Meet The Band
Behind the scenes with the musicians who make the magic happen.
Meet The Band
Right Turn at 40
Right Turn at 40
Celebrating our 17th year of Rockin’ and Rollin’
2006-2023
Our Story
2020 marks Right Turn at 40’s 14th year Rockin and Rollin Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The band has been very successful, playing a wide range of events, including: Community, Festival, Wineries, Corporate, Private Parties as well as various bar and club venues on both sides of the Delaware river in the PA/NJ/DE Tri-State area.
Right Turn at 40 has maintained a solid focus over the past decade plus playing only the very best of: Classic – Southern – Honky Tonk – Blues – Country – Party and Dance Rock. Playing the songs that people know and love and playing them straight, the way they are supposed to be played. Tap-alongs, Sing-alongs and Dance-alongs from the likes of:
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Bob Seger, Eddie Money, Santana, Beatles, Doors, Stones, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Gin Blossoms, John Mellencamp, Bad Co, Free, Van Morrison, Marshall Tucker, Garth Brooks, Grand Funk Railroad, Green Day, Keith Urban, Huey Lewis, Temptations, Cheap Trick, Eagles, Beaver Brown Band, The Band, and many many many others. 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and Today.
We are six talented and experienced lifelong musicians, using the gift of music as a means to bring people together to sing, dance, laugh, celebrate and enjoy. We bring your favorite Rock & Roll memories back to life with a large collection of hit cover songs from the past four decades, from artists that you know and love.
Behind The Scenes
According to Dave DiProspero, the band’s Lead Singer and General Manager, “We keep the music we play to what fits our style best, with some sprinklings of one hit wonders and an occasional surprise, to keep it fresh, but do have a formula that seems to work quite well”
Right Turn at 40 is made up of six talented and accomplished musicians, having played music for nearly their entire lives. Collectively the members share similar musical tastes, similar lifestyles and similar values. They are not only band mates, but good friends. This fact has been key to the bands success and longevity.
The band was formed in late 2005, when lead singer Dave DiProspero connected via Craigs List searching for other musicians who shared common musical interests, were in the same frame of life with families, careers, age, day-to-day issues and other commitments. Having a passion for great classic rock music they were looking to “have some fun, make some good music, meet and entertain people and have some more fun”. They quickly found three other key players that liked the idea and Right Turn at 40 was born.
The initial focus was to pick songs that the band liked, being sure that they were well known hits that people knew and wanted to hear. Songs that would take you back in time and remind you of the memorable events in your lives. Also a good mix of the lost hits and one-hit-wonders that would make people say, “Wow; I haven’t heard that one in a long time”. Songs with a story to tell, a great beat and melody, solid guitar riffs with a little slide and some sing along vocals. After a few months of working out the song mix they found what they were looking for and were ready to take the show on the road.
In mid 2006, Right Turn at 40 played their first gigs at two major fundraisers for the South Jersey charity “Helping Others with Breast Cancer”. The band contributed to raising thousands of dollars for a great cause and the large crowds immediately became fans, wanting to hear more. The rock and roll train was now rolling. The band promoted heavily and began successfully landing and playing various bars and clubs throughout the Philly/South Jersey area.
Along the way, they headlined the 2007 and 2008 July 4th Celebration for the City of Woodbury, NJ along with other community events. Another nice gig they landed was playing on the Avenue of the Arts in Center City Philadelphia, in front of the Historic Union League Building, for the runners and spectators of the well know Blue Cross Broad Street Run. The band has played this event for eight years and the first Sunday of May is always a date to hold open on the schedule. It is an awesome day.
In early 2012 John Lay became the 6th member of the band. Bringing Saxophone to equation added an element not found in other Rock & Roll bands. Additionally John plays Keys, when Garland jumps to 2nd guitar and Vocals for the harmony fill. This piece added the final element of what is today’s Right Turn at 40 very distinctive sound.
In late 2018, Timmy Silk of Marlton NJ joined the line up, bringing his powerful and tasty bass to the band. In 2019 we welcomed Mike Birnbaum on Lead Guitar and Vocals to the line up. In 2020 Joe Paradiso joined the line up on Drums and Vocals.
Right Turn at 40 plays about 25-30 dates a year and the band has agreed that they want this endeavor to be based on good music and good times and not cause it to be a “second job” or be a “drag to play”. They have been able to keep the perspective and balance and typically focus their Spring and Summer schedule on Outdoor Community Events, Wineries, Festivals and other similar venues. In the fall/winter they play a select range of nice bars and clubs on both sides of the river, to fill out the schedule. Add a few private parties, corporate events and the year is full.
The band members owe a special thanks to our wives and families who have been among our biggest fans and supporters. They have put up with all the madness and what it takes for us to live our rock & roll fantasy. Many, many thanks. We’d also like to thank all of those regulars who come out to our gigs and have supported us “beyond belief” over the years. Watching you have a good time and getting into the music and interacting with each other really makes the endeavor worthwhile.
Past Members
Right Turn at 40 would like to acknowledge and thank all of the past members who have performed with and contributed to longevity and success of the band, many of which appear in the videos on this website. Our sincere thanks go to: