Band celebrates life, family and music

By Michael Thompson

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 | 5:51 p.m.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to some cool dudes, their story and the passion of their lives, their music. They run under the banner of Cockeyed Junior, a Henderson-based band that was formed about a year and a half ago. The band members include: Mickey Roemer, keyboard and vocals; Joel Ferguson; steel guitar and vocals; Ben Williams, bass guitar; and Mike Puggi, drums and vocals.

As is often the case in the world of music, bands seek to find their way by doing the thing they love -- playing their music. They also find inspiration in dealing with the realties of life, family, and finances.

“All of the members have been in many bands prior, and although it would have been nice to live off the music so to speak, it did not work out that way, we all ventured down different professional paths -- our day jobs -- that afford us the lifestyles we have come to enjoy,” Puggi said.

Unlike many working bands, Cockeyed Junior has the luxury of staying true to the roots of their own music. “We play the kind of music we love because we play for us and not to eat, that's also why we do mostly original music,” Puggi added.

When people speak about the band’s sound, they often mention a "New Orleans Style" -- a fusion of jazz, blues and funk, he said.

For the second year, the band is participating in “Hope for the Holidays,” a benefit for homeless teenagers in Las Vegas.

“While we were waiting to go on stage last year, a teen who was homeless spoke about the program and the assistance it provided him during a very difficult time in his life. The words the teen shared touched the band members’ hearts.

“I am alone and afraid with nowhere to go,” the teen said. “I want a normal family…a normal home. I feel hopeless and desperate. I am afraid to trust. I am hungry. If I ask for help, they will send me back. I feel non-existent in the world around me. I want to stay in school, to be successful. I want to matter. I want to be loved.”

”It was very moving, and it made us think about how fortunate we all were,” Puggi said.

This year’s event will take place Saturday at the Henderson Pavilion Promenade from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Music is often a family gift and talent. Last year, Cockeyed Junior was excited during the “Hope For The Holidays” benefit to play several songs featuring guest vocalist Gabrielle Puggi, who at the time was only 11 years old. “She sang ‘Dream a Little Dream’ and knocked it out of the park,” said Puggi, as only a proud daddy could. This year, Gabby returns for two songs and said she is looking forward to performing with her father on stage for the second year running.