Takin’ The Fifth is a new band based in Vancouver, WA. The five members of Takin’ The Fifth are not your average bar band, having had “day jobs” in chemistry, gerontology, social media, commercial aviation, and law. Having met at jam sessions around town, we discovered we were musically compatible and formed the band.
Our music is based on the years of experience and the musical backgrounds each member brings to the five piece band. Blues and rock are our stock in trade, with a little taste of country thrown in. With a lineup of three guitars, bass and drums, Takin’ The Fifth creates a sound sure to please music lovers of all styles.
The members of Takin' The Fifth are:
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Leslie Lulham has lived many lives before landing in Vancouver, WA, her home since 2021. A classically trained pianist and violinist with fifteen years on the keys and seven in the orchestra pit, Leslie also studied voice, sang alto in a high school a cappella trio, and performed in a jazz ensemble. She spent years working in live television before pivoting to tech and business. Today she runs two companies of her own: Introly, a professional networking platform, and SunUp Operations, an HR and business ops consultancy.
Music never left her, though. Fascinated by the drums for as long as she can remember, Leslie picked up the sticks in January 2025 and says it felt like coming home. Her influences range from Mitch Mitchell and Art Blakey to Ed Thigpen, Patty Schemel, Patrick Carney, and Dave Grohl, and her playing reflects a deep love of blues, rock, grunge, and jazz. She connected with Takin' The Fifth through the Jam Session™ community, walked into a Saturday session, and the rest is history.
When she's not behind the kit (where you'll likely spot a Fuggler or two) Leslie is snowboarding, paddleboarding, cooking, gardening, or finding some other way to be a tiny agent of chaos.
Dave Hankins picked up the guitar and started singing at an early age honing his skills over time. After mustering out of the Navy, he pursued a career in aviation and eventually went to work for the airlines as a commercial pilot. He has gained much experience playing in various bands and participating in other musical endeavors along the way. Dave enjoys a wide variety of musical styles and genres but tends toward rock and blues. He is currently having a great time playing the guitar and leading the vocals in Takin' The Fifth.
Mike Roche was raised in a household with a love and appreciation for music from a young age. After playing a neighbor's guitar for the first time at age 11, he was hooked. Shortly after, he received his first guitar as a birthday gift and a lifelong love was born. Throughout his teenage years, Mike spent long hours practicing and began to play in several garage bands as well as the high school jazz band. This culminated his senior year with his band winning the Rose Festival Battle of the Bands competition and opening for several large traveling artists. After suffering a hand injury in his early 20s, his ability to play was severely impacted and resulted in him putting the guitar down for about 15 years. Midway through the pandemic, he decided to pick it back up. Soon after, the desire to create and play music with others crept back, and Mike found himself browsing local ads for musicians wanting to play. He landed in a jam class where he met other like-minded musicians with similar interests, from which Takin' The Fifth was born.
Sue Rose grew up playing guitar, violin, and French horn. She played in various gigs during college, grad school, and a few post-grad fellowships until she was forced into a "real job" to pay off her student loans. After a few decades as a research scientist and a few more decades as a gerontologist, she is finally retiring and hanging up the lab coat. Sue is delighted to be playing the bass. Sue met the others at a jam class of other like-minded musicians with similar interests, from which Takin' The Fifth was born.
Having started playing guitar at the age of 9, Steve Winogradsky played in cover bands, groups doing original music and in pit orchestras for local theatrical productions, and taught guitar in the Los Angeles area until his musical career was interrupted by law school. After passing the Bar, he worked as a music attorney for major studios and his own legal practice. After retiring, he and his wife moved to the PNW in 2019, where he was able to restart doing what he loved most. With some luck, he was able to meet other musicians with similar musical tastes and formed Takin’ The Fifth. Steve brings a background in folk, country, rock, and blues, providing Takin’ The Fifth with a wide assortment of musical styles.