– Lead Guitar – Vocals
Marino Stathakis: A Life in Music, From Brass Champion to Chicago Tribute Authority
Marino Stathakis’ journey began in Gary, Indiana, where his uncle Jim’s crate of 45s and late-60s vinyl became a gateway into a world of sound. His mom fueled the fire, driving him to record shops to pick up fresh releases from Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and The Temptations. By sixth grade, sitting in a junior high gym and watching a local band, a friend nudged him and said, “We could be doing that next year.” That spark ignited a lifetime of music.
Hungry to learn, Stathakis dove into every music course his schools offered, mastering brass horns before branching into keyboards, bass, drums, and guitar. His early guides included band director Mr. Chilson and guitarist Dominic Argostino, whose uncanny ability to play rock classics note-for-note—long before YouTube tutorials—set the bar for young musicians.
The 1970s brought Marino’s first obsession: the band Chicago. “Even though I was focusing on guitar at the time, the horn section really hit my radar,” he recalls. Countless nights spinning albums with his friend Vasil cemented Chicago’s influence, leading to his first garage band in 1977. Within a few years, Marino earned recognition as a state champion in brass performance and secured a scholarship to DePaul University—the alma mater of Chicago’s own Walter Parazaider.
But instead of pursuing the traditional path, Stathakis chose the U.S. Marine Corps. Stationed in California, he taught himself guitar and soon formed Truxx, a high-energy band of fellow Marines. Their first big show in April 1979 at the 29 Palms Enlisted Men’s Club drew 500 roaring fans and lit the fuse for gigs at top L.A. clubs and restaurants. An agent signed the group, pushing them to craft Peter Cetera-style ballads, and for a moment, the dream of rock stardom was within reach.
When the grind of touring collided with family priorities, Stathakis shifted gears. Relocating to Texas, he found new life in Sabrina and Gypsybleu, a local favorite across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In 2019, trumpet player Bobby Manson tapped him for Chicago Tribute Authority Texas, where he continues to shine today.
““I truly love the music of Chicago,” Stathakis says. “It’s a universe of sound—from simple grooves to complex time signatures, from romance to rock. Every show is a team effort, and every player has their moment to carry a song with a signature lick. That shared energy is what makes this band—and this music—so powerful.”