Peter Eldridge
Lead guitar, Vocals
 
My musical background started at age 6, playing air guitar to Partridge Family albums. Hosting backyard concerts with neighborhood friends, we played on a picnic table with the record player blaring under the table. I guess my parents felt this was a sign to buy a guitar and get me into lessons.
By age 15 I was studying at the Kingston School of Music with Berkley teachers, and playing my electric guitar with many musicians. A turning point of choosing drugs or the guitar. It looks like I choose the right path.
My first band, Street Level, started in high school and lasted a few years. But by 1982 the band split, and my guitar playing went directly to the back burner! I remember selling all my equipment except my acoustic guitar. I studied classical music for another year while the bulk of my time went into cars, physical fitness, my plumbing career, and my future wife, Donna. The years went by with marriage, two beautiful children, and me still picking away at the old guitar.
Around 1998 I purchased a new Taylor guitar with an amazing sound, and my musical addiction kicked into gear once again. I was sharing the sounds of my guitar but never my voice. Then came the 9/11 tragedy, and I made a commitment to share my gifts with people. My first solo gig—guitar and voice—was in front of 150 people! I hooked up with old friend Mark Grant (3 Diamond Entertainment). He asked me if I would like to play at his DJ gigs. Mark would always say to me, “If you start to bomb I will play a CD and bail you out.” Thanks, Mark, for being there for me!
As the gigs went on, I had guest performers accompany me and we jokingly called ourselves Thrown Together. At times the music was raw and interesting, but we always made it happen.
So where did CONNECTED come from? As I became a member of the Kingston Unitarian Church, I had the opportunity to meet Tom and Kate. Tom, his saxophone, and I hit it off immediately. Our background as performers soon had us sharing our music with our church friends. Kate was a different story altogether. Her musical strategy was to stay in the shower when she sang. As I got to know her, I realized she had some great musical ideas and a huge hidden talent. Little did she know I had bigger plans for her! It took a while, but I finally got her behind the mic, and it was like she’d been there forever.
I found bassist John MacFee 20 minutes after he dropped off an ad at the local music shop.
When we played together, I knew right away he was the perfect fit for the band. We found drummer Dennis McMenamy, who’s truly made the band what it is today.
The name of the band had to be “Connected.” Fate may have hooked us up, but our love of music and life will keeps us and our audiences together for a long time to come.
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