Bobby Blandford
After Drum and Bugle Corps, Bobby began his career as a local percussionist with some of the area’s best groups. He started with Teddy Alexander and the Premiers playing the local “hops” at the Arlington Hotel and WJ Teener. His next gig was with the “Party Boys” of Pierre and the Citations. The group played all over the Southern Tier and in the Thousand Islands for many years. John Stark stole him from Pierre, along with Tony Delbrocco and formed Crystal Ship. These guys had the sound and the good fortune to tour with Bobby Comstock, Ronnie Deyo, THE BEACH BOYS and numerous others, as well as playing all the big shows at the now gone Fountains Pavillion.
After “The Ship” broke up Bobby played with Barney O’Connell and Shirley K in a couple versions of “Relatively”. Unfortunately we lost both Shirley and Barney, and Bobby “gave up” music for several years. He was finally persuaded by Jay Edwards to play again with “Steppin Out” the top “Wedding and Party” band in Owego, Towanda, Sayre, and surrounding areas. The lead singer, Ike Bowers, introduced the guys to the Temptations, and they did a gig at Mount Airy Lodge with them.
Again after a long hiatus (10 years), his “old” friend, Mike Musok, asked if he’d be interested in “sitting in” with a Blues group called “Outta Time”. No pressure, Mike said. Well, he sat in and played with Mac and the group for 5 years. Although the group is still together, gigs have been few and far between. So, when Outta Times keyboardist Paula’s husband Roger was a looking for a drummer for a new Country group, Bobby became the beat keeper of the Juke Joint Cowboys. He’s really looking forward to this new chapter in his life and he’s ready to get out there and kick some A**.