Group Members

Robert Vetter

Robert Vetter

Trumpet, flugelhorn player, guitarist, melodica player, occasional percussion, audio recording, vocalist

Robert, a DC area native, began playing trumpet at a very early age – first beginning with the cornet at age 7. His trumpet and flugelhorn prowess garnered him a scholarship to the University of Miami in Florida. While in college, he was in a funk band that had the opened for such artists as WAR and The Miracles. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Music and Jazz, he spent the next ten years sharpening his skills on cruise ships and taking the opportunity to see the world.

After meeting this wife, Linda, he left cruise ships and returned to the DC area where he’s been for the last 20 years.  For the last twenty-five years, he has worked as a freelance musician for various local and national musical contractors including a couple of years on staff with the Gene Donati Orchestra. Since 1988, he has served as Personnel Manager for Sidney’s Music and Entertainment.

Robert has had the pleasure of working with a great many artists throughout his career. Those he has accompanied include Motown acts The Temptations and The Supremes, the Manhattan Transfer, Bob Hope, The Fifth Dimension, Marilyn McCoo as a solo act, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Jaco Pastorius, Ben Vereen, Pia Zadora, Joe Williams, and Bruce Hornsby. Robert’s relationship with Bob goes back over 20 years and they’ve worked together on well over a thousand engagements.


Ed Smith

Ed Smith

Emcee, audio engineer, vocalist, video/photography, marketing and promotion

Ed has always been fascinated by all things audio. In 1994 when he was 20, Ed finally headed for the recording studio – taking audio engineering and production classes at the Omega School of Recording in Rockville, MD.  While there, he learned the finer points of analog tape engineering, mic placement, and production.  His final project for the course was truly special:  he got to work with Bob, who then hired a small rhythm section to perform the chosen tune (Anita Baker’s “Been So Long”) to accompany the singer Ed selected for the session.  For their first musical collaboration, Bob handled all keyboards and synthesizers.  He also wrote the rhythm arrangement and did emergency vocal arrangements during the vocal session.

In 2008, Ed started working with Bob as his sound engineer and promotional/marketing guru and has continued to do so ever since.  Additional responsibilities include website content management, social media interaction, newsletter co-authoring, and gig flyers.  He also performs emcee duties at many of the events.


Anthony Veneble

Anthony Venable

Audio engineer and additional support

Anthony, like Bob and Robert, has always loved music. His career thus far has been a largely non-musical one but in 2011, Ed sought to add additional sound support as his responsibilities increased. Anthony was quickly brought in. His responsibilities involve audio support, keeping track of patrons as they arrive, and creating the order in which the singers perform.  He can also be heard singing once in a while.  When not working with Bob, he works as a piano mover with Johnson’s Piano Moving – the very best piano movers in the DC/Metro area.  Click <<here>> for more information.


william

William Henderson

Audio engineer, additional support, and occasional bass

William is a new addition to the team and can be seen at our Sommerset Retirement Community engagements as Anthony has become unavailable for that venue.  William has been playing bass in the Washington, DC area for many years and has a fantastic ear.  He essentially handles all the audio engineering for our Sommerset Retirement Community engagements.

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