Whether playing mandolin at weddings, festivals or other special events, Bob is capable of switching from old time fiddle tunes, to folk, swing, jazz, classical or bluegrass and can play your event solo, duo, trio, quintet and full bluegrass band. He currently co-founder and is leader of the 8th of January bluegrass band which began in 2013; Mandolin Consort of Atlanta, mandolin quintet and the Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra as well as performing with other top players in the Atlanta, North Georgia and Southeast.
Bob’s diverse musical background began in 1978 when he discovered the mandolin and began playing professionally. He became a member of the Atlanta music scene in 1982 and in 1982 was a co-founder of Bluegrass In The Backwoods band featuring Buddy Ashmore, Mike Estes, Kerry Warbington, and Ed Davis. And following that, the Greater Atlanta Bluegrass Band with the infamous Buck Peacock, Geoff Hohwald and Jack Spence and later with Jim Tolles and the great Emory Gordy Jr. GABB played together for 20+ years in the Atlanta music scene. Bob also spent 5 years with JN and Onie Baxter, Joel and Earleen Aderhold in the Bluegrass Five, then he went on to play with The Fabulous Handsaw Brothers featuring Scott Woody, Paul Carpenter and Sonny Houston and Jim Tolles.
In 1994, Bob along with Charley Rappaport co-founded the Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra (AMO), where he is the current president and concertmaster. AMO is currently performing in performing arts centers, universities, colleges, high schools and retirement centers around the state of Georgia. Besides his duties with the Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra, Bob has been vice-president of the Southeastern Bluegrass Association and vice-president of the Classical Mandolin Society of America. He has performed in 100+ member mandolin orchestras all over North America. He has participated in workshops with some of the world’s most renown mandolinists including Carlo Aonzo, Caterina Lichtenberg, Mike Marshall, Peter Ostroushko, Don Stiernberg, and Evan Marshall to name a few.
