History Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers

Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers is an American blues band formed and led by harmonica player and singer Rod Piazza.

In 1975, following a series of earlier bands (including Bacon Fat) and some solo work, Piazza formed the Chicago Flying Saucer Band that evolved into The Mighty Flyers. As well as Piazza, the band comprised Bill Stuve (accoustic bass), Ed Mann, Honey Alexander, and Junior Watson (guitar).

The band recorded their first album as Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, "Blues in the Dark", in 1991, then "Alphabet Blues" in 1992. The turning point was 1993 when the band's "Live at B.B. King's Blues Club" was the NAIRD (National Association of Independent Record Distributors) award-winning Album of the Year. The band signed with Tone-Cool Records in 1997 and released the critically acclaimed "Tough and Tender".

In 1998 the band received six nominations at the W.C. Handy Awards (considered the blues equivalent of the Grammys), with Piazza winning the Best Instrumentalist Harmonica award. The band was nominated for four awards in 1999 and four in 2000. The band won Blues Band of the Year in both those years.

After the departure of long-time bassist Bill Stuve in the early 2000s, the band continued touring as Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers Blues Quartet.

Subsequent albums include Almighty Dollar (2011), Emergency Situation (2014).

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