Capital Region legends make waves in The Eddies Hall of Fame

Albany ’80s icons The Sharks part of seventh HOF class

ALBANY— With seven albums, national attention with a Billboard review, and countless performances, The Sharks have created a timeless legacy in the Capital Region music scene. They played Lark Street Festival at its height – with an iconic photo and postcard to prove it – and were cemented into Albany’s history with their participation in the tricentennial celebration – even if they consider it their “jump the shark” moment.

The seven-piece group, known for their horn section and signature rock and pop music style, joins the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame 7 p.m. March 24 at Universal Preservation Hall.

Formed amidst a bustling scene in 1981, the band – Bob Assini on drums, Bob Button on trumpet, Tom D’Ambrose on saxophone, Steve Gilhooley on bass, Mike Kelley on keys, Jeff Roberts on trombone, and Jerry Yarro on guitar – resonated with their fans with their original music which set them apart from the typical cover bands of the time.

The band was one of a few to have a horn section in an era dominated by minimalistic ‘80s sounds, which helped carve their own niche within the local music scene.

“It was very, very important to be original because otherwise we were just another cover band and none of us were interested in that. The nice thing too is we had three writers. I wrote some stuff, [Kelly] and [Yarro] were great writers, and we learned a lot together,” Button said.

“Being able to play original music, of course is the creative outlet,” said Gilhooey.

For Roberts it was amazing “how well received our original music was and how popular we became, even though we were playing songs that no one had basically ever heard before.”

The Sharks recorded their first LP in 1983 with the talented Broadway Blotto (an Albany legend in his own right). Shark Treatment was played on the radio stations and the band started to gather a devoted following playing shows throughout the Northeast with Little Feat, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Marshall Crenshaw, NRBQ, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Gary US Bonds, and many more.

“That was lucky break number one, of many. We were the luckiest band ever, honestly. We caught every break and basically, we just wanted to play, write our songs, and be part of the gang. We got some really nice breaks along the way, and you can’t discount the importance of that,” Kelly said.

The album’s success can be attributed to the synergy between the talented musicians and their dedicated producer, Blotto. Button fondly remembers his influence. “He was both a skilled musician and a coach. He knew how to get a performance out of you,” he said. “He would tell you, ‘That’s too much here,’ or ‘Let’s go back and learn that drum part again.’ It was a great experience.”

Gilhooley added, “He was a coach too. He knew how to get a performance out of you. He would look at your part, take it apart, see what you were doing, and then say, focus on this, bring this up.”

Blotto would go on to produce their second album, Seven Deadly Fins, in 1985 – a 12 song LP. This album would give The Sharks national recognition with a glowing review from Billboard magazine.

Button recalls, “I married my wife in 1985 on Dec. 28 – the same day that Seven Deadly Fins was reviewed in Billboard Magazine. I walk into the corner store, in Milton, New York, and I picked up Billboard Magazine and I was floored. It was probably historically the greatest day of my life. It really was. It was amazing.”

By 1986, the band had cemented their place in the local music scene. They were approached by David Allan to be involved in an Albany Tri-Centennial celebration. Allan wrote “Let’s Have A Party Albany” and The Sharks performed with a multitude of notable people of the city resembling “We Are the World.” 

Kelley said, “that’s probably the most famous we ever got with everybody who wasn’t familiar within the music world. It’s like, ‘you’re that guy from that song.’”

Yarro added, “For the people in the music world though, it was a different story.”

The Sharks would go on to record a full-length Christmas album Shark! The Herald Angels Sing in 1987 (featuring some original songs), Listen Up in 1988, Life Is A Carnivore in 1992, and finally Sharkoustiks in 1994.

Throughout the ‘90s the bands popularity tapered out and eventually the members moved on to other professions. D’Ambrose passed away in 2010, and his friends remember him dearly.

Roberts said, “Tommy deserves a lot of credit because there probably wouldn’t be The Sharks without Tommy.”

The band reunited in 2022 for a concert at The Hollow. Yarro said of the experience, “It was a pleasant surprise. The place was packed! They were just hooting and hollering for us. It was just such a validation.”

Roberts added, “It was just amazing. I had a smile on my face the whole night with no chance of it going away. It really was wonderful. And it went by in a flash.”

Some of the members continue to play together as The Hammerhead Sharks, and all of them continue to be friends.

“I’m very proud of all the stuff we did together,” Kelly said.

Assini added, “The proudest thing is 44 years later, we’re still maybe not The Sharks, but we’re still playing together.”

Their timeless songs made a lasting impact on the Capital Region music scene. At the height of their popularity, they played the second and third annual First Night in Albany, were a top hit on the college radio stations, and played at the iconic Palace Theatre.

“We had fun doing it with seven guys. You can really amuse yourselves a lot. I’ll tell you, there’s never a dull moment with seven guys,” Yarro said.

The Sharks legacy lives on as they join the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame 7 p.m. March 24 at UPH. Tickets are on sale now for the exceptional showcase of music in the Capital Region, sponsored by MLB Construction Services, LLC and media partner WEXT.  Visit the Box Office at Proctors in-person or via phone at (518) 346-6204 Tuesday-Saturday 12 p.m.-6 p.m. or online by visiting atuph.org.

The Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards and Hall of Fame, as well as UPH, are part of Proctors Collaborative.