"PICKIN AND  A-GRINNIN"

        Five years ago, guitarist Bobby McKee left Kokomo, beckoned by the sounds of Nashville Tenn. “ I knew from the age of 12 years old, that was something about music that I wanted to pursue”. said Bobby Mckee who is 30 years old. “And Nashville , Music City, that was the place to be“.

        Sitting in with performers as often as possible, McKee began to network soon after his Music City arrival. He began performing his own gigs several months later, including a weekly Sunday night performance from 10 pm to 2 am at Tootsies.

        After five years of proving himself as a lead guitarist, McKee now tours nationally with up and coming country artists Kevin Denney , and Craig Morgan. McKee said that he has performed in 30 to 35 states, and sited Sioux Falls, S.D. as the most scenic area where he has performed

        Currently on tour, McKee was in Connecticut during his phone interview with the hometown paper , The Kokomo Tribune, after performing in West Virginia, the previous night. Traveling great distances by bus can be very exhausting, he said.

       “Sometimes I don’t even want to look at my guitar” said McKee after returning home to Nashville. “I just want to lay around”.

         When he isn’t on the road, Mckee said he plays five nights a week in downtown Nashville. He also spends time in the studio, adding guitar tracks to the demos and albums of other performers.

        Describing his career as “pickin” and “agrinnin”, Mckee feels blessed to make a living doing what he  loves.

       Mckee grew up listening to gospel music and old country musis. His father Fred, is the pastor of Lighthouse Missionary Baptist, 1300 East Barkdol Street. Due to his faith, Mckee has never used drugs or alcohol. He said that the singing and playing of his mother Mary Ellen, as his greatest musical influence. Mary said that she doesn’t see her son as often as  she would like, but she is very proud of his success. “Now, it’s all coming together for him”, she said

       McKee began playing the drums  at age 12. At the age of 16, he began playing guitar, practicing 5 to 6 hours a day for several years. He started performing in the church group at the age of 17, before beginning to play country about 2 years later.

       Over the next few years, McKee learned many of the songs of old countyr stars Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap, and Geaoge Jones. Before leaving for Nashville, McKee played at the Howard conty Fair and other fairs across Indiana. In addition, he played at the Haynes-apperson Festival as well as shows in Burlington and Bloomington.

      Mckee said he reurns to Kokomo as often as possible as his schedules allows to see his parents, his brother Freddy, his sister April, and his 19 month old daughter, Phoenix.

     In the future , McKee said he would like to spend more time in the studio as a producer and as a perforner. He is currently writing songs for his debut album. “It will probably be mostly an instumental album and maybe with a few gospel songs with lyrics", said Mckee.

Bobby's grandmother, Sarah Jane McKee.