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His studio credits include vocal and keyboard sessions with Johnny
Cash, Bruce Hornsby, Willie Nelson, Roger McGuinn, Allison Krauss, Vince
Gill, John Hiatt, Chet Atkins, Earl Scruggs and Steve Vai to name just a
few.
Bob's songs have received numerous ASCAP writing awards, been
recorded by artists as diverse as John Denver, Three Dog Night and Kenny
Rogers and garnered top ten spots on both the Pop and Country Charts.
His new release "The Sun, The Moon and The Stars" is his
first CD of totally acoustic piano and vocal compositions. With a guest
appearance by executive producer Steve Vai, the album is a departure
from any of Bob's previous work. The piano and vocals were recorded
spontaneously in their entirety in two, two-hour sessions. This
introspective musical odyssey is intended to transport the listener from
the living room, next to the Steinway, to far away places of fantasy and
reflection.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Bob survived his first accordion
lesson at the age of four but didn’t continue his musical education
until he joined his high school choir, which won the national
championship in his senior year.
He started his first garage band, “The Soular System”, while in
college studying Civil Engineering at Drexel University as a way to get
into the mixers and frat parties.
A year after college, Bob quit his day job as a highway designer for
a firm building I-95 and starting playing the South Jersey summer
circuit with his new band “Fat Rabbit” at the infamous “Dunes ‘til
Dawn” and “Tony Marts” (early haunt of the Levon and the
Hawks-soon to be renamed The Band).
Relocating to Los Angeles in 1970, he joined the band “SIX” and
had the unique experience of touring for the next year with the band’s
producer Sly, and his Family Stone. Highlights of the touring with Sly
included a riot at Cobo Arena in Detroit, run-ins with various police in
Texas and a nodding out experience on stage in front of 20,000 people at
Madison Square Garden by one of the more “relaxed” band members.
The San Fernando Valley earthquake of ’71, a break in at his house
and three band mates and their girlfriends sleeping on his floor was the
obvious signal for Bob to leave L.A. for Colorado.
After working on a farm for six months in Paonia Colorado, Bob
decided against sewing deerskin clothing and making babies during the
long hard winter. Instead he moved over to Aspen to continue playing
music. His gigs there included a short stint on the road with The
Drifters in Las Vegas, a year playing with local rock heroes “Black
Pearl” and finally two studio albums on RCA and Columbia Records with
his band “Starwood” in 1975-76. Starwood’s manager was Bill McEuen
who also managed The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, new residents of Aspen.
They had also relocated from Long Beach California after the ’71
quake. At his urging, Bob started to record and tour occasionally with
the Dirts in 1975. After Starwood’s demise in 1977, Bob toured and
recorded one album with the L.A. band “Player” then joined the Dirt
Band full time in 1980.
His contributions on Dirt recordings include co-writing chart hits
“Make A Little Magic”, “Fire In The Sky”, “Baby’s Got A Hold
On Me” and singing the number one song “Stand A Little Rain”.
Bob currently lives in Los Angeles where he does session work,
writes, plays bad golf, enjoys his family and travels to the airport at
five in the morning to go on tour with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
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