Grandson of former Latrobe council member honors him with song

The grandson of a former Latrobe council member will soon release a song with a music video dedicated to his late grandfather featuring scenes filmed in the city.

Lee Caruso Jr., lead singer and guitarist for the band Big Atlantic, wrote the song “Motive” about his grandfather, the late Jay K. Gregory, who died on May 11, 2010.

“He really meant a lot to me and was a huge influence on my life,” Caruso said. “I really learned a lot (from him) about how to treat people and how valuable people are from here.”

Big Atlantic, formed in 2009, features two Derry area natives and one Latrobe native. The band plans to hold a release party Nov. 9 for their first album, along with the video for “Motive.”

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Diesel, 1601 E. Carson St., on Pittsburgh's South Side with music by two bands, Music From Another Room and Ocean Speaks, starting at 6 p.m. before Big Atlantic takes the stage. Tickets are $6 in advance, available at store.bigatlantic.com, or $8 at the door. The four men that make up the rock band — including Caruso of Latrobe, percussionist Tom Gascon of Richmond, Va., and bassist Ben Hull and guitarist James Zamerski, both of the Derry area — now live on Mt. Washington together.

The group shot the video in Latrobe featuring Gregory's best friend, Dick Crawford, acting as the grandfather figure in the video.

“We were almost like relatives,” Crawford, 76, said of his longtime friend. “We were closer than a lot of brothers.”

Gregory was owner of Gregory Equipment Co. in Latrobe, a founder of Latrobe Area Chess Club and a former church council member of the United Church of Christ in Latrobe.

Crawford portrays Gregory in different memories depicted in the video, like walking along the railroad tracks with Caruso, portrayed in the video by the band member's two cousins.

Working 20-hour days for five days straight, the band also shot a second video for the song “Verdict,” including scenes at a six-story clock tower on the South Side of Pittsburgh.

Other scenes show the boy playing guitar while Crawford plays piano as they sing together, which came from Caruso's childhood in Latrobe. The video featured other family members at a funeral with a 1930s hot rod, Caruso said.

The lyrics to the song pay homage to his grandfather.

“It talks about (how) he really wanted to see me be the best I could be,” he said. “Even though he's gone, I can still feel his energy with me.”

The song was not meant to grieve someone who passes away, but to celebrate life and gain motivation to move forward, Caruso said.

Crawford said he enjoyed listening to Big Atlantic's new album.

“I was very impressed with the CD,” he said. “I only wish Lee all the success in the world. He's really great on that guitar.”

Caruso developed an interest in music when he was young with a classic rock, blues and ‘80s rock background.

He met Gascon while they were both performing in another band, Time and Distance, which toured nationally as a pop band. But the pair decided they wanted to go a different musical direction.

“We met that way, realizing our creative energy would be better used elsewhere,” he said.

The band has been working on their self-titled debut album since 2010, writing 50 to 70 songs that were pared down to just 12 for the album, which was recorded in New Jersey with the guidance of producer Rob Freeman.

Hull said the producer, who has worked with Gym Class Heroes on its single “Stereo Hearts,” helped the group to narrow its focus.

“Rob really brought the record to life,” Hull said.

Members of Big Atlantic said they hope their fans have as much fun at the release party listening to the music as they do performing it.

“One of the main messages of this band is to believe in yourself and believe in your dreams,” Hull said.

The band plans to soon release tour dates and is working on an EP featuring some of the songs cut from the album, with a tentative release next summer.

Caruso said Big Atlantic hopes fans at the release party will see that they are performing more as a creative outlet than for fame or fortune.

“We have a message behind this band and what's important to us is it being a celebration,” he said.

Stacey Federoff is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6660 or sfederoff@tribweb.com.