ROBIN AND THE RUBES...
...IS A HARD DRIVING QUARTET THAT MIXES TRADITION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON IMPROVISATION TO CREATE A COOL BLEND OF OLD SCHOOL BLUES WITH A MODERN EDGE.
ROBIN MAYERAT / LEAD VOCALS & KEYBOARDS
BOBBY LEBEL / GUITAR & VOCALS
DAN SHAYS / BASS
JERRY BASS / DRUMMER & VOCALS
THIS BAND DRAWS ON TRADITIONAL ROOTS BLUES MUSIC FROM LEGENDARY BLUES PERFORMERS LIKE BB KING, JOHNNIE JOHNSON AND MUDDY WATERS, AS WELL AS THE INFLUENCES OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS LIKE BONNIE RAITT, SUSAN TEDESCHI, DEBBIE DAVIES AND ERIC CLAPTON.
BASSIST DAN SHAYS AND DRUMMER JERRY BASS PROVIDE SOLID RHYTHMS THAT CREATE A FIRM BACKDROP FOR THE FERVENT VOCALS OF ROBIN MAYERAT AND THE AWARD WINNING GUITAR PLAYING OF RON LOCURTO.
ROBIN MAYERAT
SETTING ROBIN AND THE RUBES APART IS TALENTED SINGER ROBIN MAYERAT WHO BLENDS AN EVOCATIVE MIX OF STRENGTH AND SENSUALITY IN HER VOCALS WHICH EARNED HER AN AWARD IN 1998 FOR BEST FEMALE VOCALIST (BLUES) AT THE BUFFALO MUSIC AWARDS. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN NOMINATED FOR THAT SAME AWARD EVERY YEAR SINCE WINNING.
BOBBY LEBEL
Bobby’s passion for music began in 1960 at age 5 while watching his father perform at a family function in northern Vermont. “The Green Mountain Boys” played local square dances two nights per week during the 40’s and 50’s dispensing lively versions of country, traditional and swing numbers from the era. Bobby’s father, Roger, shared guitar and square dance calling duties with his older brother John Paul. His godfather, Marcel, played fiddle and his Grandma Annette played a ragtime style piano to beat the band.
By 1969 Bobby had formed his first of many rock bands and made his living playing and performing and teaching throughout the 70’s 80’s and 90’s. Several of his students had progressed to semi professional status and have maintained contact with Bobby to this day.
Over 2500 playing engagements have taken him all around the country in clubs and studios including sessions in New York, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Nashville and Tampa. His travels have taken him to stages shared with Edgar Winter, Kathie Lee Gifford and opening shows for America, Three Dog Night, Cherry Poppin’Daddies, Rare Earth, Twisted Sister and the blues great, James Cotton.
The early 80’s found Bobby performing throughout the Western New York and Pennsylvania circuits with his high energy rock group “Lebel” which attracted Durium Records in Milano, Italy to sign the group to a lucrative contract.
An honored member of Buffalo Musicians Hall Fame inducted as a member of Buffalo legends, “The Road” Bobby has also been bestowed the distinction of several Buffalo Backstage guitarist awards.
Recently, Bobby became an endorsee of the Gretsch guitar company as a “Gretsch Artist” along side other guitar greats such as Bo Diddley, Chet Atkins George Harrison. You may find him listed at www.gretschguitars.com in the artist’s section.
He is also currently under a publishing contract with a Nashville firm for one of his many original songs.
Returning to his true roots in rockabilly, a style his father inspired decades ago, Bobby founded a trio and named it “The Headers”.
The Headers adopted its’ name from the side exhaust pipes (aka; headers) found on classic hot rod automobiles which look cool and increase power. Back to playing a handful of the same Hank Williams and country driven favorites that he played with his father, The Headers also incorporates jazzy swing, surf and straight ahead rock and roll. The genre is also an opportunity to play renditions of his guitar and vocal heroes such as Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Elvis and Bobby Darin (to name just a few).
As guitarist, lead vocalist, front man and songwriter, Bobby has recorded and produced numerous CDs in his digital 24 track studio. Enthusiastic reviews for The Headers are found in publications such as 20th Century Guitar, Amherst Bee, Freetime, BestofWNY, Buffalo Spree and several European guitar publications.
As Williamsville residents for a dozen years, Bobby and his wife love Western New York, the change of season and the fact that “family is here”!
DAN SHAYS
BASSIST DAN SHAYS HAS WORKED AND RECORDED WITH A VARIETY OF LOCAL MUSICIANS. IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH ROBIN ON PREVIOUS BLUES PROJECTS, HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF SEVERAL ORIGINAL BUFFALO ROCK BANDS INCLUDING SHAKING HANDS AND EXIT 55.
JERRY BASS
WELL-TRAVELED DRUMMER JERRY BASS HAS TAKEN THE LONG HARD ROAD PERFECTING HIS CRAFT. FROM THE NASHVILLE COUNTRY CIRCUIT WITH WILLIE NELSON, WAYLON JENNINGS AND LORETTA LYNN TO BUFFALO'S BLUES CIRCUIT APPEARING AT VENERABLE VENUES LIKE THE BELLE STAR WITH MEMBERS OF THE BYRDS AND EDDIE SHAW.
THE BAND
THE BAND WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1994 BY ROBIN AND HAS BEEN A MAINSTAY ON THE WESTERN NEW YORK BLUES SCENE. ROBIN AND THE RUBES HAVE OPENED FOR SEVERAL ACCLAIMED BLUES ACTS SUCH AS MATT "GUITAR" MURPHY, JOHNNY CLYDE COPELAND, JAMES THACKERY, GARY PRIMACH AND TINSLEY ELLIS. THEY HAVE PERFORMED AT THE BUFFALO BLUES, WESTERN NEW YORK MUSIC, BUFFALO BLUES SOCIETY AND THE FREDONIA RED WHITE AND BLUES FESTIVALS. ROBIN AND THE RUBES WAS THE FEATURED BAND IN THE SPRING 2000 ISSUE OF BLUES BEAT MAGAZINE.
"...A SINGER WHO INTERPRETS THE BLUES WITH A PERSONABLE AND VIVACIOUS SENSUALITY, ACCOMPANIED BY THE KIND OF MUSICIANS WHO CAN DAZZLE AND ENERGIZE A CROWD, WITHOUT GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE MUSIC'S NATURALNESS AND SIMPLICITY." (BLUES BEAT MAGAZINE, SPRING 2000)