Pafford Burke & The Uptown Society Band

Pafford Burke & The Uptown Society Band's signature act is a tribute act to the legendary Roy Orbison. This tribute takes you on a journey from Roy’s earliest hits in the 1960’s such as “Only The Lonely” and “Oh, Pretty Woman” to his remarkable 1980s comeback with the Traveling Wilburys and his posthumous “Mystery Girl” album. Coupled with authentic instrumental arrangements and lush vocal harmonies performed by a dynamic and vibrant 7-piece band, Pafford’s classically trained voice channels the essence of Orbison while infusing it with his unique flair, blending nostalgia with a fresh, contemporary sound.

"Thank you to Pafford Burke & the Uptown Society Band for putting on the amazing Roy Orbison Tribute...I’ve worked at Oak Point nearly nine years, this is the first time our audience has had such a strong reaction to the opening number. Just a few measures into 'Only the Lonely' the audience began cheering and clapping.” - Marybeth MacKay, Social Director, Oak Point

The band also performs themed shows with favorite classic songs from the '50s to the '80s, including Motown, The Beatles, and others.

PAFFORD BURKE -Vocals, Harmonica
While Pafford enjoys and has performed music from opera to blues, he has always had an especially sentimental attachment to classic pop music. His music education includes music theory and history courses at Brandeis University, private studies in composition with Allen Anderson, piano with William Merrill, and voice with Merrill Shea and Donna Roll. His classical experience includes tenor roles with the Goldovsky Opera Theater, Boston Summer Opera Theatre, Brandeis Gilbert & Sullivan Society, soloist for the Brandeis Early Music Ensemble, and the chorus of the Opera Company of Boston under the direction of Sarah Caldwell. His other experience includes lead singer for The Twilight Quartet (folk/jazz), The Sweet Life (rock/blues), The John Burke Society (rock/blues), Urban Droogs (original rock), Wild Guess (classic R&B), Billy D & The Rock-Its, Doo-Wop DeVille, as well as various community theater, workshop, and showcase appearances. He also plays harmonica and keyboard. When guitarist Steve Forrest proposed this band and a tribute to Roy Orbison, Pafford couldn't resist the thrill to sing the music of one of his heroes.

LISA LAWSON BURKE - Keyboard
Lisa’s passion for the piano started with lessons at age nine and continued throughout high school, leading to a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston Conservatory. In graduate school at Brown University, she broadened her musical horizons, earning Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in ethnomusicology and performing in West African, Javanese, and Balinese musical ensembles. Lisa's scholarly focus is the Pacific, where she spent over four years teaching and conducting research in Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and elsewhere. She is currently Professor Emerita of Music at Framingham State University. Formerly keyboard player and founding member for the band Doo-Wop DeVille, she is now excited to play with The Uptown Society Band.

STEVE FORREST - Band Leader, Arranger, Guitar, Vocals
Throughout his decades-long musical career, before and after graduating in 1973 from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Steve has continued to study, perform, write, and arrange music in a variety of genres, while singing and playing guitar and trumpet with many local and tour bands. Hearing Pafford’s voice and singing range, Steve recognized a rare opportunity to form a new band, a tribute to one of the all-time greatest pioneers and voices in the history of rock & pop music, the one and only Roy Orbison. Now in his role as leader, musical arranger, guitarist, and backing vocalist with Pafford Burke & The Uptown Society Band, Steve leads practices and performances, to provide an authentic musical experience of the timeless music of Roy Orbison.

CAT (CATHERINE) GLAUDE - Keyboard, Vocals, Percussion
Cat started her musical career playing baritone horn in high school, later forming Latitude Adjustment, a Jimmy Buffett tribute trio with her sister and brother-in-law that performed in southern Maine and Perdido Key, Florida. She spent 14 years helping grow another Jimmy Buffett tribute band, The Calypso Cowboys, from a duo to the 8-member house band for the Maine and New Hampshire Parrothead Clubs that often opened at County Fairs for national Buffet tribute bands. In 2009, after relocating to southern Massachusetts, Cat formed a 1960’s tribute band, The 60’s. Currently 7 members, The 60s plays monthly to dance crowds of over 120 and offers themed shows to 55+ communities. Cat is honored to perform with The Uptown Society Band as a tribute to the amazing music of Roy Orbison. Retiring from a long, wonderful career as a school principal has allowed Cat to focus on her love of music.

TIFFANY LEYDA - Vocals, Percussion
Music has been a huge part of Tiffany’s life since she was a child. Her parents listened to their favorites when she was young and made their music come alive for her. Even though she grew up in the 80s and 90s, the 60s and 70s have always been some of her favorite decades for music. She has been singing with The 60’s, a 1960s music tribute band, since 2018, and she also sings and plays keyboard in an acoustic duo with guitarist Mark Beauchemin, playing songs from the 1960’s through the early 2000s. Tiffany joined the Uptown Society Band in 2025 performing backing harmonies and percussion. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pay musical tribute to one of the greats, Roy Orbison.

TOM (TOMMY) PAVAO - Bass, Vocals
Tom began playing music during his teenage years learning all the 60's hits by listening to those fabulous LP's wearing out the grooves trying to decipher those elusive words and chords. Eventually, he honed his bass and vocal skills with the popular horn band Together during the 70's. A new opportunity to play full-time came with the regional band "Wizz" during the 80's entertaining New England with Top Forty and original music. Tom took a hiatus during 90's to be involved with his son's hockey pursuits. When young Tom went off to college, it was back to music. Since 1997 to present he has played with Unfinished Business, an original music project; Down and Dirty, power rock trio; Summer School, acoustic yacht rock; coming full circle reuniting with his teenage friends forming the Village Kids. This led to his joining The 60's, where he is still an active member. Then The 60s led him to Pafford Burke & The Uptown Society Band. And so his journey continues...

DAVE PEREIRA – Guitar, Vocals
Dave’s love for music began at nine when his dad, a drummer in the 1960s, gave him a Mickey Mouse guitar. Soon after, he got a real guitar and played along with his dad’s band at home. At 13, Dave joined a quartet in Fall River. In high school, he played with various groups, and in college, earned most of his income through guitar gigs. Dave has performed at weddings, anniversaries, parties, bar mitzvahs, festivals, concerts, restaurants, clubs, and more. One unforgettable career highlight was when a friend, who spent 17 years performing with Randy Travis, invited Dave to join his trio for a few songs on stage at the Nashville Palace. In addition to performing with Pafford Burke & The Uptown Society Band, Dave currently performs with The ‘60s, as well as with a duet, and occasionally with a quartet or an 18-piece band.

PETER VENETO - Drums
A talented drummer and vocalist, Pete has performed and toured with many Boston-area bands. These include Band in Boston, The Godsons, Shaboom, and The Reminisants, bands that opened for such acts as The Beach Boys, Grand Funk Railroad, Three Dog Night, Chubby Checker, and many others. He even enjoyed the honor of opening for the great Roy Orbison at the Hampton Beach Casino in 1982. In addition to performing with The Uptown Society Band, Pete is in demand to sit in with many local bands. Pete is known as an expert for delivering precise downbeats, tempos and rhythms and can set the beat to any song in an instant. He makes playing drums look so easy while adding in his very special brand of humor.