Betina Hershey Russo

Audio and Video Samples

Photos

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Upcoming Appearances

Past Appearances

  • Saturday, December 31, 2011
  • 5:30PM - New Year's Eve Party
  • New York City, NY
  • Saturday, October 22, 2011
  • 5:00PM - Wedding Reception
  • Lakeville, CT
  • Saturday, September 17, 2011
  • 10:00AM - Funeral
  • Hopatcong, NJ
  • Saturday, July 16, 2011
  • 4:00PM - Birthday Party (Adults)
  • Dorset, VT
  • Monday, May 30, 2011
  • 12:00PM - Memorial Day Party
  • Glen Cove, NY
  • Saturday, March 26, 2011
  • 7:00PM - Studio Session
  • New York, NY
  • Monday, September 20, 2010
  • 12:00PM - Corporate Function
  • New York, NY
  • Saturday, July 03, 2010
  • 9:00AM - Celebration
  • Brookside, NJ
  • Saturday, June 05, 2010
  • 7:00PM - Wedding Reception
  • Bethany Beach, DE
  • Thursday, October 08, 2009
  • 8:00PM - Boom
  • New York, NY
Click here for more past appearances= Booked through GigMasters
Photo 1
Location:
New York, New York
Travel Radius:
Will travel up to 3000 miles from New York.
Pay Range:
$600-$4000 per event
Member Since:
2009
Primary Category:
Jazz Band
Additional Categories:
20s Band, 30s Band, 40s Band, 80s Band, Acoustic Band, Cover Band, Dixieland Band, Folk Band, Jazz Orchestra, Motown Band, Pop Band, R&B Band, Rock Band, Rockabilly Band, Soul Band, Swing Band, Variety Band, Wedding Band
Influences:
Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Harry Connick, Dr.John, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Supremes, Joni Mitchell, Beatles, Allison Krauss, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Janis Ian, Shawn Colvin, Tom Waits, Prince, Billy Joel, Police

Group Members

  • Betina Hershey Russo - Voice, Guitar
  • Nick Russo - Guitar, Banjo
  • Lowell Hershey/ Shawn Hershey - Trumpet
  • Paul Beaudry/Nathan Peck - Bass
  • Willard Dyson/Chris Benham/Harvy Wirht - Drums

Description

We are professional musicians with the warmth of family, bringing good vibrations and creative music to any event. This wife/husband run group can include up to 4 family members, all established musicians who have performed internationally in Tokyo Japan, Lebanon, Italy, Spain, Russia, Brasil, Canada, across the U.S..
We have also performed at The Bermuda Guitar Festival, The Cape Cod Jazz Festival, Hot Steamed Jazz Festival, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Weekenders in Connecticut and in New York City at Lincoln Center, The Bottom Line, Carnegie Hall, Birdland, the Blue Note, Iridium Jazz Club, CBGBs, Arthur's Tavern, 55 Bar, Showmans, Lenox Lounge, Sweet Rhythm, Boom, Antique Garage, Sweet Rhythm, Smoke Jazz Club, Zinc Bar, IAJE, as well as at many private events.
Vocalist/guitarist Betina Hershey, has toured the country and the world as Meg in "Phantom of the Opera" and Anybodys in "West Side Story" and can be seen in the Julia Roberts movie "Mona Lisa Smile" and Disney's "Enchanted." Betina performed live on WFUV radio and at the Bottom Line. Betina also tours with The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Society Players across the U.S. and in Canada. Hershey has also taught swing dancing in Japan, Korea, and in Bermuda, also being featured on Bermuda national television and on the front cover of their newspaper. Recently reviewed by the Royal Gazette during their performance at the Bermuda Guitar Festival.

Groups include: Duo (guitar, voice); Trio (voice, guitar, drums / voice, guitar, trumpet / voice, guitar, bass); Quartet (voice, guitar, bass, drums / voice, guitar, trumpet, drums / voice, organ, guitar, drums); Quintet (voice, trumpet, guitar, bass, drums / voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums)


Styles include: Jazz and Standards of the American Songbook, Show Tunes, 1940s swing, R&B, Motown, Soul, Pop Music, Blues, Rock, New Orleans Traditional 1920-30s Jazz/Dixieland, Folk & Singer-Songwriter Genres, World Music, Originals

Song List

  • **SWING / JAZZ / STANDARDS**
  • Accentuate the Positive
  • All The Things You Are - Cole Porter
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Beautiful Love
  • Blue Moon - Ella Fitzgerald / Frank Sinatra
  • Bye Bye Blackbird - Carmen McRae
  • Centerpiece
  • Close Your Eyes - Ella Fitzgerald
  • Come Rain or Come Shine - Billy Holiday
  • Days of Wine and Roses
  • Don't Be That Way - Ella Fitzgerald
  • East of the Sun - Billy Holiday
  • Foggy Day - Ella Fitzgerald
  • From this Moment On - Frank Sinatra
  • Have You Met Miss Jones
  • Honeysuckle Rose - Ella Fitzgerald
  • How Deep Is The Ocean - Billie Holiday
  • How High The Moon - Frank Sinatra
  • I Could Write A Book - Rogers and Hart
  • I Love You - Cole Porter
  • I Thought About You - Mercer
  • I Won't Dance - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
  • I'm Beginning to See the Light
  • I've Got the World On A String
  • It Don't Mean a Thing - Duke Ellington
  • Moonlight in Vermont - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong / Frank Sinatra
  • My Funny Valentine - Rodgers and Hart
  • Nature Boy - Nat King Cole
  • Nefertiti - Wayne Shorter/Miles Davis
  • Our Love is Here To Stay - Frank Sinatra
  • Paper Moon
  • Pennies From Heaven - Frank Sinatra
  • Pick Yourself Up - Frank Sinatra
  • 'Round Midnight
  • Satin Doll
  • Secret Love
  • Smile
  • Someone To Watch Over Me
  • Stomping at the Savoy
  • They All Laughed - Gershwin
  • Unforgettable
  • You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
  • You Go To My Head
  • You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me
  • -
  • **BRAZILIAN & LATIN**
  • Alone Together
  • Besame Mucho
  • Corcovado - Jobim
  • Girl from Ipanema - Jobim
  • Guantanamera
  • How Insensitive - Jobim
  • La Vida Es Un Carneval - Celia Cruz
  • Mas Que Nada - Samba
  • One Note Samba - Jobim
  • Oye Como Va - Cha-cha
  • Shaker Song - Manhattan Transfer
  • So Danco Samba
  • Wave - Jobim
  • Yamulemau - Joe Arroyo
  • .
  • **NEW ORLEANS TRADITIONAL JAZZ 1920-30**
  • All of Me
  • Avalon
  • Bill Bailey
  • Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me
  • Careless Love
  • Dinah
  • Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans - Louis Armstrong / Harry Connick
  • Five Foot Two
  • Glow Worm - Mills Brothers
  • I Can't Give You Anything But Love
  • I Found A New Baby
  • I Got Rhythm
  • I Want to Be Happy
  • I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter
  • Indiana
  • Moonglow
  • Nobody But My Baby Is Getting My Love - Eva Taylor
  • Oh When The Saints - Louis Armstrong
  • On The Sunny Side of the Street
  • Pick Yourself Up
  • The Saints Go Marching In
  • Sometimes I Love You
  • Sweet Georgia Brown
  • The Red Red Robin
  • When You're Smiling
  • You Made Me Love You
  • _
  • **BLUES OR 12/8 FEEL**
  • Ain't Misbehavin'
  • At Last - Etta James
  • Body And Soul - Billie Holliday
  • Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
  • Careless Love - Bessie Smith
  • Georgia - Ray Charles
  • God Bless the Child - Billie Holliday
  • In The Dark - Nancy Wilson
  • Man I Love - Billie Holliday
  • Rocks In My Bed - Sarah Vaughan
  • She Caught the Katy - Taj Mahal
  • Since I Fell For You - Nancy Wilson
  • Summertime - Funk version
  • Willow Weep For Me - Billie Holliday
  • You Are My Sunshine - Ray Charles
  • ^
  • **R&B and POP TUNES**
  • Ain't Never Had Nobody Like You - M. Ward
  • Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell
  • Ain't That Lovin' You Baby - Sly and the Family Stone
  • All Night Long - Lionel Richie
  • All the Road Running - Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
  • All You Need is Love - Beatles
  • As - Stevie Wonder
  • Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
  • Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins / Elvis Presley
  • Can't Buy Me Love - Beatles
  • Can't Help Falling In Love With You - Elvis Presley
  • Celebration - Cool 'n the Gang
  • Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
  • Cinderella - Steven Curtis Chapman
  • Come Away With Me - Nora Jones
  • Come Together - The Beatles
  • Come See About Me - The Supremes
  • Crazy - Patsy Cline
  • Crazy Love - Van Morrison
  • Cry To Me - Solomon Burke
  • Dancing Queen - ABBA
  • Dark End of the Street - James Carr
  • Don't Know Why - Nora Jones
  • Don't Think Twice - It's Alright
  • Drift Away (I Wanna Get Lost in Your Rock 'n Roll) - Dobie Gray; Mentor Williams
  • Drive My Car - Beatles
  • Dust in the Wind - Kansas
  • Every Breath You Take - The Police
  • Give a Little Bit - Supertramp
  • Got Ants in my Pants - James Brown
  • Here Comes the Sun - Beatles
  • Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams
  • Honey Don't - Carl Perkins / Elvis Presley
  • Honky Tonk Woman - Rolling Stones
  • I Got A Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
  • I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
  • I Will - The Beatles
  • Imagine - John Lennon
  • Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
  • Just the Two of Us - Bill Withers
  • Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
  • Kiss - Prince
  • Lean on Me - Bill Withers
  • Let's Have A Party - Wanda Jackson
  • Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
  • Livin' Lovin' Wreck - Jerry Lee Lewis
  • Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - Beatles
  • Mama Mia - ABBA
  • Maybellen - Chuck Berry
  • Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips
  • New York State of Mind - Billie Joel
  • Overjoyed - Stevie Wonder
  • P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson
  • Rave On - Buddy Holly
  • Remember the Time - Michael Jackson
  • Respect - Aretha Franklin
  • Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
  • Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley and The Comets
  • Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
  • Something in the Way She Moves - Beatles
  • Son of a Preacher Man - Aretha Franklin
  • Stand By Me - Ben E. King
  • Stay - Just A Little Bit Longer
  • Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
  • Superstition - Stevie Wonder
  • Take Me To The River - Talking Heads
  • That's Alright Momma - Elvis Presley
  • The Weight - Aretha Franklin
  • Think - Aretha Franklin
  • This Masquerade - George Benson
  • What Becomes of the Broken Hearted - Jimmy Ruffin
  • When I'm 64 - The Beatles
  • You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
  • :
  • **GREATFUL DEAD & REGGAE**
  • Cold Rain and Snow - Greatful Dead
  • Friend of the Devil - Greatful Dead
  • I Can See Clearly Now - Jimmy Cliff
  • Is This Love - Bob Marley
  • Jack Straw - Greatful Dead
  • Ob La Di - Beatles
  • One Love - Bob Marley
  • Many Rivers to Cross - Jimmy Cliff
  • Not Fade Away - Greatful Dead
  • Ripple - Greatful Dead
  • Sitting in Limbo - Jimmy Cliff
  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Kamakawiwo'ole
  • Soul Shakedown Party - Bob Marley
  • They Loved Each Other - Greatful Dead
  • Til the Morning Comes - Greatful Dead
  • Touch of Grey - Greatful Dead
  • West L.A. Fadeaway - Greatful Dead
  • What A Wonderful World - Kamakawiwo'ole
  • '
  • **WALTZ**
  • Always
  • Bluesette
  • I'll Take Romance
  • My Romance
  • Someday My Prince Will Come
  • Tenderly
  • x
  • **SPECIALTY SONGS**
  • Hava Nagila
  • Copa Cabana
  • Ave Maria

Available For:

Anniversaries, Bachelor Parties, Bachelorette Parties, Banquets, Birthday Parties, Children's Birthday Parties, Celebrations, Christenings, Christmas Parties, Church Services, Clubs, Community Events, Conventions, Corporate Functions, Dinner Dances, Festivals, Fund Raisers, Funerals, Graduation Parties, Grand Openings, Picnic, Private Parties, Proms, Restaurants, Reunions, Sweet 16 Parties, Weddings, Wedding Ceremonies, Wedding Cocktail Hours, Wedding Receptions...and more.

Feedback

  • Nick and Betina were the absolute best thing that happened to our wedding reception! Our guests are still raving about the music. Both Nick and Betina went out of their way to make sure that everything was just as we wanted it. They even accommodated some new songs that we sprung on them at the last minute. They also added a Sax/Clarinet player that was outside of their normal band, he was amazing! This whole ensemble was truly great. Their professionalism and helpfulness truly went above and beyond. I simply cannot say enough good things about them and would hire them again in a second! The videos posted here do NOT do this band justice, they're truly amazing. -- Lyman T, Lakeville, CT, 10/22/2011
  • Highly professional and accommodating. They were wonderful. -- Francine K, Glen Cove, NY, 5/30/2011
  • Did a really great job! I love the talent and professionalism. Will definitely with them again. Thanks, -- Reggie M, New York, NY, 3/26/2011
  • Nick Russo was extremely professional and warm. His guitar playing was very enjoyable to our employees and I am still getting compliments on how much they like it. I would definitely hire him again. -- Jane T, New York, NY, 9/20/2010
  • Betina and Nick were the perfect fit for our small beach wedding. They did a great job accomodating our requests, and working them into the reception in a way that demonstrated an experienced capacity for reading the crowd in real-time. Betina and Nick learned and performed a new song (and one that's a little outside of their usual genres) just for us. Their willingness to do this, and the quality of their execution, made our wedding all the more special. If you're looking for a flexible, low key, down to earth singer or combo for your affair, please consider giving Betina Hershey Russo your business. -- Ben L, Bethany Beach, DE, 6/5/2010
  • Very accomodating. Being early we had time to schedule a little talk I gave about my wives birthday. We all so had a talented banjo player as a guest and they did two songs together that was really apprecated. Thank you for such a fine person and talent. -- Bob F, Dorset, VT, 7/16/2011
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