Band Bio's
Souled Out VB is comprised of some of Hampton Roads finest musicians. All are current and active in the local and national music scene as sidemen, band leaders and independent artists!
SOVB VOCALISTS


Gina
Swoope
Lead & Background Vocals
Gina is a native of Virginia, growing up first in Norfolk, VA until she was 9 years old and then moving on to Virginia Beach where she currently resides. Her love for music and entertaining came at the early age of 3 years old when she started ballet and would get to perform recitals, dancing and singing to large groups of people. Now, she is a Pop/R&B/Rock/Country vocalist and a songwriter. Her smooth and sultry tone along with her vocal range have named her one of the best singers in the Hampton Roads area. She has versatility of music genres that is unmatched in the area going from Whitney Houston to Journey and everything in between.
Her work as a songwriter began with a Country Music group called Fraid Knot. They wrote songs and performed them for special events and outdoor venues and festivals. Music Row, in Nashville TN even became a stop on their list. She also tried out for the Nashville Star Show that auditioned in the Virginia Beach area and was a part of the top 5 in the area.
Gina has performed for various venues throughout her life including singing the National Anthem for various platforms such as the Baltimore Orioles, the Dodger’s and the Mets baseball games with an audience exceeding 50,000 people. She has performed as the lead vocalist with several other bands in the Virginia area like Strictly Bizzness, Fast Forward, Rhythm Street, The Tidewater Drive Band and the Gina Swoope Duo. A fun fact about one of her bands is that they opened up for the Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam band back in the early 90’s.
Some of Gina’s most highly respected musical influences are Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, Karen Carpenter, Barbara Streisand, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Natalie Merchant, R.E.M., Marvin Gaye, Reba McEntire, Lady GaGa, Brandi Carlile, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt, and Miranda Lambert.
Her proudest moment of life though goes to raising two great young adults who are finding their way as productive members of society. In her spare time, you can find her vacationing on some lovely beach on the Gulf side Florida, or hiking a trail somewhere, or fixing up her home. She’s surely not one to be found in one spot.
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Charlene
Louissa
Lead & Background Vocals
Louissa is an American Alt pop/ RNB artist and songwriter hailing from Pittsburgh, PA. At a young age, Louissa was already stealing the attention of those around her dawning dance costumes as her daily attire and entertaining her family. Dance lessons, her grandmother’s apt for Doris Day songs she sang, and her mother’s piano medleys ringing throughout her home made an imprint on Louissa as a creative. She didn’t discover her singing capabilities until the age of 12 at a sleepover karaoke jam. After her newfound discovery, she begged her dad for voice lessons. She began taking lessons with a Pittsburgh Opera singer and thus began her love affair with melodies and their stories. From producing her own songs to making her own shows and appearing on a college tv show at the age of 16 she began sculpting her craft. She has been co-producing, writing, and recording songs as well writing for up-and-coming artists with a team of writers at The Playbook Music Group. Locally, she is a session vocalist for Soulhaven Studios and background singer for the group, UDIG. She has performed at venues such as Rosemont Manor, The Spark of Hope Storytelling events, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and open mics. During the pandemic, she gathered an audience on social media through her live streams. As an artist, Louissa is inspired by the stories of the people around her, her own comeback from a debilitating illness that left her bedridden with vocal cord dysfunction, and artists such as Jojo, Beyonce, Sarah Vaughn, Glass Animals, Mariah Carey, and the feel good music she grew up on from her parents like Simon and Garfunkel. Her aim is to bring a mood and embodiment of empowerment to the audience and fill them body and spirit through her melismas and vocal intricacies.
Souled Out VB welcomes Louissa as one of the Queens of Souled Out VB!!!

Osiris
Hill
Lead & Background Vocals
Osiris has wowed audiences spanning across the US and 37 different countries. As an active duty enlisted man, he performed all around the world for US troops with Tops in Blue, a traveling military show band with 35 members and 60,000 pounds of stage equipment, entertaining thousands of spectators at deployed locations and various government ceremonies.
After serving his country, you can find him performing at variety of venues in Las Vegas to include Sherry Gordy’s “Take the Stage” and performing with local bands in Hampton Roads such as Kustom Made, Blaque Velvet, and Seamless to name a few.
A tall glass of Southern Hospitality from Alabama, Osiris is a powerful, yet smooth & silky baritone who delivers vocal stylings of KEM, Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Garth Brooks, Earth Wind & Fire,The Average White Band & many more. He is a true crowd pleaser that will surely get you into the groove!
Rhythm Section


Anthony
Gracia
Guitar & Lead Vocals

David
Wamsley Sr.
Bass & Vocals

Henry Countee Jr
Drums
So Cali native Anthony Gracia arrived in VB 5 years ago via Maui HI where he worked with one of Maui’s renowned treasures Glen “Poppa G” Kakugawa in “UNKLE FUNK”. Prior to that Anthony worked in the Las Vegas, Phoenix AZ and LA markets. Starting on guitar at an early age Anthony transitioned to bass and eventually learned several other instruments as well.
Shortly after arriving to VB Anthony made quick work of joining forces with some of the area’s influential musicians... most notably Mike Auger, Zack Bridges, Mark Worton, Phil Sloan and Daniel Fink. Upon a recommendation from Rod Hamilton, Anthony was offered the Male Lead Vocal/ guitarist slot of one of VB’s best party bands J & The Band and 6ways2Sunday. In 2021 Anthony was offered the position of vocals/ guitar for Hampton Roads iconic Event/Corporate bands TIDE WATER DRIVE BAND of which he is still an active member. You can catch him tearing up the stage at many of the local venues such as Waterside District, Live on Atlantic Oceanfront stages and Ballyhoos among many others. He is also a part of the amazing acoustic duo A & E with Emily Patrick.
Weaned on Santana and classic rock Anthony made the transition to fusion jazz and funk under Guitarist/Bassist Larry Praunask and has never looked back.
David was born and raised in New York. Started playing bass in the early 70's. Played all over the NY/NJ/Conn tri state area for many years in a wide variety of bands playing a wide variety of music. Moved to Virginia in 2001. Joined the music scene right away again playing a wide variety of music. As one of Hampton Roads finest bassists... David has worked with Rhythm Magik, Grooveline757, 151 Band, Rare Mixx, Wilson Night Project, Kustom Made, Brasswind and sub work with Slapnation and The Michael Clark Band
Henry “Hank” Countee Jr. was born in Tacoma Washington. His father was in the military and the family traveled across the world as his father served our country. At a very young age he begin to show an interest in music. He was drawn to and began to develop skills in drumming. He did his first performance in front of an audience at age seven in Ankara, Turkey before his feet could reach the bass drum pedal. At age 14 he played for an adult R&B band. As time passed his gift matured. He played so skillfully that he was asked to play under the direction of Dr. Donald Dumpson and the Jubilee Singers of Westminster Choral College, at Bright Hope Baptist Church of Philadelphia where he performed with renowned artists such as Brian Lanier, Kathy Sledge (of "Sister Sledge"), Melba Moore, Peabo Bryson and American Idol winner; Justin Guarini to name a few. He was the drummer for a contemporary jazz and R&B group called Point Blank. Where he composed four of the songs from their “Point Of View” CD. They opened up for legendary artists George Duke and Jeff Lorber to name a few. In 2017, he composed eight songs and produced his wife’s gospel CD entitled “Into My Destiny”.
He has had the pleasure of working with the Philadelphia Orchestra on two occasions and the New Jersey Symphonic Orchestra.
Hank has also performed before former President Bill Clinton, the late Congressman Bill Gray, and Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Hank has composed and recorded contemporary jazz, gospel and R&B music. Over the years Hank has played drums for numerous churches and praise teams. He has over fifty years of experience drumming in all genres and continues to compose music today. Hank believes that this God-given passion to play drums is a supernatural gift to serve and encourage others.

Roberto
Morales
Percussion

Benjamin
Hall
Keyboards

Ernesto Laboy
Percussion
Roberto Morales is a Latin Percussionist, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. This area was loaded with musicians, especially piano players, so for those inclined to music it was a natural progression
In the excitement of "Salsa" music happening at the time the big name players, Larry Harlow, Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Tito Puenté Eddie Palmieri were some early influences. At 13 he performed in the Jr high school talent show with his best friend, whom today is a Grammy award winning Percussionist and keyboard, bassist, arranger, producer "Pablo "Chino" Nunez. At 18 Roberto went on his first concert tour to Puerto Rico with Larry Harlow's 15th anniversary tour… Then in 1981 on a 2 month tour all across the US and South America. He has worked with some of the giants of Latin music that include Ray Barretto, Rafael DeJesus, Ray DeLa Paz, Hector Lavoe and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame group Crosby, Stills Nash.
Benny G is an esteemed professional musician from a small town called Hurt, Virginia. Benjamin’s gift for playing music was recognized at a very early age. His mother had a dream of her young son playing the piano for a large audience, and she immediately acted on that vision. Despite her husband’s objection, she bought an old piano and Benjamin’s talent began to flourish. Being self-taught, he became very disciplined with studying his craft and learning to read music. Since his very early days, Benjamin has become an accomplished musician playing at the BET Awards and for international jazz artists such as Kirk Whalum and Jonathan Butler. He has served as Musical Director for the historic church First Baptist Church in Hampton, VA and currently First Baptist Church SouthHill in Chesapeake, VA. He credits a great deal of his proficiency to being an understudy of the incomparable Bruce Hornsby. Benjamin is currently a piano player in the U.S. Army Band where he serves as a Music Performance Team Leader for various genres of music, including Latin, Rock, and Jazz
Ernesto is a proud Nuyorican who learned to play latin percussion instruments as a young boy growing up in “Spanish Harlem”. He soaked up the music coming from the five borrows of NYC and began playing with different bands as a youth. After several years at Brooklyn College, he joined the U.S. Navy. During his Navy years, his motto was “El Clave can fit anywhere in any music”, so he always traveled with one small Cuban conga. After his Navy service, he left Norfolk Virginia and moved to St Petersburg, Florida to work as a subcontractor in the shipyards, all the while he was active in the local Latin music scene. During this time he performed with his own group called Hot Sun Trio. Ernesto returned to Virginia after 5 years and was a founding member of Latin Jazz Conspiracy. Since then, Ernesto has recorded with Bruce Hornsby on the Spirit Trail, did a radio show, WHOV-FM at Hampton University and played with assorted groups in Richmond, Newport News and Tidewater Hampton Roads.
Horn Section


Vince
Moody
Trumpet
Vince Moody is a native of Severn, Maryland and accepted an offer as trumpet player in the U.S. Navy Music Program in November 2003 after graduating from State University of New York Fredonia with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. In 2004 he toured extensively throughout southwestern United States with Navy Band Southwest in San Diego, CA supporting community relation initiatives and recruitment efforts. In 2008, with Naval Forces Europe Band in Naples, Italy he continued to perform as trumpet player and vocalist participating in numerous highly visible diplomatic engagements throughout Russia, Europe, and Africa. In 2016, he toured with U.S. 7th Fleet Band in Yokosuka, Japan. There he led numerous musical groups across southeast Asia to include the 2017 Hong Kong International Tattoo and a U.S. Presidential visit to Japan. In 2020, he accepted a position at the Naval School of Music in Virginia Beach, VA where he currently teaches Popular Music Group and Brass Band performance.
