He shared, “I didn’t realize then what a massive influence they would have on my bluegrass journey.”

What appeals to the Rock Hearts mostly about the Cardinals is their vocal arrangements and material selection.

Traveling down to the IBMA World of Bluegrass in 2023, Alex was on the plane listening to the Cardinals and came across this song. In preparation for their new album, he knew it was a song that Rock Hearts had to record. By the end of the week at IBMA, the band’s arrangement was pretty set in place.

The song also takes on a special meaning because it was a song started by Don and finished by David; a father-son co-write. Similar to David Parmley’s relationship with his dad, Don Parmley, Billy Thibodeau, Alex MacLeod, and Joe Deetz all had dads who heavily influenced their bluegrass careers.

Produced by Scott Vestal and Rock Hearts and engineer by Scott Vestal, at his Digital Underground Studio, in Greenbriar, Tennessee “Unfinished Bridges” contains performances by Alex MacLeod (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Joe Deetz (Banjo), Billy Thibodeau (Tenor Vocals and Mandolin), Rick Brodsky (Bass) and Austin Scelzo (Fiddle, Baritone Vocals).

ROCK HEARTS BIOGRAPHY

Joe Deetz’s career on banjo spans over 40 years. A New England Bluegrass Boy with Joe Val, Joey has also worked with Frank Wakefield, John Herald, Back Eddy and many others. He has recorded with John Herald, Will Scarlet, the Beach Boys and Carole King. Joey was also featured on the Sesame Street recording of The Garbage Man Blues. His passion for bluegrass is evident in his tasteful yet driving banjo and harmony singing. He lives in Mendon, MA with his wife.

Alex MacLeod grew up in bluegrass. His father and mother, Sandy and Geri, exposed him to the music early on. While his dad Sandy played in the band, his mom clogged with the Ralph Case Cloggers in Maryland. With a classic leading voice and rock-solid rhythm guitar, Alex has served as front man for several bands in the region including Northern Lights, Southern Rhode, Back Eddy, and the Iron Skillet Band. He lives in Charlestown, RI with his wife and four daughters, Raechel, Maicey, Grace, and Piper.

Billy “BT” Thibodeau boasts an undeniable bluegrass pedigree, and he brings his high tenor and lead vocals, along with his fastidious mandolin and splendiferous guitar playing to Rock Hearts. A multi-instrumentalist, Billy has been picking and singing bluegrass for several decades. Cutting his teeth with his Dad, Sam Tidwell and Uncle Bob in the Kennebec Valley Boys, he would later lead his own band, The Bill Thibodeau Band. He has also played with the Descendants of Bluegrass, Bluegrass Supply Company, and Union River Band, just to name a few. Billy currently teaches music and works at Rick’s Music in Cumberland, RI. He lives in Cumberland, RI.

Austin Scelzo was introduced to various fiddle traditions at Mark O’Connor’s early Berklee String Camps, learning from powerhouse players like Billy Contreras, Jason Anick, Casey Dreissen, Jeremy Kittel, Andy Reiner, Bruce Molsky, Mark O’Connor, and Christian Howes. Austin’s Bluegrass journey began with the Western CT based group the “Angry O’Haras”, then later “On the Trail“, with which he recorded fiddle and vocals. Austin is also an active bluegrass community advocate, teaching Wernick Method Jam classes, creating and maintaining the performance venue “Bluegrass Coffeehouse” and launching the Connecticut Bluegrass Music Association.

Rick Brodsky is a multi-instrumentalist who has played within numerous musical genres over the past 35 years. Rick is a regular on the Connecticut/New York bluegrass scene and has played bass for numerous regional and national artists including Jonathan Edwards, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, The Korey Brodsky Band, Stacy Phillips & His Bluegrass Characters, and Laura Orshaw & The New Velvet. You can hear Rick’s bass playing on several of Ben Freed’s highly acclaimed banjo albums and more recently on Korey Brodsky’s 2015 album.