In the 1990's there simply was no better or more popular original rockin' pop band in the clubs of the Great Lakes region than The Bad Examples who played the great songs of Ralph Covert night after night. Album after album received both critical acclaim and substantial radio airplay which continues to this day. Their compact disc debut, Bad Is Beautiful, was named by Goldmine Magazine as one of the "50 Essential American Power Pop Albums of All-Time." Their signature anthem, "Not Dead Yet," proved prophetic as the quintet sounds better than ever with a three-guitar lineup and great harmonies. Their success also translated across the ocean where several albums and coinciding tours made them nearly a household name in Holland and the surrounding locales.Ralph Covert leads the band through a diverse original repertoire that includes indelible hooks in high-energy blazers and literate ballads woven with sublime melodies. These days the band doesn't play as often but can lay down a three-hour concert that leaves audiences still clamoring for more. The core musicians in the ensemble have all played with Ralph for over a decade now and can easily be described as one of the best bands ever with their ability to deliver any song perfectly- and then push it into pop ecstacy.Indie label Waterdog Records has released over a dozen band and solo discs penned by Ralph Covert. The last decade has also saw him create a sensation as a children's performer like ne'er before seen with six indie releases and a Grammy nomination as Ralph's World, a productful pairing with Disney Sound and and a return to the indies with BarNone Records.

So the story of Ralph Covert, Tom O'Brien, Pickles Piekarski, Larry Beers, and Steve Gerlach continues....

Click on any chapter heading below for a chronological history!