All Music Magazine ventured to Earl’s Hideaway on Friday 8-11-2023 to see the new drumming power couple group, Split Personality. Earl’s is an outside venue on the Indian River in Sebastian Inlet, Florida. There is usually a breeze coming 0ff the Atlantic Ocean that waffles in, oh but not during this heat wave! At 8:00pm, there wasn’t a table or a seat available as the crowd was settled in for some Rock-N-Roll on a Friday night. The stage is across from the tiki bar with sand in between making a beach style dance floor. Earl’s is unique and has great acoustics as the outdoor venue and is an actually a hideaway along Highway 1 shielded by bamboo.
This was special night as the husband and wife drumming team of Jenie & Billy Ashbaugh were performing with their newly formed band Split Personality. This couple can be seen around the Central Florida cover band scene on most weekends as Jenie plays in Crashrocket, and Billy in Occasional Astronauts when he’s not touring with John Lodge of The Moody Blues. Joining the couple were Angelo Jannotti on the guitar and Alton Atherton on bass.
This couple has an extensive drumming pedigree with Jenie Ashbaugh collaborating with high-profile musicians such as Snap, Backstreet Boys and Enrique Iglesias and Billy Ashbaugh who has toured in groups N’Sync, Pat Benatar, The Moody Blues, Alan Hewitt & One Nation and John Lodge. Billy has also recorded/performed with Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Gloria Estefan, Britney Spears, Richard Marx, Christopher Cross, Alex Boye’, Joey Fatone, Greg Howe, Samantha Mumba, Hedras Ramos and many more.
I have seen the Ashbaugh’s in their perspective Orlando bands over the past few years. But this was all together different as they were the center of attention and not just in their bands rhythm sections tucked in the back of the stage. The couple were all smiles and having a really great time playing on the same stage and they joy transferred to the audience. Jenie even left her drum kit and fronted the band on vocals showing an extra dynamic to the show.
Get out and see this musical couple as you will enjoy their comradery and bond with the crowd. It is truly great entertainment!
Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.
