David Owen
David is the newest Monarch joining the group in 2009. Besides playing keyboards and trombone, he is one of the featured vocalists adding high harmonies or taking the stage front and center for a solo. His “rock ‘n’ roll” career began early with a band called Rasberry Cream that included the Monarchs’ current drummer, Jeff McAllister.  Dave also played with The Leaves, Inc., Shag, the Wulfe Bros. (for a year) and finally The Fanatics for more than 30 years. David has performed with Bo Diddley, Three Dog Night, and Peter Noone. His musical influences come from all types of music including Rock, R&B, and Southern Gospel.

Paul Turner
Paul joined The Monarchs in 2008 and plays lead guitar and is a vocalists. He also plays drums, piano, bass, banjo, hand percussion and ukulele. Paul grew up in Sacramento, CA and has played regionally with the band Woodwork. He was with the traveling show group Free Fare in the late '70s. Paul has opened for Brewer and Shipley, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Les Paul, Survivor, Pat Travers and The Sons of Champlin.

Paul joined Selah, one of the first Christian rock bands, opening for Petra, and toured across the region. In 1992 Paul played guitar and drums for major Christian artist Ray Boltz on his Season’s Change tour. That same year Paul founded Heads Up Resource Alliance, now Encourage Music, to help others with their musical interests. Paul’s latest CD entitled “Love Outside the Lines” is available at Ear X tacy and Christian book stores and coffee shops around Louisville, as well as through www.encouragemusic.com. Using his own original material, Paul brings a virtual who’s who of Kentuckiana’s Christian and gospel music together, involving over 50 singers and musicians on this substantial project. Recently Turner has found a new musical niche writing and producing songs and jingles for various organizations.

Greg Middleton
Greg joined The Monarchs in 2001 on keyboards and vocals. Greg is the son of The Monarchs sax player Leon Middleton.

Craig Zirnheld
Craig joined The Monarchs in 1998 as a vocalist and front man.  He was “bitten” by the performance bug at a tender age when he landed the lead part of Santa Claus in a first grade production.  The applause earned during the convincing performance was all it took to persuade the young thespian that the stage is where he belonged.

Junior high and high school brought chorus, a cappella ensembles and stage plays. A couple of trips to Europe and a stint in local summer stock led to auditions and working as a singer, actor, dancer at what is now Paramount’s King Dominion in Richmond, Virginia.  Returning back to Louisville in 1980 began singing with Louisville's own The Mystics from 1982 through 1996.

John Zehnder
John joined The Monarchs in 1986. He plays keyboards and is a vocalists and is the musical director. He also currently serves as music director/tour manager/keyboards/vocals for 60’s legend “Gary Lewis and the Playboys.”  His musical career includes  music director for the Archdiocese of Louisville’s cable show “Studio 19”; former music director of the International Championship Louisville Thoroughbred Chorus and remains with the group today as associate director; concertmaster for Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly!; Liberace in Concert; Eddie Arnold in Concert.  He has also performed with Bowser from Sha Na Na, Eddie Mecca (Carmine) from “Laverne and Shirley, Ron Dante of the Archies, Dennis Tufano of The Buckinghams and Sonny Geraci of Climax. He was a touring music director and performer for Musicana Enterprises of Florida, the Scandinavian Seas cruise ship and an entertainer for Paramount’s Kings Island in Cincinnati.  He also works with Actors Theatre of Louisville and has performed there in The Rocky Horror Show, Nunsense, Peter Pan and Once On This Island and Gone Missing with The Civilians from New York City.

In addition, John has worked with the Youth Performing Arts School and he was original musical director for the Iroquois Amphitheatre Players, now known as Music Theatre of Louisville.  John was co-founder and music director for Street Heat, an all-law enforcement officer rock-and-roll band, teaching Kentucky students about the dangers of drugs.  

Leon Middleton
Leon is the business manager and sax player for The Monarchs.  Leon begin performing with The Monarchs in 1962 and has appeared with The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, The Righteous Bros. and many more. With The Monarchs, he has performed with the Louisville Orchestra and for President George W. Bush. 

His professional musical career began with playing clarinet at the VFW on Longfield Ave. in a band he started,The Squires.  They played on Sunday afternoons and would pass the hat.  He purchased an alto sax and at age 15 filled in with various bar bands around the Louisville area where he honed his rock ‘n’ roll skills.  He moved on to play with Jimmy Orten and the Emeralds and The Aztecs in 1961.

As a studio musician, Leon developed a talent for record production.  As President of SaxKing Records, he has produced projects for rock, blues, jazz and Christian acts.  In 2008 he released a CD “Leon Middleton — Solo” that contains many of his favorite instrumentals.  He also produced the CD “The Monarchs Appearing Here Tonight” and co-wrote one of the cuts.