ROCKING OUT WITH By April Violet Born to a Baptist minister in Detroit, being forbidden to listen to Rock & Roll or even have any albums in the house, one wouldn’t think a young boy would grow up to become the lead for an Ozzy Osbourne tribute band. However, that is precisely what Michael Boyd Quinton did. Growing up, Michael, more commonly known now as Boyd Ozzy Quinton, recalls his absolute love of music. He would get his fill any time he left his home. Weekends with friends were all about cranking up the likes of Def Leppard and AC/DC, a hard rock binge of sorts. In the mid-1980s, hard rock was leading the decade, and Boyd was out on his own, in his own place. No longer under restraints, he allowed the music he loved and knew was in him to take hold. Like most of us, the impact of the economy’s downward spiral significantly impacted Boyd’s lively hood. In 2009, he was forced to give up two businesses, close the doors, and walk away. He ended up moving to a neighborhood where he was surrounded by music, LITERALLY. Across the street lived a man named Dave Eversole, who had started a band called ‘Fifty Amp Fuse,’ which was the most prominent dance band in the state. The neighbor to his right was a drummer in a large church band. The neighbor to the left of him was a man named Les Paul. So, when we say he was surrounded by music, we aren’t exaggerating.
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Since the only place Boyd usually performed was behind his steering wheel, he was a bit reluctant to put himself out there; however, with all the music around him taunting him to give it a try, Boyd started singing at a place in Milford, MI called the Red Dog Saloon. Every week he would join in on karaoke and soon discovered he could carry a note, especially singing the hits of Sammy Hagar, Poison, and you guessed it, Ozzy. A band called ‘Forward’ asked him to audition as a lead vocalist about a year in. Now seeing as he was in a new relationship with his nowwife, Amy, she wouldn’t let his fear overcome him. Like any great supportive partner, she ‘gently’ convinced him to audition. The next day Boyd found himself the lead singer of a band. After a year with ‘Forward’ and another year with a breakaway band called ‘Majik Whiski,’ Boyd was approached by a guitarist who looked a lot like Ozzy’s longtime guitarist, Zakk Wylde. As tribute bands were on the rise, the timing seemed perfect to agree to start up a band together, and so they did. This Zakk Wylde lookalike, Jason Culhane (no longer with the band), secured a drummer and a bass player. With Boyd on lead, the band was off to a start.
ThunderRoadsTennessee.com
JUNE 2022
