About Steel Owl!

What sets us apart!

Steel Owl is six lifelong dedicated musicians that combined have well over two hundred years of experience playing and performing!

Our bandmembers have played professionally and semi-professionally over the years in acts such as The Ceesar Band, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, the Time Machine band, Back in the Day, The Q, Pegasus, Essence, and others.

Our music selections are hand-picked to touch your musical soul, get you on your feet, and bring you your favorite music that you never hear bands play!

Scroll down to meet the band!!

Meet the band!

Richie Sticks

Drummer/Founder

My love for drums started at a very young age. In my early teens, l began taking drum lessons from the famous drum teacher William Kessler in New York City, who wrote books on syncopation and reading music along with Gene Krupa and Cozy Cole. All very famous drummers in their own right. I also gave drum lessons for 22 years in Rockland County on all 40 international rudiments, fundamentals and reading drum charts along with double bass drum techniques and jazz and rock drumming.


I have played in numerous cover bands and also bands that played original music. All working bands. These bands were throughout Rockland County, in the Bronx, N.Y. City and Northern New Jersey and now Dutchess County. But in my opinion this Steel Owl Band is the best yet consisting of 5 other dedicated and very seasoned professional musicians.

We play for the crowd and always aim to please. We run the whole gamut of musical variety.


We will rock you as you dance and party all day or all night along with us.

Bernie Servodio

Lead Vocals

My journey started about 22 years ago performing live in various Hudson valley venues. Bands I have been associated with included Bernie and Mike duo; Ceesar band; Jumpstart band; and most recently, The very talented Steel Owl band. We have a very interesting and mind boggling selection of tunes, that will spark an emotion for the love of music. And my passionate journey continues on for as long as possible. Hope to see you all out there!!!

John Praino Sr.

Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals

John has over fifty years of playing professionally, including a stint with Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, The Time Machine, and other touring bands.  John is also an accomplished bass player, Lead  guitarist, and Lead Vocalist, and he also provides great harmonies in the background.

John brings an old school flavor to the band with his soulful Lead Vocals and guitar playing.

Joey Russo

Keyboards/Lead Vocals

Joey has been playing piano and electric keyboards most of his life and started playing in an oldies band in 1963. He played back-up keyboards to Little Anthony and The Imperials, The Drifters and Ben e. King.

Joey started a psychedelic band in the late 60's and was signed to Bell Records for a 2 year contract. Joey wrote songs for the band Essence, and also played keyboards for a very successful disco group in the 70's and over the years have done a few 2 piece ventures. 

Joey is also a very talented Lead Vocalist with great range, and provides great soprano harmonies when he sings background vocals. 

Joey is currently performing with Steel Owl.

Mike Schneider

Rhythm / Lead Guitar

Mike grew up in the Bronx, NY, and has been playing semi-professionally for over forty years. In the early to mid 1980's,Mike was the Lead Guitarist for the well known NY Tri-State area band Pegasus, and played with some other great acts like Back in the Day, The Q, Conscious Pilot, and played in numerous music projects throughout the 2000's. 

Over the years, Mike has played venues throughout the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange Counties, as well as Long Island and Connecticut.

"Steel Owl is the most accomplished group I have had the pleasure of playing with."

Rich Greene

Bass Guitar

Rich Greene on Bass Guitar began his Rock and Roll career in 1963 at the Yorktown Heights High School Rock-n-Roll band performing at school dances and sharing concert stages with superstars such as Jay and the Americans, The Shangri-las, Bobby Comstock and the Counts, The Toys, The Thymes, The Regents, and Barbara Lewis and The Strangeloves.

Performing with The Evaders and backed up The Strangeloves performing their hit song "I Want Candy". The Evaders were also the opening act for The Rascals.