Bill Roberts

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About me...

I have been playing for, ahem, a lot of years now and have inevitably learned a few things along the way that I would love to pass on! In fact, I have been teaching in various music stores and schools for over twenty five years! I specialize in teaching improvisation and blues and jazz in particular, but love most styles and love teaching beginners!

I have played with many Madison luminaries including Clyde Stubblefield, Butch Vig, Duke Erickson, Ben Sidran, pat mAcdonald, and Milwaukee jazz great Chuck Hedges. These days, I play in several bands and duos all around the Madison area.

I have done a lot of studio work for various artists some of which has been played on national TV and radio and have played on loops for a major computer company’s home studio software. Check out my posts for some examples of my playing for you to listen to. And be sure to check out my new CD, Blues Rides Shotgun. Pick up a copy and give it a listen.

Here’s my bio on the Madison Blues Society website, written by Nancy Miller.

From the Madison Blues Society site —

Bill Roberts is known for his extraordinary guitar work. I personally experienced it when I was a big fan of “Pat McDonald and the Essentials” in the late 1970s (Timbuck III grew out of the Essentials) that Bill Roberts was a member of for about a year and a half. Prior to “Pat McDonald and the Essentials,” Bill performed at the legendary O’Kayz Corral in Madison every Wednesday night until an unfortunate fire ended the weekly jams. Bill was also a member of the first “Spooner,” a very well-known Wisconsin band that Butch Vigg, now of Garbage, also played in. Bill continued his song writing and performing with “Spooner” for two years, then hooked up with So What with Steve Roberts as lead vocalist (now a ragtime jazz player). “So What” was Madison’s first punk band and one of the first to play at Madison’s premier music venue “Merlin’s.”

Following a few years in the punk band, Bill joined Pat McDonald. “The Essentials” made an EP (Extended Play recording). When “The Essentials” dissolved, Bill moved to Minneapolis with Sarah Hastings (the mind-blowing sax player who was also in “The Essentials”) until 1998. In Minneapolis, Bill formed his own group “New Rules” as well as joining diverse venues such as reggae and Tibetan groups. Bill and Sarah returned to Madison in 1998 where they formed “Neckbone” with guitarist Robert Bryan. Bill and Sarah have continued a personal and musical partnership, most notably in the original jazz and blues band “Blue Beyond.”

Bill’s career also includes playing with the Clyde Stubblefield band. He currently teaches guitar (one of his student’s, Steen Traxler, has joined “Blue Beyond”) and continues original songwriting. “Black Widow,” written by Bill Roberts, is one of my all time favorites and is performed by “Blue Beyond.”

Listen to Blues Rides Shotgun at BillRoberts.HearNow.com!