James (Juke) Aldridge
Drummer & Vocals
I began my drumming adventure after watching Ringo Star on the Ed Sullivan show back in the sixties. After serving in the Army, I joined a band called “East Coast Run”, a variety band that played everything from the Rolling Stones to the Temptations. We backed many bands of that era including the Showmen, and opened for Herman’s Hermits. All of these and many more memories helped me develop my love for Soul, and R&B Music.
I’ve had the pleasure over the years to play music with Ginger, she’s always been my favorite lead singer, and I’m very happy to be her drummer again!.
Eddie Strickland
Keyboard & Vocals
Eddie began playing piano in his early teenage years, learning much from his aunt and his sister. He joined his first band in the late 60’s. The British Invasion, and especially the Beatles, were among his early influences. His journey though music has included a wide variety of genres. He has enjoyed playing Beach Music, Motown/Soul, Country, Rock & Jazz. He has also played in various church bands, gospel groups, and choirs. He is currently playing keyboards with the Ginger Thompson Band from Raleigh, NC. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends, hanging out at the beach, and the pool, listening to music.
John (JT) Thomas
Bass Guitar & Vocals
JT grew up in Raleigh in a musical family, and began learning guitar at the age of eight. He formed his first band during high school, and while in college, JT began teaching himself the bass and began playing in cover bands around Raleigh. Since that time JT has played hundreds of shows around the area. From the Berkeley Cafe to the long-gone Scramble Dog, the Switch and Southland Ballroom, from the Lincoln Theater to Fat Daddy's, JT has enjoyed rocking the stage and had the opportunity to play with some really talented bands and musicians. JT has always loved early Rock-n-Roll, Blues, R&B, Country, and Jazz, and finds his musical tastes shaped by the sounds coming from his first AM radio back in the 70's. JT is a member of the Crossroads Fellowship Worship Team, and is featured on the 2014 "All Things New" CD. He can be found playing electric guitar and bass on Sunday mornings at the Crossroads Millbrook Campus.
Al McSwain
Guitar
Al has played guitar with multiple bands across venues throughout the Triangle, covering every style from rock and blues to party music, funk, and R&B. I’ve had the privilege of performing with groups such as Triple Threat, Day2, Time Peace, Band Relix, The Gray Carson Band, The Ginger Thompson Band, and Ole Spice — each one adding its own chapter to a musical journey I’ve truly enjoyed.
Mark Parker
Sound & Vocals
Mark’s appreciation for music took root in childhood, growing up in a deeply musical family where both parents and his brother shared a natural talent and a love for performing. His early fascination with sound led him to the local radio station, where he worked the Saturday and Sunday shifts and often closed the studio at midnight. Those long evenings sharpened his ear and deepened his interest in the technical side of audio and mixing.
He later expanded his skills in local theater, running lights and sound for numerous productions. Although Mark ultimately built his primary career in computer science, his passion for music never faded. Today, he plays acoustic guitar and sings background vocals with the Ginger Thompson Band and now Ole Spice, continuing a lifelong connection to the music that shaped him.