Bob Keeley’s dad was a country and western stalwart and Bob was a regular visitor to festivals and country music clubs in the Essex since his teens. As a youngster, he always watched the bands and liked the idea of being a musician, but had no idea how to go about it. In 1986 he was approached by some friends who were forming a rock ‘n’ roll band. They wanted a singer and he thought he’d give it a go. Bob’s first band was called The Rockefellers and he soon became very popular as singer and front man singing the 1950s and 60s classics that he still loves.
In 1992, after five years in the band, Bob was asked by Glen Mitchell to join his new Country rock band, The Troubleshooters. The line up was Glen Mitchell (lead vocals and lead guitar), Bob Keeley (rhythm guitar and vocals), Mark Hillier (bass) and Paul Monk (drums). Paul’s mother was Irene Lesley whose band Hot Toddy was popular on the circuit at that time. Glen’s father was Steve Mitchell whose band Shiloh was very busy through the 1980s. There were some changes in the line up during Bob’s time with the band with Deke Martin coming in on bass and Doug Lang replacing Paul Monk on drums.
The new band was very well received wherever they played and they quickly became known as one of the youngest and most energetic bands around. Despite this popularity, their time on the circuit was short. In 1995 Glen moved on to other things, and Bob stepped up front and the Troubleshooters was re-named Blackjack. Bob’s country influences include Garth Brooks, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson.
The line up remained the same but without a lead guitarist. Either Billy or Tommy Levin stood in on lead guitar until Bob recruited Andy Saphir to complete the quartet. Blackjack quickly became one of the top modern Country bands on the circuit and were soon touring constantly. They released a 13 track CD album called Blackjack. In 1997, Andy Saphir was involved in a near-fatal road accident where he almost lost a leg. The band were changing a flat tyre on the way home from a gig when Andy was hit by a passing car, Rob Childs filled in as guitarist for several months until Andy was well enough to continue but, by that time, the band were about to fold due to family commitments following extensive touring after three years on the road. They disbanded in early 1998.
Following the demise of Blackjack, Bob was offered a place with the Nadine Somers Band alongside Rob Childs and Nadine. Nadine Somers began her musical career when she was just six years old playing keyboards in London clubs. By her early teens, she had started singing Country songs mainly at comedy clubs working on stage alongside comedy legends including Ted Rogers, Paul Melba, Dave Evans (Lee Evans’ dad) and Bobby Davro and entertaining theatre audiences as part of the Ted Rogers Show. She eventually became a dance music session singer and was signed to Pete Waterman’s record label and she had two hit singles as a member of the dance band Marradona. One was called Out Of My Head released in 1994.
At the age of 24, it was time for a shift in direction. Nadine became a Country singer and by late 1994 she was working in a trio as the house Country band at the Heathrow Sheraton Hotel where she had a residency working three nights a week. The other members of the band were Rob Childs and Glen Mitchell who had just left his own short lived Troubleshooters band. Glen was soon replaced initially by Geoff Hall (former bass player with Greta & The Strayshots) but his time in the band was short making way for Bob Keeley after the demise of Blackjack. The three of them enjoyed great success all over the country and abroad recording their first CD album Different Drum on Baked Bean Records in 1999. They were regularly played on London’s Country radio station Country 1035, where Bob’s version of Mr. Blue was played more often than anything else by the band! It is said that Bob regularly drove the others mad on the road with his unsolicited vocal renditions of hits from the 50s, especially songs by Anthony Newley.
After four years, Nadine decided to part company with the boys to concentrate on her family but Rob and Bob stayed together as Vegas duo. The Nadine Somers Band continued with a new lead singer 17 year old Hayley Mack and were renamed Rodeo Radio. They disbanded at the end of 2001. Rob and Bob as Vegas duo quickly established a new fan base, especially amongst line dancers with their relaxed and sometimes humorous presentation which always created a good rapport with the audience. They still did occasional gigs with Nadine Somers.
In 2008 after five years together, Bob decided to go solo to allow more time with his family. He was replaced in Vegas by former Blackjack guitarist Andy Saphir. His quieter life wasn’t to last long however as he quickly became one of the busiest soloists on the circuit, winning many awards including BCMA Solo Artist Of The Year in 2011, CNN Entertainer Of The Year in 2016, CNN Solo Artist Of The Year in 2017, CNN Male Vocalist Of The Year in 2018 and CNN Solo Artist Of The Year in 2019. In 2017 Bob’s son Joe joined him on stage and the Keeleys duo was launched. Joe now mainly works solo and fronts his own Joe Keeley Band. Bob also regularly appears in a revival of the Nadine Somers Band with Nadine and Rob Childs.
You can see my video below of Blackjack at the Queens Hotel, Hornchurch on 12th January 1997.
Research by Nick Catford.