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Finger Lakes Times             June 28, 2007
Good Times, Chuck Agonito
If your rock band has only a guitar, a bass, and a drum, then each musician had better be very good.  There's no room to hide in this mix, and nobody needs to do that in JOHNNY SMOKE.  Garrett Crumb is the hard-charging vocalist that fronts this Rochester-based guitar-fueled band that's been around since 1994.
Most bands change personnel constantly, but JOHNNY SMOKE's newest member is bassist Scott Dasson, and he's been with them for the last seven years.  That accounts for the tightness and stage presence of this group.  They don't just play songs; they regard each gig as a classic rock show.
I saw them recently at the Upper Deck Sports Bar in Waterloo, and was told they will be back there in July.
Anthony J. Carbone plays the smokin' lead guitar, usually a Gibson Les Paul.  He is not cured of that Guitar Acquisition Syndrome we have talked about.  The bass player also has GAS.  Dasson owns 30 bass guitars; many are the coveted Gibson Thunderbirds.  We all hope a cure for this disease is never found.
Drummer Joe Szembrot is also the business manager.  He told me JOHNNY SMOKE has a new album of all original songs.  It is titled "For A Dollar" and is the band's third release.

Editor's note:  For A Dollar is the band's second release.  Chuck is probably just getting excited about the next one, Top Of The Bottom Of The Barrel.