Memphis Roots were formed by Jon Keys and Barry Westbrook in 1987, the first line-up was Barry Westbrook (vocals), Lee Hodgson (lead guitar), Frank Boswell (bass guitar) and Jon Keys (drums).
Barry knew Lee and Jon knew Frank. All were experienced musicians and, with the exception of Frank Boswell, had played in other Country bands. Barry Westbrook had been a member of Cody and he had played with a number of other Country bands including, on one occasion, singing lead with Spellbound when Jenney Speller was unavailable.
Lee Hodgson has played guitar in many bands, both Country and other genres since 1976, turning fully professional in 1979 when he began working up to six nights a week with George Moody & The Country Squires. During the day he began teaching guitar to people of all ages, including one member of Radiohead.
Jon Keys’ career as a Country drummer started with the Jonny Young 4 in 1969. He joined Deadwood in 1970 and was a member of Whisky, which was fronted by Roger Humphries, from 1971-1974. Between 1979-1982 he was drummer in the Ned Porridge Band with Ed Pearson.
Frank Boswell had previously played in a Kent-based function band called High Society.
The band’s first cassette album featuring the four founding members was called Highway To Heaven.
Barry Westbrook was the first to leave in June 1989 when he formed Mean Business and he was replaced as lead singer by Ed Pearson. Ed was older than the others, being born in 1937 and his musical career stretched back to the late 1950s when he started playing skiffle at the legendary 2 i’s coffee bar at 59 Old Compton Street in London’s Soho. Through the 60s he played the London East End clubs in the evening whilst working at the London docks during the day. He joined his first Country band, Country Cousins, in the 1970s and at the end of 1975 he formed his own Ned Porridge Band, quickly establishing the band in clubs in London and the south-east. They supported Billy Jo Spears on tour in 1979. Their popularity quickly grew as they made new friends wherever they performed in the UK and further afield in France, Germany and Holland.
After the demise of the Ned Porridge Band, Ed joined Spellbound as a replacement for Jenny Speller; reforming the Porridge Band briefly in 1987 before joining Memphis Roots in 1989.
After four years, Frank left the band in May 1991 to concentrate on running his hairdressing business and he continued as a semi pro-musician with the Kent based Peter Elligate Band, another function band.
Frank was replaced by another experienced musician Clive Grant who began his musical career playing lead guitar in Beatles/Rolling Stones cover bands in the 1960s. In the 1970s and early 1980s he was a member of Freeride, a six-piece jazz funk band. He joined his first Country band playing bass in Spellbound with Ed Pearson, Glyn Long and Tony Caldwell. When they disbanded in 1986, he and Glyn Long joined Rio which was fronted by Steve Scott.
This is probably Memphis Roots’ definitive line-up, remaining stable for the next seven years. During this period they played at every major UK and European festival, including Wembley Arena, The Royal Albert Hall and Notts Americana. They toured backing American artists including Joe Sun, Judy Lindsey, Pinto Bennett and John Permenter and shared the bill with Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and David Allan Coe. They also signed recording contracts with Ritz Records and Carlton Sounds. Their well respected Best Of Memphis Roots 20-track album (cd and cassette) was released by Ritz in 1993.
Between 1996 & 1998 they made three line dance albums for Carlton, two with other artists and the third, Good Noise – The Best Of Western Line Dancing.
Ed Pearson left Memphis Roots in 1998. By that time he was becoming disillusioned with the club scene following the upsurge of line dancing. He felt the music was becoming more important than the artist and he was finding it more and more difficult to strike up a rapport with his audience. After leaving Memphis Roots, he spent the next 10 years as a soloist working in listening venues. In 2009 Ed was the 20th inductee into the British Country Music Hall of Fame. Two years later he passed away from liver cancer on 26 February 2011.
After the departure of Ed Pearson, Memphis Roots continued as a trio until August 1999 when Jon was forced to retire following a heart attack. His replacement was Wol Webster another musician with an impressive pedigree. Wol has been a professional drummer since the 1970s and was staff drummer with Pye Records for 15 years; there he played on many records from Jeff Beck to Max Bygraves. In the 1990s he had periodic engagements and depping jobs with various popular Country bands including Steve Scott & Rio, Barry Westbrook & Mean Business and A Band Named Sioux.
After 14 years of touring, Memphis Roots finally came off the road in 2001. Lee wanted to concentrate on guitar teaching; he has been teaching at London’s Institute of Contemporary Music Performance since 1990 and Clive and Wol felt it was time for them to move on to other things.
Barry Westbrook & Mean Business continued as a 5/6-piece band until 1996, they then went out as a trio until 1998 after which Barry decided to do some solo work. He did, for a while, do some work with Ed Pearson as Porridge & The Bear (his nickname was The Bear) but didn’t do much work after 2000. Sadly Barry Westbrook passed away after a long illness on 13th November 2018.
Since the demise of Memphis Roots, Jon, Lee, Clive and Wol have remained busy. Jon went on to work with Roger Humphries & Bite The Bullet, Too Country, 8 Seconds and as a member of 4 Card Trick with Glenn Rogers (2009 – 2013).  He was also entertainments manager for the Phil Mac Country shows weekends (2012 – 2016) as well as promoting his own Country weekends at Pontins and  Warners from 1997 to date. He has also been a member of the five-piece Ian Highland Band since August 2016.
As well as teaching and writing, over the past 10 years Lee has been singing lead and harmony vocals, as well as playing guitar with Country acts such as Longshot – when booked as a band (2002 – 2008), the Billy Curtis Band (2009 – 2012), Kentucky Cousins, Jim Worton, Boney Fingers (2010 – 2013) and the Steve Cherelle Band (2007 – 2013) and Henry Smith Band (2017 – 2018) at clubs and festivals around the UK and on the continent. He also has irons in many other musical fires, some Country but other genres as well. These include the Lee J Duo sharing lead vocals with Ian Geast/Rita B, whilst playing guitar, performing Country, 60s/70s and oldies at clubs. He also fronts Lee Hodgson’s Infinities, a 4-piece contemporary jazz band.
Clive spent nine years as bass player and singer with the Henry Smith Band but left due to the demanding touring schedule both in the UK and Holland. He now has a less exhausting schedule as bass player with the Jeff Gallant Band or duo and with Carl Haylett’s Nashville Numbers. He also regularly deps (either bass or lead) with Boxcar Kelly & The Railroaders and Stu Edwards & Gone Country Band.
Wol Webster works as a percussion teacher and is currently drumming in a 5-piece band, The Tennessee Allstars, which is part of the Country Superstars Experience, an award winning Country multi-tribute show hosted by Sarah Jayne who has been performing as Dolly Parton for over 25 years.
Jon, Lee and Clive last played together in 2008 but as they were still fondly remembered by so many people Jon Keys promoted a Memphis Roots reunion at Pontins Holiday Park, Pakefield on 14th October 2018 and despite minimal advertising the event was quickly sold out with many Country fans keen to see Memphis Roots back in action again. Following the success of the reunion Memphis Roots are now back on the road and available for club and festival bookings. Jon and Lee are also part of John Permenter’s band.