Bob Wilson

From the time I was 10 years old, sitting on our back porch, listening to WLS (out of Chicago) on my Dad’s radio, I knew I wanted to play music. My first vocal experience was with the Batavia Methodist youth choir. My first attempt at entertainment was pantomiming to Ricky Nelson records at the 5th grade variety show. At age 15, a few friends and I started our first band “Kerry and The Drakes.” I was the lead singer. We played high school , armory and roller rink dances. Our first job was a high school dance where we passed the hat and each went home with 60 cents! After about a year, and a couple of new members we changed our name to “The Handymen.” Still playing top 40 Rock & Roll. About this time, folk music was becoming very popular. So in addition to the band, two of the members and myself started a trio and I began playing the 5 string banjo. By the time I was a junior the band had changed it’s name to “The Decrescendos” and in 1964, we cut our first record “One of the Crowd.” It got moderate play on WUBE when it was rock & roll.
At this point, I realized I wanted to make music my vocation. I joined Take Five and played clubs 5 or 6 nights a week and began playing bass guitar. We were hired by Troy Seals and became “The Cincinnati Kids” playing at the “Inner Circle” in Clifton. After a short time with Troy, I did a few months each with Beau Dollar and the Coins and Lonnie Mack. My fist job that took me on the road was with a show band out of Illinois called Donnie Sanders and the Don Juans. (I’m sure you’ve all heard of them.) Next, I went with Tom Dooley and The Lovelights, a ten piece show band. After about a year, I came back to Cincinnati with “The Sound Assembly” playing at Friar Tucks, and The Round-up. At the same time, I was performing “Jesus Christ Superstar” with a local theater group.
One of the most unique musical groups I had the pleasure of playing with was “Vision”. We did songs ranging from Uncle Albert to Maggie Mae to Buglers Holiday and our crowd favorite “The Post Raisin Bran Commercial.” While playing at The Crazy Horse in Clifton the guys from “Orange Colored Sky” came down and heard me and offered me a job. I took it and spent the next 3 years traveling the country, playing some of the nicest venues imaginable. (Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks-Denver, Harrah’s -
Lake Tahoe and of course, The Inner Circle). We recorded on MGM with Don Costa as our producer, who also produced Frank Sinatra.
Wanting to stop traveling, I came back to Cincinnati and helped form “Amazing Grace.” After a wonderful 5 years the group dissolved. I spent the next couple of years performing in a duo with Mike Fitzpatrick (one of the founding members of BSI). Missing the harmonies, I joined “Heroes” with a few of the previous members of “Amazing Grace.”
At this time, Country was beginning to sound like old “Rock & Roll.” I spent the next 7 years with Cheyenne, The Dakota Cadillacs and Danny Burton. In 91, I joined “Frazier River” (alias Lunatic Cowboys). We played “The River Saloon” on the Covington banks for a couple of years and were fortunate enough to land a recording contract with Decca Records out of Nashville. We cut one CD “Frazier River” and made 3 music videos. We played in nearly every state in the Union
opening for such artists as Wynonna, Trisha Yearwood, Little Texas and Willy Nelson. It was great fun - but finally I was worn out. After 35 years, I decided to give it up. But when approached by BSI, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to play good music with great guys and once again entertain the wonderful Cincinnati audience .