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Texas Olde Tyme Bluegrass Band

Mike Adams, Bill Ingram, Carl Brown, Bobby Stem

The Texas Olde Tyme Bluegrass Band (TOTBGB) was formed in the summer of 2006. It is composed of four mainstays in the Houston North side Bluegrass community - Bobby Stem, Carl Brown, Bill Ingram and Mike Adams. Together as a band for a short while, collectively the TOTBGB literally has centruries of classic bluegrass and country musical experience.

Bobby Stem (Mandolin, lead and harmony vocals)
Bobby hails from true Bluegrass Country. He was born in Tennessee in the western foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. He began his playing music early, learning the guitar at the age of 12. And, he never looked back. Bobby is an accomplished musician playing in addition to guitar, the fiddle, mandolin (his main instrument in the TOTBGB) and banjo. Just recently, he has begun to add the resophonic guitar (i.e., dobro) to his list.

In addition to his instrumental skills, Bobby is a major contributor to the TOTBGB's vocals, singing lead and whatever harmony part is needed. He has a great knowledge of, and ability to perform, classic Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, Reno and Smiley, etc. All of which are essential to music of the TOTBGB.

When the TOTBGB performs, Bobby assumes the role of front man, establishing an comfortable rapport with the audience. He is at ease in introducing the band members, our songs and gracious in putting up with an occasional corny joke from Bill.

Mike Adams (Rhythm Guitar, lead and harmony vocals)
The newest member of the TOTBGB, Mike is the only true Texan in the band. He hails from the Tomball area and has been performing Bluegrass music in this area for quite some time. In addition to performing with others (not the least of which is his wife Jodi - an awesome singer in her own right), Mike lends his rhythm guitar, lead and harmony vocal skills to the TOTBGB.

Mike is no stranger to performing in front of crowds. He was introduced to Bluegrass music and influenced by his parents singing/harmonizing and playing together at a very young age. Mike and his brother Jackie performed in local "talent shows" all around the Houston area when they were 8 to 10 years of age.

In the TOTBGB, Mike is a featured lead vocalist (as are Bobby and Carl). He also joins in the harmony, singing whatever part is needed. Mike's high harmony and driving lead vocals contribute greatly to the TOTBGB's classic bluegrass sound.

Carl Brown (Bass, lead and harmony vocals)
Although born in Idaho, Carl made his way "quickly" (with sojourns in the Army and Missouri) to Texas, landing in the Houston area in the 1980's.

Carl has over 50 years of experience performing in a variety of bands. The following is a brief recounting of his musical resume. In 1954, He started playing bass and singing with Red and His Ramblers. Shortly after that, during a summer, he played saxophone on a party boat at a lake in Missouri. After a hiatus from music, beginning with a stint in the army and while his family was young, Carl got back into it forming a family band, The Brown Family Singers, with his wife and two sons. He also started a band at his church. Not too long after moving to Texas, Carl began playing with Bobby in 2003 and (with Bobby) is a founding member of the TOTBGB.

In the band, Carl's bass provides a rock solid basis for all of the band's music. He also provides the third part to harmony in a number of the TOTBGB tunes. In addition, if you attend a TOTBGB performance,you can tell Carl has a love, and great talent, for the classic country songs of the early and mid 20th century. Carl's interpretation of classic country songs are jewels sparkling in a bluegrass setting. As a result, Bobby has given Carl the well earned moniker - "The Texas Crooner".

Bill Ingram (Banjo and corny jokes)
Bill, originally from the suburban Virginia side of Washington, D.C., had a rather circuitous journey to Texas - including stops in Utah (go Cougars) and Florida (go Gators) winding up in Houston in the mid-1980's. He became interested in the banjo in High School during the "folk-era" of the early 1960's. Originally thinking the Kingston Trio and Lime Liters had hot banjo players. Fortunately, Bill lived in a hotbed of Bluegrass (Washington, DC). Soon after discovering the Country Gentlemen, Red Allen, WWVA and whole host of top notch pickers in the DC area, he realized what real banjo playing was about and set out on a lifelong quest to become one. When first starting to learn to play, Bill was fortunate enough to have legendary banjo picker Johnny Whisnant as an instructor.

While in college, Bill was always performing in local campus bluegrass bands (such luminary bands as the Rock Canyon Ramblers, Smoggy Mountain Bluegrass Orchestra and the Styx River Rounders). Of course bands are often ephemeral. And, one of those in between periods resulted in marriage (going on 42 years) - but that is a story for another time.

Bill has an eclectic bunch of banjo instrumentals in his repertoire - ranging from Earl's Breakdown to Five-foot Two and When Your Smiling to the ever popular Armadillo Breakdown.