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RB: I was born in Southern Indiana and the family moved to Columbus, Ohio when I was 1 year old.
Then at age 11 they moved to the small farmers town of Kenton, Ohio. My dad was a rock n roller who

loved to dance, and my mom played piano and sang a bit. There was always music on the radio and
the record player. My mom would take me to the store once a week to spend my allowance on 45's,
then we would go back home and play them till she made me go to bed.

LL: What genres of music were
you exposed to growing up and
what did you like to listen to?

RB: I heard and bought records as

mentioned, everything from
Tennessee Ernie Ford to Janis Joplin,
Herb Alpert to The Beatles, Sly and
the Family Stone to the Stones, and
all the other cool songs and groups
of the 60's and 70's. My dad loved

Chuck Berry and Little Richard, rock
and boogie were big influences.
Motown was huge to me as well.

LL: I understand that in 1982 you taught yourself to play guitar in a barn on an Indigenous
American reservation in Colorado. I’d love to hear all about it please.

RB: Yes! Sky Ute Downs Barn B on the Sky Ute Indian Reservation in Ignacio, Colorado. I had left a
job in Ohio where I had accumulated 2 cars, 2 trucks, 2 motorcycles, a house, and a case of depression
not wanting to be there anymore. I figured I could be depressed in a prettier place, “Colorado”! I sold
all but a truck, a guitar and a pair of skis. I wanted to be a cowboy and play music, so I headed west.

So, driving thru the mountains on highway 550 in Colorado I met an old Texas Cowboy when I stopped
at a country store for gas. He came riding out of nowhere, in the middle of nowhere, right up to me!

It doesn't get any better than that. I told him ,“I want to do that”, and he told me to meet him at the
above-mentioned location. I headed there and had 2 song books with me. He taught me horses by day,
and I taught myself guitar and songs by night. I got good enough at both that the local outfitters would
hire me to pack people into the Rockies, the mountains for hunting, camping and sightseeing. I would
wrangle the horses, play guitar and sing around the campfire at night. The pay was $35 a day plus
food and drink. I actually took John Denver on one of the trips.

LL: When did you start writing songs and what inspired you to start writing them?

RB: I was always making up boogie tunes on the piano as a kid and tapping out drumbeats. The drums
came naturally to me. I've always been moved by hook, melodies and grooves. They still have a big
influence on me. Lyrics inspire me as well.

LL: What was the first song you ever wrote about?

RB: The first real tune with melody, chords and lyrics was called ‘Sharon’. I believe it was about a girl