THE BAND
Even very young bands (the band is, not the members) have a history of how they started. Bassist Arthur Hamilton and singer Amy Parsons had known each other for many years, having worked together in musical theater shows. Arthur recruited Amy to sing with one of his popular local bands, Good Therapy, where Amy had some great rock vocalist mentors and learned to love singing in a band and how to NOT sound like Julie Andrews singing rock. While they continued to sing with GT and loved the harmony based rock they were doing, they also wanted to try celebrating their love of all things hard rock, metal and to quote teenage-girl-of-the-80s, Amy, “hair bands and lead singers with great cheek bones!” (Yes, she is still about the music first….maybe…)
Both reached out to friends and pulled in Scott Dockendorf, a drummer friend of Amy’s and Arthur’s fellow church praise band mate, Eric Brown – also a drummer, but multi-talented enough that he also played keys. Scott brought in his friend, Todd Johnston for guitar and when they decided they wanted a second singer to widen the song base and have some harmonies, Amy asked someone she’d been singing with for almost 25 years – her own hubby! They decided if Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham could do it, they could too! Wait…. Probably not the best example….
Steel Rose met to “just jam together for fun and see where it goes” in the fall of 2021. After several practices, beers and donuts, they decided they didn’t suck TOO much and it might be worth keeping on! They were honored to open for other bands several times and received enough cheering and hollering (the good kind…not the kind to stop playing) that they got just cocky enough to think they could do this.
On a bathroom break between sets, Amy made a Facebook page and that sealed the deal! Even though the initial cheers were probably from their parents and wives, their fan base (dubbed “Rose Buddies” by favorite fan, Tammy) has grown to be a much higher number than they could’ve imagined – and they can imagine a lot!
Join these Gen-X, rock and roll loving musicians who have just enough crazy to make them fun, but still capable of balancing a check book. Checkbook? How Gen-X ARE these people?! Playing a mix of 80’s and 90’s rock, with a few older AND younger songs tossed in to keep the lesser generations happy, Steel Rose will have you dancing, singing and rocking out – and still home in bed by a decent hour. Peace and Love
"Jamming, dancing, laughing and even some head banging! That's the greatness you'll experience at a Steel Rose show!"
- Rose Buddy Chris
"Steel Rose is absolutely incredible live! Awesome mix of rock, metal and some grunge mixed in! Super high energy!"
- Rose Buddy Greg
Arthur Hamilton
Bass Guitar
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Arthur, a legend in his own mind, has played with many rock bands and tribute bands in the DFW area for over 30 years. He enjoys playing for musical theater shows (Godspell, Hunchback and Les Mis to name a few… and he CAN name more than just that!) and in his church’s praise band as well. Having run a soccer club for many years, Arthur and his wife of 33+ years, Rashel Rogers, live in Lewisville. They have two daughters, Madeline and Caroline and a wonderful spoiled dog named Fin who loves coming to Steel Rose practices and trying to steel the beer – er… coffee.
Amy Parsons
Lead Vocals
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Amy had no choice but to grow up singing. Coming from a family where you were shunned if you didn’t (ok, not really, but kind of), she has been a choir and musical theater geek for years! Having taught dance and musical theater for 30 years (they let her start teaching when she was THREE?!), she owned her own studio for 20. Upon selling the studio, she started looking in to what crazy things she’d never tried that were actually legal. After getting her first tattoo as a 20th wedding anniversary celebration, she decided the natural next step was joining a band. (That’s how it works, right?). She and fellow lead singer Dave, live in Lewisville. They have 2 daughters who ACTUALLY AREN’T embarrassed by their parents new adventure and show up at gigs!
Dave Parsons
Lead Vocals
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Dave grew up singing in church as well as goofing around and generally being silly – and Steel Rose has been a great fit for all of that! Upon meeting Amy, she introduced him to theater (Theater, this is Dave; Dave, theater) and he has now performed in quite a few musicals ever since! As Jesus in Jesus Christ, Superstar, he sang his first rock opera, killing it on “Gethsemane” and Amy knew she had a cash cow! Ok, not really because they didn’t even get paid, BUT – they started singing and performing together through the years. Dave is an Air Force brat and has lived in more places than you care to know about in this bio. He is an AP Physics teacher at FMHS, having taught for 25+ years and an avid (Amy uses the term “addicted”) board gamer. Since Amy didn’t mention their daughters’ names and everyone else mentioned their kids, their names are Jillian and Bella!
Eric Brown
Keys
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Eric grew up in the Clear Lake City area of Houston and while he plays drums in Creekwood’s praise band, Steel Rose is actually the 2nd band in which he’s played keyboards – having played in a garage band, “Destiny,” in high school. We will NOT tell you how long ago that was because we like Eric and are also a little afraid of him. Eric enjoys kayaking, travel and table top strategy games (Wait! Does Dave know that – he will when he reads the bios. #gamersunite). He is a Manager of Consumer Insights and Analytics for Cinemark Theaters and we don’t understand that, so we’ll just say he works at Cinemark and let you figure it out. He loves the Foo Fighters, U2 and MOSTLY his wife Jeanne, son Micah and grown daughter Madison.
Todd Johnston
Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
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Todd, a southpaw whose amp DEFINITELY goes to 11, has been playing guitar as long as he can remember (and he has a pretty good memory!). An original member of Mama’s Kitchen, a college garage band (existed before the internet, so don’t try googling), Todd brings a great talent and love of guitars – particularly the solos – to all the rock songs of Steel Rose (and really, isn’t every song just about the guitar solo?!). Todd has taught guitar and played in numerous bands in the Houston area, as well as church praise bands. Todd is very active in Boy Scouts and he and wife, Casey, live in Highland Village with their sons Samuel and Zach.
Scott Dockendorf
Drums
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Scott is an El Paso native and UNT Mean Green graduate. Until now, his big claim to fame has been briefly appearing in a Judas Priest video (in the audience) and being a part Owner of the Green Bay Packers…. a very, very SMALL part…. A CTO of a healthcare service provider by day, he’s a percussion superhero by night (and some mornings or afternoons when his schedule allows…but mostly nights…). Scott and super cool wife, Tammy, live in Highland Village and have two boys, Kevin and Robby. Scott’s HUGE love of all things metal – heavy AND thrash – sometimes worry his bandmates, but he’s a pretty kind and cool guy and super talented, so they just keep a close eye on him.
