KARLA BRUNING                       

Lead Vocals. Percussion. Keyboard.

Born in Chicago during the Carter administration, Karla is a true child of the ‘80s. Her first musical love was Prince, and she sang along to “Purple Rain” on her Fisher Price record player until it went scratchy. She eventually transitioned—along with Prince, George Michael and Madonna—through records, cassettes, CDs and digital downloads, singing all the way. But no matter the format, Karla will always hold a place in her heart for the music of the ‘80s.

Karla has been singing her entire life. Literally. After performing in choir growing up, Karla was bit by the jazz bug in college, swinging as lead vocalist with a 22-piece big band and a 5-piece combo. A classically trained singer who also loves to rock out, Karla has performed professionally in theater, concerts, festivals, benefits, film and, of course, weddings. She has sung everything from the soprano solo in Movement V of Brahms’s “A German Requiem” to Nena’s “99 Luftballons,” both in German, naturally. She brings a breath of “girl pop” to The Fades and some silly dance moves as well. And like all her fellow Fades, she is a marathoner with a personal best of 4:44.

KEVIN HORTY                                             

Lead Guitar. Bass. Vocals.

Born in Brooklyn in the sultry summer of ‘72, Kevin spent most of his formative years in Morristown, N.J., the military capital of the American Revolution. There, he grew from a gangly, awkward child into a gangly, slightly less awkward adult. To this day, Kevin remains haunted by his inability to make “hospital corners” with bed sheets.

Kevin is a founder and lead guitar player of The Fades. He is an accomplished performer, having played many New York’s premiere venues, including CBGBs, the Bitter End and the Plaza Hotel. Kevin provides searing guitar solos for The Fades but is most loved for his signature “K. Horty Dance,” which combines running in place with Native American rain dancing from a Celtic–Caucasian roots perspective. He is the second-fastest Fade, with a marathon best of 2:41.

CHRIS POTTER                          

Lead Vocals. Keyboard. Guitar. Bass.

The most recent personnel addition to The Fades, Chris Potter lends his raspy lead vocals, hard-rocking piano chops and synthesizer wizardry to the band. Having cut his musical teeth in the pastoral setting of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania—his hometown was the cinematic backdrop to the classic 1985 Harrison Ford film, "Witness"—Potter experienced a meteoric rise as Pennsylvania's top high school tuba player. Yes, tuba. There, we said it.

Potter ultimately ditched the brass and traded up for the ivories, launching a four-year tenure as the piano playing front man for Pittsburgh-based rock outfit The Usual. After snagging a degree in recording technology, he relocated to New York City in 2004 to earn a Master's Degree in Music Business at NYU.  Also a composer, songwriter and producer on the local scene, Potter is the best arm wrestler in The Fades (don’t tell Carsten), the fourth best at origami, the second best Nicolas Cage impersonator, worst with a hula hoop (it’s not pretty) and the third fastest runner, with a personal marathon record of 2:59 set at the 2010 New York City Marathon.

MORGAN THOMPSON                                             

Keyboard. Guitar.

Hailing from Spokane, Wash., Morgan is one of the founders of the Fades. His musical training started with a plywood saxophone painted gold, and he “played” to tunes by the Crazy 8s. At 10, Morgan began playing blues piano, because as he explains it, “Fourth graders sometimes get the blues.” In high school, he began writing original music on guitar, or really one song rewritten for multiple girlfriends. He was a member of an award-winning junior high jazz choir, winning the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival as both an accompanist and singer.

Morgan has a master’s degree in Music and Technology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. His master’s project was a multimedia electroacoustic composition using a treadmill and Max/MSP to create an interactive soundscape that could be manipulated while running on a treadmill. He also learned words like electroacoustic and soundscape. He was the pianist for the band Endopausey, playing sold out shows in his hometown of Spokane. He also performed with the blues-rock ensemble Dubsac, playing keyboard and guitar on originals and covers. Now Morgan strums guitar and tickles keys for The Fades. He is the fastest Fade, with a marathon time of 2:37.

CARSTEN VOGEL                                                        

Drums. Vocals.

Carsten was born in New York City in 1977, but “grew up” in Hawaii. He was first introduced to music through his parents’ record collection. He began playing piano at the age of 3, but after begging his parents to let him quit, started beating drums and strumming guitar at 12. The highlights of his music career include being dismissed from his grade school choir and college jazz band for misbehaving.

Carsten played professionally in Hawaii as the house drummer at Anna Bannanas, one of Honolulu's preeminent rock venues, and as Ringo in Hawaii’s premier Beatles tribute band, Rubber Soul. For five years, they played hundreds of gigs, including weddings and the coveted regular show at the Hyatt Waikiki. Carsten has shared the stage with many music legends, including Bunny and the Wailers, The Strokes and Eek-A-Mouse. Recently, he added “recording artist” to his resume. In 2008, Unison Records flew him to LA to record original music with Coz Canler of The Romantics and Bruce Witkin of Adam and the Ants. He was also a proud member of The Howling Moondogs, who broke the world record for the longest rock and roll performance, lasting 42 hours. Now that’s a marathon!

CINDY GORDON                       

Bass. Keyboard. Vocals.

Raised in Atlanta, Cindy enjoyed a childhood filled with dance and piano lessons. She began performing at an early age, starting with living room lip-syncing to Olivia Newton-John songs and patio pas de deux with neighborhood friends to the latest hits from Chic. Her introduction to rock music came courtesy of the DJ at Skate-A-Long-U.S.A., Atlanta’s own 96rock, and an early fascination with KISS bubble gum trading cards; a few years later, she caught the new wave bug from the kids at Album 88.

In her teens, Cindy held a position in an Atlanta-based performing arts company, performing song and dance numbers from popular Broadway shows. In college, she made time for classical piano and performed as an alto in a 16-member classical choral ensemble. Post-college, she picked up the bass guitar and performed with fellow graduate students in “band 4.1.” Cindy has taken the stage in a variety of venues, from Atlanta’s Fox Theatre to New York City’s Plaza Hotel for private parties, weddings and corporate events. Today, she is thrilled to be playing one of her favorite roles—that of John Taylor on bass guitar when the Fades cover the hits of Duran Duran. Cindy is also a marathoner, with a personal best of 4:01.