By Kate Bartlett
Margie Tucker and Rick Emley comprise the band Interstate Daydream and have been playing stages in Ellicottville, Chautauqua and Erie counties for over 3 years. The duo plays ‘a little of everything’ from classic, new hits, country, rock, oldies and crowd favorites. Both sing vocals, and Rick plays guitar with Margie on tambourine. The reason they play is simple – they love music and enjoy playing together.
Rick is the youngest of 5 siblings, and he grew up with music as his father was a musician playing lead guitar in the band Milk and Cookies. His band cut a record in Olean and traveled to Los Angeles in hopes of making it in the music industry. “Music was always a part of my life,” says Rick. “We supported my dad’s music career; it was a big part of my childhood.”
Rick moved to Las Vegas, where he, inspired by his musician friends along with his musical upbringing, finally decided to learn to play guitar at age 19. “My friends were all in bands, so I finally asked my roommate to teach me how to play.” Rick learned mostly by listening, and caught on quickly. His dad was thrilled, and encouraged him to play various genres of music. “Once my dad discovered I’d learned how to play, he wanted me to play everything.”
When Rick moved back to Portville, he played alongside his dad and learned as much as he could from his expertise. Along the way, Rick also learned drums and bass, and filled in with other bands playing casual shows in the area. He eventually learned vocals when he started playing solo gigs.
Margie was born in the Bronx and grew up in Mayville, NY. She was always interested in music, and participated in school musicals and taught herself to played keyboard and piano. Margie dubs herself as the “Karaoke Queen”, frequently performing, and wining several karaoke contests in the area. She won the Texaco County Showdown in WNY twice, and competed in the national competition in Las Vegas.
She joined the karaoke band Rich and Famous performing at area resorts and local events. Margie also sang vocals for Buffalo and Jamestown based bands, but began to scale back as her kids grew older. “I’ve always loved performing, and being a part of a band was exhilarating, but I decided to step back take a different role.”
Margie and Rick first met by chance at a show Rick was playing in Randolph, NY. “A friend of mine encouraged me to sing on stage,” recalls Margie. “I sang a few songs with Rick and we had a blast. We decided to play more shows together and we really enjoyed ourselves. Everything happened naturally from there.”
The name Interstate Daydream was inspired by a song Rick heard on the radio. “Margie and I were looking for a name for our duo, when I heard a song on the radio with the lyrics Interstate Daydream. I can’t remember the song, but I definitely remember those lyrics. It was catchy and it worked.”
Interstate Daydream has been playing shows in the area for about 3 years. “We get along so well,” says Margie. “It’s not just singing; we have such a good time together on stage and it makes for a great show. We love interacting with the crowd, telling jokes and doing sing-along songs. We want everyone to have a good time and enjoy themselves at our shows. Rick does a great job reading the room and creating the set list as we go along. We love crowd involvement and are always learning new songs to keep up with the times, keeping our music fresh. I can’t imagine playing with anyone else,” says Margie. “It’s incredible being on stage, watching the crowd sing along and have a great time makes it all worth it.”
The duo frequents Ellicottville (Gin Mill and Balloons) and will be playing the Bemus Point Casino regularly this summer. They recently signed with an agent, Sandy Raynor, who is helping them broaden their reach and play different venues. Interstate Daydream will be opening for Bob Seegar Tribute Touring Band at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club this summer. “We’re really excited for this show; it’s like nothing we’ve ever done before. We love Bob and an it’s an honor to open for him.”
The duo frequents Ellicottville (Gin Mill and Balloons) and will be playing the Bemus Point Casino regularly this summer. They recently signed with an agent, Sandy Raynor, who is helping them broaden their reach and play different venues. Interstate Daydream will be opening for Bob Seegar Tribute Touring Band at the Lakewood Rod and Gun Club this summer. “We’re looking forward to playing different venues and furthering our experience together. There’re so many unique locations in the area. We’re fortunate to live in an area with such a vibrant music scene.”
For more information, follow Interstate Daydream on Facebook, website to be launched soon. View upcoming shows on The Villager Events Calendar https://thevillagerny.com/new-events-calendar/