The Usual Suspects

Depending on the night and the gig, you might find me showing up to your event with one or more of the following people:

Craig Wood

Craig Wood is a retired mental health professional. He began playing drums in a rock and roll band when he was in Junior High School but graduated to jazz in the late 60's while majoring in music at the University of Iowa, studying with Professor Tom Davis. However, duty called, and he served in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point in 1971-72. Since returning to Iowa in 1972, he has played with the Dick Watson Trio. He also enjoys playing in his daughter's church worship band once a month. Craig has a lovely wife, a son as well as a daughter, and 3 grandchildren.

Gary Palmer

Gary Palmer has had a varied musical career. Originally from Wisconsin, he studied bass there with Dr. Joan Orvis and completed a Master's at the University of Iowa in Double Bass Performance. Upon completion of his studies he became the Principal Bass with the Cedar Rapids Symphony where he stayed until 1997. In 2001 he became the Principal Bass with the Quad Cities Symphony until 2014. On the jazzy side of things he has performed with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, toured with the Guy Lombardo and Dick Jurgens Orchestras.He was a member of the Paul Hemmer Solid Gold Swing Band, the UI Jazztet, the Bons Amigos Brazilian Jazz Trio. Gary has been playing with Dick Watson since 2002 and has a small private studio where he teaches what else-Bass.

Eve Adamson

Eve Adamson moonlights as a jazz singer while also holding down her “real” job as a five-time New York Times best-selling celebrity ghostwriter and author. Her debut with the Dick Watson trio was in 5th grade at the Ming Gardens in Coralville, where she wowed the crowd (or so she believes) with her rendition of Captain & Tenille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.” In high school, she became a more regular vocalist with the band, and has always enjoyed the father-daughter bonding experience of playing gigs in and around Iowa throughout the years with dear ole’ dad. She lives in Iowa City with her husband Ben and youngest son, Emmett, who shows great promise as a singer. She also has an older son, Angus, and an adorable 2-year-old granddaughter, Kya, who likes to sing songs from the Disney movie Frozen.

Clark Terry and Benny Golson

OK, chances are you won’t find these guys showing up with me. But you never know...