Bob's Story

Bob grew up in San Diego County, California, in a rural suburb known as Spring Valley. Most of his early childhood days were spent roaming the hills and canyons around his family home. His passion for nature and the outdoors seemed to be limitless, and his bewildered, rather indoorsy family tolerated their middle child's strange interests. It was around age 10 though, that little Bobby discovered his other life-long passion - his parents bought him his first guitar. That Stella steel string - a terrible instrument by any measure - opened up a wonderful world of a different nature.  Just about that time the "Great Folk Scare" of the early 1960s was coming to a close and the Beatles were beginning to change the world. In fact, the first concert he ever saw turned out to be John, Paul, George, and Ringo (his sister and older cousins were attending, and he was lucky enough to get dragged along).  
  
From that point on, it was wave after wave of new sounds and artists - The Beatles, the Stones, The Byrds, the Beach Boys, Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Motown, The British Invasion, Surf Music, etc.; it was an an unparelleled musical renaissance.  What a time to for a kid with music in his heart to grow up! 
  
Bob had his first professional gigs in his mid-teens in bluegrass and folk groups, and as he entered his twenties, worked on many original projects as well.  He played the coffee houses and the "Steak and Seafood" circuit all over Southern California, and played his original songs at the local open mic nights.  During the eighties Bob was part of popular 50s revival act "Ricky and the Jets" as bassist and doo-wop singer.  In the early nineties Bob's love of harmonies and California music gave him the idea to form a Beach Boys style band known as the Coolrays, who continue to perform today.

Bob took a sideline from full-time music in the late nineties to get his teaching credential and work in education for a dozen years.  These days Bob is actively working in many venues and events around Southern California.  He is still crazy about performing for people everywhere - after all these years!