Ron Platt

Being surrounded by music at a very young age, Ronnie Platt grew up listening to the singers that inspired him to mold his voice into what it is today. As a founding member of ARRA Ronnie brings a vocal versatility that makes ARRA one of Chicagolands top classic rock bands since 1990.
 
A multi instrumentalist, playing piano, guitar, and bass, Ronnie performed around Chicago in a number of successful bands before forming ARRA. After 13 years Ronnie left ARRA in 2003 to make his mark on the national music scene.
 
Becoming the lead singer of Kansas City based ‘Shooting Star’ in 2007, Ronnie has shared the stage with super groups such as Kansas, Foghat, Cheryl Crow, and Journey. In 2009 Ronnie was inducted in to the Kansas Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Shooting Star.
 
After a 7 year absence, Ronnie returned to ARRA in 2010 to rejoin his bandmates and perform some of the best classic rock of all time.

Kevin Conner

Kevin is one of the founding members of ARRA, starting the band in 1990 with Kevin, Jim and Steve. Prior to ARRA, Kevin was lead guitarist and vocalist for one of the Chicago areas top drawing classic rock cover bands for7 years along with Jim and Rob.

Kevin molded and shaped that recipe for success, along with other ingredients (the best band mates a man can ask for!!) to help build ARRA in to one of the top drawing Chicago area classic rock cover bands of the past two decades.

Kevin has also recorded and produced some of the Chicago areas top drawing bands in his recording studio, KC audio productions.

Cathy Richardson, Maggie Speaks, Dawn Patrol, Mirage, and the Dave Carl band along with a special guest production appearance by Jim Peterik are just some of the acts that have visited and recorded with Kevin in his studio.

Kevin's production and recording experience has helped him become not only one of the more popular guitarists in the Chicago and suburban club circuit, but and excellent lead and backing vocalist as well. His renditions of Angel and Don't want to miss a Thing by Aerosmith, as well as a few other timeless classics are sure to bring a smile to many faces by the nights end.

Outside of the band world, Kevin is a successful Director of Sales for a material handling integrator in Batavia, IL, Worldsource (www.world-source.com). So if you are looking to build or modify a distribution center anywhere in the country (or the world for that matter) grab him after the show to talk about the opportunity!!

Jim Zahrobsky

Jim is one of the founding members of ARRA. Prior to ARRA, Jim was rhythm guitarist and vocalist for one of the Chicago areas top drawing classic rock cover bands for 7 years along with Rob and Kevin. Jim also helped tailor ARRA into thier current success by his experience and on stage persona that helped create the name that still stands today, Jimmy Blaze.

Jim also plays all of the acoustic 12 string guitar parts and fills in difficult harmonies while making it all look easy! His extremely dynamic falsetto and versatile vocal range helps ARRA attain 3 and 4 part harmonies that can't be touched by other vocal bands. His artistic background also was instrumental in creating the original band logo and artwork.

In addition to Jim's vocal harmony talent, he sings an excellent rendition of "My Sacrifice" by Creed, Man in the Box by Alice In Chains and the always favorite "Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche. Jim is also in the process of learning new vocal materials, so if you have a suggestion on a new tune for Jim, send him the idea. Jim worked in the tool and die industry for 25 years and currently enjoys relaxing and focusing on his music and other hobbies during the week.

Steve Latka

Steve has been with the band since the beginning, starting the band with Kevin, Rob and Jim.  He has performed with many local bands throughout his career, playing a range of music from heavy metal to blues, all the way to polkas. (Yes, early on, he spent some time playing weddings!)

Steve's last , prior to Arra, was RT Jams. Steve also played with Ron Platt in the early years in the cover band Lazy. Ironically enough (unbeknownst to Kevin Conner at the inception) Steve's band Lazy defeated one of Kevin's earliest projects, Dilligaf, at the Coral in Western Springs in a High school area battle of the bands final round in the early 1980's.

Steve had one of the most rock solid bass grooves to round off the rhythm section and that put the icing on the cake for what Arra was looking to attain. Steve changes between his Modulus 5 string and a 4 string fretless to give the songs a true right off the record tone for whatever material Arra needs to cover.  Steve also has a great voice and rounds off the bands incredible 4 part harmonies.

By day, Steve maintains and "occasionally throws wrenches at" a bus fleet. In his spare time, he enjoys attending jam sessions with friends.

Kevin Kreis

Kevin is one of the founding members of ARRA, before which he was STILL just as cool of a character as he is now!

'Cause before ARRA, Kevin was keyboardist for one of the Chicago areas top drawing "Yes" cover bands of the 1980's, "Drama". Kevin's extremely gifted keyboard ability made him the easy choice to fill out that section of the ARRA project.

It's easy to see that he was an attendee of the Chicago Conservatory of Music when he breaks in to one of his keyboard solos that have to be seen to be believed. Kevin was also part of the recording and touring band "Ground Cloud" that received national attention and radio play in the early 1980s.

Kevin has been a main staple to ARRA's success by performing our songs with the "sounds just like the record" keyboard patches and does it with only one keyboard!! When Kevin isn't playing his keyboard, he works as a court reporter for the Cook County court system which keeps his fingers nice and nimble for his weekend job!!

Rob Wiseman

Rob was supposed to be one of the founding members of ARRA, but moved to Phoenix Arizona just before the band formed where he played with a local cover band for a year before returning to Chicago. Prior to ARRA, Rob was the drummer for one of the Chicago areas top drawing classic rock cover bands for 7 years along with Jim and Kevin.

When Rob moved back to Chicago, he formed and performed with the Fleetwood Mac tribute cover band "Mirage" and played the club circuit for approximately 2-3 years. During that time ARRA's second drummer decided to leave the band, and Rob was the first and obvious choice. So after a little negotiation (one phone call) fate stepped in and delivered Rob right where he was supposed to be in the first place, at the back and center of stage at an ARRA show!!

Robs rock solid timing helps build the foundation that is the trademark ARRA rhythm section. Rob at times hits the drums with the force of a category five hurricane and you never know when he is going to decide to throw you a pair of drumsticks or hand out one of his many broken cymbals at the end of a show. During the week, Rob is in the liquor distribution industry for one of the largest distributors in the country.