Alan Emanuele has been making music his whole life. From the time he was five years old and began playing drums, all he wanted to do is to play in a band. He would play his drums to records and imagine he was on stage with a real rocking band. At age 14, he met his lifelong friend Rich Howard who played guitar. Together they formed their first band and played their first gig in eighth grade at their junior high school dance. Fast forward to high school where they formed ONYX. At age 16, Al was gigging in night clubs every week end and gigs through the week. 'When kids were going to high school foot ball games, we were working in bars every weekend'. Onyx had a whole set of original music, written by Al and his friend Rich. The band was together for two and a half years, and broke up when their keyboard player went off to college after highschool. Soon after, HENWAE was formed, again with his friend Rich at his side. HENWAE became a regional power house who to this day still holds records on consecutive, fan attendance of their shows. They had a bar show of covers and an hour and a half show of all originals that they performed when warming up 26 national acts. Some of the artists they performed with were: Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels, Edgar Winter, Rich Derringer, Guess Who, Rare Earth, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Papa John Creech, Black Foot, Henry Paul Band, among others. Today, Al is still at it. 'It's like a sickness that never goes away. You just keep writing and making music'. Al's latest release is 'SMOKIN' IN THE WIND', which blurs the lines between rock and country, and is at home in either camp, with more hooks in it than a Norwegian fishing boat.