From: Dik de Heer 
Date: Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:43am
Subject: Born To Be With You : Brandy Roberts

BRANDY ROBERTS

Born 16 December 1968, Shreveport, Louisiana

Jerry Lee Lewis has inspired a number of piano players over the years. Names
like Jason D. Williams, Preacher Jack, Freddie "Fingers" Lee, Andy Lee and
our list member Stephen Ackles spring to mind. The latest is a young (by 
BTBWY standards, anyway) man from Shreveport, Louisiana, who has just 
released his second CD.

Brandy Roberts came out of a cultural mix of blues, country, jazz, and pop. 
He attended Agnew Elementary School in Shreveport, then went on to Loyola
College Prep. He began his musical career at the age of eight, when he started 
playing the organ. By the time he was fourteen, he saw Jerry Lee Lewis on 
television and his destination in life was set. He loved Jerry Lee Lewis and his
music, and he loved the piano licks. He started learning to play the piano, having
a hard time at first playing the bass notes left-handed. But he got better, and then
he got good. He got good enough to hook up with the Jeff Burton Band in 1992, 
and headed for Japan for a five date tour.

After Brandy graduated from high school, and had first worked with his father 
in the family meat shop, he later went on to work in several fast-food outlets as
a short-order cook. But by the early 90's, he had definitely set his mind on a 
musical career. He got to play at numerous jamborees, fairs and festivals around
the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas area, and finally got to meet his idol Jerry Lee 
Lewis, through Jerry's wife, Kerrie. She was instrumental in helping his career,
as was Jerry's guitarist, Ken Lovelace. In 1996, Brandy was asked to be on 
Jerry's 40th Anniversary Show at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. His piano 
style and his singing voice is like a young Jerry Lee's.

Brandy has played the Rio Palm Isle in Longview, Texas, one of the oldest
showplace clubs in Texas. It began in 1935 and everyone from Hank Williams
to Elvis Presley has played there in the early stages of their career. Brandy 
played the piano with the house band from December 1997 to December,
1998. He has opened shows there for stars such as Gary Stewart, Trini
Triggs, Johnny Rodriquez, Eddie Raven, Gary Allen and David Allen Coe. 
But as the demand for his performing started to pick up, he left there and 
began playing all over the world.

Brandy claims that one of the best things that happened in 1998, was
recording his first CD "Reflections" in Memphis in August, and with the
Jerry Lee Lewis All Star Band, led by guitarist Kenneth Lovelace. The 
album contains two of his own compositions, including the great lead 
rockabilly number "Boogie Child," and a beautiful ballad titled "Blame It 
On Me." The highlight, though, is Brandy's version of Big Al Downing's
"When You Run Out Of Fools". The CD jacket cover has his idols standing
behind him at the piano : Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino and Chuck 
Berry.

In 2000, Brandy started touring with Penny Gilley and has been with her 
ever since. They have played all over the world and have entertained the
troops in South Korea and other far away places, bringing a bit of "home" 
to those overseas. 

In November, 2001, Brandy married the former Harvi Ann Wilson of 
Longview, Texas. Celebrating the occasion with them was Kerri Lewis, 
the wife of Brandy's idol and friend, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Brandy recently released his second CD entitled, "A Classic Tune Up",
which (like his first CD) got a very positive review in Now Dig This. 
His CDs are available from his website (www.brandyroberts.com).

Adapted from http://www.brandyroberts.com/biography.html
More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BrandyRoberts.html
Homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/prob949422/