For over fifteen years the Wellsville based band Zoar has delivered high-energy rock and roll for New York’s southern tier. Formed in 1988, they borrowed their name from a short-lived, defunct mid-seventies band for which Monty Case was the drummer. The name “Zoar” was originally chosen for the beauty of the nearby Zoar Valley region. In the late eighties, against the grain of the hair metal sound that was popular, Zoar began forging a sound that was closer to blues based rock from the early seventies.

While the local music scene was dominated by bands performing Poison, Bon Jovi, Warrant and Guns and Roses covers, Zoar highlighted their set list with ZZ Top, Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd and a healthy dose of their own blues-rock originals. With a song list exceeding 150 numbers the band soon found an audience for their tight, danceable rock and roll. Playing over 100 dates a year while maintaining their “regular jobs”, the Zoar sound began to reflect the many hours of music these four musicians made together.

In the spring of 1990, bassist Roger Carlin joined Monty Case, Cort Dunham and Rick Whitwood replacing Jon Gates. Rogers’s smooth and solid bass style laid the perfect foundation for the guitars to slash and burn, as the band became a popular live attraction.

For the next two years these four musicians concentrated heavily on writing, recording and performing their own music. The culmination of many long hours and hard miles was their self-titled debut album released in 1992. Containing such Zoar favorites as 65 Mustang, Restless Tonight, Idaho, Livin’ the Hard Way and Poor Man’s Queen, the home spun quality of the recording did not deter it from selling more than any release of it’s kind in the area.

At this point, between rehearsals, live dates, recording sessions and day jobs the grueling pace began to take its toll and the band lost guitarist Cort Dunham, and shortly thereafter long time crew members George Newark (sound tech), and Bob Hyde (lighting tech). On a cold February night in 1993 over a cup of coffee (a Zoar tradition) at a long since demolished Hamburger Willys in Wellsville, Rick and Monty decided they had too much music left in them to let the band die. All discussions on a new member centered on one person, whom already was somewhat, connected to the Zoar family. Having worked with the band as an occasional soundman, Hansiell Dunn was asked to join the band. After getting past his initial reservations of performing live again, the group had barely a month to ready Hansiell for his debut.

Whitwood, Case and Carlin now augmented by the talent of Dunn pushed the band to new heights and soon began adding new original material to their set list. This line-up maintained an even more hectic schedule and pushed the boundaries of their performances creatively and logistically as they traveled to Buffalo, Watkins Glen, Geneva and parts beyond to spread the gospel of Zoar. Carlin took a leave of absence in 1994 and was replaced by Tom Mussingo. As recording sessions in fall 1995 neared, Carlin returned and the group completed the 14 tracks that would become “Long Hard Road”, their second album released in 1996. Technically the new album had better sound quality and garnered airplay on local radio. The mid-nineties was a fruitful time for the band. They were named the areas favorite band in the Olean Times Herald toast of the town poll, as well as headlining Allegany counties 4th of July festival for a crowd exceeding 7,000 and inclusion on a concert featuring classic rock legends Bad Company.

March of 1998 saw Dunn exit the band after 5 years and set in motion a search for another second guitarist. It was at this time that they performed their fist gigs as a trio. Temporary replacements Louie Norton and Jerry Jordan filled the void until Tom Green joined as a permanent member in 1999. By this point, Case and Whitwood had performed together for over ten years and the band never missed a single engagement. During this period the band enjoyed the dedicated service of sound tech Tony Cicirello, who spent the longest tenure on the Zoar road crew. Green left the band in 2002 after three years and earning his rock and roll wings.

And then there was three… After a series of some of the most successful and musically satisfying gigs the group had ever played, the trio came to the conclusion that the best replacement was no replacement at all. Since 2002 the band has continued as a trio and began to increase the workload as well pursue new original material. “Girl Next Door” is having the distinction of being the first new original since 1996. The music continues to be as tight as the friendship between the three friends.

They still rehearse in Rick’s basement and always begin with a few jokes and a hot cup of coffee. As of April 2004 the band has performed well over 1,000 gigs that has taken them all over Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania. They have donated their time to wide array of benefit concerts for organizations such as Special Olympics, Muscular Dystrophy, American Cancer Society, Toys for Tots, Earth Day, Mercy Flight, Allegany County Deputy Sheriffs, NYS State Police, SPCA, Mike Taylor scholarship fund and many others. Whenever duty called to help a family or individual struck by serious illness, accident, fire or other tragic event the band offered their time and talent to help the cause.

It is difficult to explain how much the music and friendship we shared with people that come to see us has meant to Zoar. Each and every time we see a familiar face walk in, we are grateful and inspired to create the best music we can. As your lives (and ours) change and take you knew places and months or even years pass between visits, you can be assured we will never forget the great times had. We hope to continue to share our music with old friends and make new ones along the way. To all the musicians who have passed through this band and those that have performed in other area bands, we share a kinship with you and are proud to be among the many talented players who call Western New York home. Drop us a line and say hello and may we see you in good health somewhere down the road.