THE BLACKLITES

NAME:   Emmanuel ATKINS "E-Man"

OCCUPATION:  FIREFIGHTER FOR SYRACUSE'S FINEST (Retired)

CITY BORN AND RAISED:  SYRACUSE, NY

YEARS THERE:  SINCE THE BEGINNING 1973 till Present

FAMILY:  Married,  Gemma

CHILDREN: SON DWAYZO

MUSICAL CAREER BEGAN: BORN AND RAISED 'BLACKLITES'

MUSICAL TRAINING/EDUCATION: STARTED BY LISTENING AND WATCHING THE THE GREATS, MR. CUT WORKS OF THE MEDITATIONS.  SOON AFTER, HE TOOK ME UNDER HIS WING AND GOT ME STARTED.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: LEAD GUITAR, BACKGROUND VOCALS

BANDS THAT I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH:  ALWAYS THE BLACKLITES, NewSound Express

NATIONAL ACTS I'VE PLAYED WITH OR OPENED FOR: SEE LISTING ON HOME PAGE

PROUDEST MOMENT IN MY MUSICAL CAREER:  PLAYING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE LATE, GREAT DONALD "RAZZEL DAZZEL" RANSOM AT THE 2007 M & T JAZZ FEST.

MOST INFLUENCIAL INDIVIDUAL IN MY MUSICAL CAREER:  DONALD RANSOM

MOST INFLUENCIAL INDIVIDUAL IN MY PERSONAL LIFE: MY BIG BROTHER MIKE. HE ACTUALLY PULLED THE BLACKITES BACK TOGETHER AND ENCOURAGED US TO COME BACK.  HE TOLD US THAT THIS IS GOD'S PLAN, HIS PLAN, FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE HISTORY AGAIN.  WITH THAT, HERE WE ARE, AGAIN ON THIS ROAD.  WE LOST ONE, BUT HE IS ALWAYS HERE WITH US, EVERYDAY.  NOT A SECOND GOES BY THAT WE DON'T REALIZE HOW SHORT LIFE IS....