We three folks love to play, sing, and spend time together doing those things and, after a few practice sessions (accompanied by hot coffee, cold Dr. Pepper, and perhaps a teeny-tiny tipple of Jack Daniel's on hte rocks), have decided to abandon our old name of "Roger Roberts and Friends" for the more democratic and aptly fitting "The Acoustic Tradition". Our members include Roger Roberts, Terry Webber and Liz Matson.
We are impossible to pigeon-hole regarding the music we make, except that it's acoustic music only. There will be no accidental electrocutions for this bunch unless somebody drops a mic cord in the water jug at a gig! Our set lists include a little old-time, some folk numbers, a smattering of cowboy songs, a few bluegrass-like tunes, ballads, story songs, love songs, gospel, 50's and 60's acoustic rock, "real" country tunes, as well as instrumental-only things. Our song presentations are performed in solo voice as well as in two, three, and, occassionally, four part harmonies. Roger generally sings lead, but the torch is passed frequently to each member of the group.
Instrumentally, Roger plays guitar, Terry thumps the upright bass and occassionally lapses into mando or guitar, and Lizzie strums rhythm on her dreadnaught.
Roger Roberts began playing and singing as a small child. Living in rural Nebraska years ago forced folks to come up with their own forms of entertainment and making music was right at the top of the list. In warm weather, neighbors would gather on somebody's porch with instruments in tow and sing songs handed down from previous generations along with the latest "popular" (read country) music heard on big console radios that occupied the front room of nearly every farm house. When the winter winds blew, the music would move indoors. Once he heard the first chords from those old Martin and Gibson guitars, he was hooked for life. He was also a percussionist for many years, and spent uncountable hours behind a trap set sitting in with C&W, Rock, and Big Bands. Acoustic music was always his emotional touchstone, however, and a guitar was never far from hand. While going to school in Lincoln, he taught drums and guitar at Dietze Music House. Unfortunately, he jobbed too much to be a Rhoads Scholar, or any other kind of scholar for that matter. He's an entrepreneur in the firearms industry and agribusiness.
Terry Webber was also was bitten by the music bug early, and the piano teacher did her best to keep him from becoming psychologically damaged by his penchant for guitars, rock 'n roll, and folk music. The acoustic folk groups in the sixties were his musical heroes. Once he found out teaching was the only way to make a consistent living as a musician, he decided he'd keep music as a hobby but get a real job to pay the bills. Terry has a great ear for harmony, loves musical diversity, and has been a member of several local bands. "My name is Terry, and I'm an acousti-musi-holic." Terry is a great soundman as well, and has been performing yeoman's service in that capacity for the club for quite some time now. He's an exec at Mutual of Omaha.
To say that Elizabeth Tinant Matson was born into a musical family is truly an understatement. She was ranch-raised on the borderline between Nebraska and South Dakota. I'm sure she doesn't remember when she didn't sing. Her Dad, Bob Tinant, was inducted into the Oldtime Country Music Hall Fame in Missouri Valley a few years ago and now, even in his mid-eighties, remembers more lyrics that most folks ever knew. Liz also knows more tunes than all the internet sites put together. Liz and her sister Mary sing sibling harmony that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. She met Roger and his wife Vicky through a mutual music friend several years ago, and the relationship blossomed almost from day one. She's a grade school teacher at OPS, and singing is part of her way of communicating with her students. She has a great ear, a wonderful voice, and absolutely no one has more fun making music than Lizzie.
We all hope the folks who make it to the brand new GTPBOTMA meeting place have a geat time listening to our "new" band, group, ensemble, or whatever you'd like to call it. Should we ever give it a proper name, maybe we'll be able to define what it really is! Our goal is for you, as listeners, to enjoy yourselves and our music as much as we enjoy performing it for you. Roger Roberts and Friends...hmmm. Oh, well.
