Bio
Personal History
A Native American and native Arizonan, Bob was born August 4, 1960, on the Gila River Pima reservation southeast of Phoenix. He grew up in and around Coolidge, Arizona, where he completed primary and secondary schooling, graduating from Coolidge High School in 1979. He attended American Indian College in Phoenix, pursuing a degree in Christian Ministry, and Grand Canyon University, also in Phoenix, studying Music Education and receiving formal voice training.
Musical History
Bob has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. His over 30 years of experience is evidenced by his eclectic styles and ease with the instrument. Bob has been involved in church music for many years and served as worship leader at various churches, conventions, and convocations. He has made appearances on Christian television and done gospel and worship music recordings. In March of 2001, while on staff at American Indian College, he produced a live worship CD, writing much of the music himself and performing it along with the student praise bands.
In 2004, Bob and his wife, Penny, who sings background vocals, began performing at Phoenix-area venues. Since October of 2005 they have traveled the country as full-time performing musicians, playing among other places, the Texas Hill Country (an area known for its music appreciation) and Music City, Nashville, TN. Listeners enjoy their smooth performances on cover tunes, but especially Bob's original music, much of which is influenced by his Southwestern and Native American roots. Bob released 2 CD's during the winter of 2004/2005 containing, with the exception of one song, all original music. He has made 4 appearances on Good Morning Arizona, a Phoenix morning news program. Bob won The Proof Is In The Pudding solo artist competition at Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix in 2005. He went on to perform at Alice Cooper's Christmas show held at the Dodge Theater along with Alice himself, STYX, Don Felder of the Eagles, and many other world-class musicians. During 2006 & 2007, the Villas enjoyed a 4-month run at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero, NM. In 2008 Bob received a callback at the National audition level for the Nashville Star TV show. Though he was not ultimately chosen for the show, he wrote a funny, tongue-in-cheek song about his audition experiences. That single enjoyed airplay on over 30 radio stations in 12 states.
Musical Repertoire & Influences
Bob's repertoire is eclectic and constantly growing and includes pop jazz standards like Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon and All Of Me and Nat King Cole's Mona Lisa and When I Fall In Love. He convincingly covers Jim Croce tunes Don't Mess Around With Jim, Time In A Bottle, etc., James Taylor hits like Fire and Rain and Handy Man, Elvis favorites such as Teddy Bear and Hound Dog, and a Beatles lineup that spans the early 60's to the mid 70's. Bob's influences include modern jazz guitarists Charlie Smith and George Benson; rock legends Eric Clapton and Neil Young and bands Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and The Doobie Brothers; blues artists Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King; and Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Mac Powell, and Petra in the Christian music arena. Bob loves country music, a love planted and fostered by his mother, and expresses that love by passionately covering classics by Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, etc., as well as modern tunes by Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, and others.
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