The Catdaddies originated in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas. It started as part of a challenge to members of the Lake Highlands Dad's club to participate in a school talent show—which was where the “band” had its first public performance in October 1998. Although all of the participants had real jobs and families, they enjoyed the experience of playing in front of an audience so much they decided to keep playing together and to form a band. Because the original members all had kids attending Lake Highlands schools, which have the Wildcats as their mascot, the band chose the name "Catdaddies” (get it? Cat Daddies?).
The original members of the band were: Mark Sales (lead guitar), Steve Gwinnup (rhythm guitar), Roger Esparza (drums), Victor Cordova (bass), and Marty Lowy (lead singer). All of the band members—each of whom had some prior music experience—grew up during the late ‘60s and ‘70s (OK, mostly ‘60s) and were heavily influenced by the music of that era. Staying true to that influence, the band began playing covers of favorite classic rock and roll songs by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and the Kinks, as well performing the blues and some original material written by Cordova and by Sales. During this time, and as most in the neighborhood who endured the noise will recall, the band rehearsed at the Lake Highlands Elementary school auditorium almost every Wednesday evening. Thank you LHE and all our neighbors—we wouldn't be around without your understanding and support!
The band's first real gig took place at Enchilada's restaurant on Northwest Hwy. in April 1999, and during those first couple of years the band played at several high profile private parties and appeared on a local cable access television program. Keyboardist Bryan Dunklin of Highland Park then joined and expanded the group's repertoire to including songs by the Doors, the Rascals, and other organ- and piano-driven bands of the ‘60s.
The band also became very involved in the community, performing at numerous charitable events and for other good causes, including the Pro Bono Legal Services for the Poor Awards Ceremony (sponsored by the Dallas Bar Association), the convention of the local Altrusa International chapter, the White Rock Marathon, the Great Wildcat Adventure fundraiser for Lake Highlands PTA.
In 1999, the band played at the very first Hughes & Luce Battle of the Bands at the Velvet Elvis club in Dallas. (The bar closed the next day and is now a vacant lot.) The band has played every H&L Battle of the Bands since (including number 7 in July 2005).
In 2000, the band was hired to play the new millennium New Year's gig at the new Knights of Columbus Hall on Northwest Hwy (which they played for several years after), and it continued to play at both public and private gigs. Because of the unique nature of a 40s-something band (which included several attorneys), the band began to receive attention from the media and appeared in a variety of newspaper and magazine articles, including the Lake Highlands Advocate, the Dallas Morning News, the Texas Lawyer, the Texas Bar Journal, and the Dallas Bar Association Headnotes.
Lead singer Lowy departed the band to form his own group with local guitarist and attorney Randy Johnston, called Blue Collar Crime. He was replaced by another attorney (and then incoming president of the Federal Bar Association), Kent Hofmeister. Hofmeister brought to the group not only his singing and guitar playing skills, but also his love of Beatles and Elvis music which further expanded the band's song list.
2003 and 2004 were years of change. Esparza and Cordova left the group. Bart Sloan (bass player for local cover band Shig Shag) joined the group on drums. Brad Young of Lake Highlands, an outstanding bass player and vocalist, then joined the group to round out the lineup.
The most recent addition to the band is Christina Melton Crain on vocals. At last, the band can finally perform those Jefferson Airplane and Nancy Sinatra tunes!
