Bobby Whitton

I got my first guitar at nine years old. By age twelve, I was performing in all the major night clubs in Houston, TX. One such was the Esquire Ballroom, where I shared the stage with Larry Butler and Willie Nelson. Other clubs were Dancetown USA and Shelley's, which later became Gilley's Club.

My first road gig was with Orville Couch, who had the original hit recording, and was song writer of the song, "Hello Trouble." We played the Nevada Circuit. I was seventeen at the time.

In 1966, I was drafted into the military and was stationed at Ft. Polk, LA, where I met fiddle great, Byron Berline, formally with Bill Monroe's great blue grass band,and together we performed several Special Services Shows. 

After the military, I moved back to Texas and played with the Jimmy Heap Show. Jimmy Heap was the original recorder of "Release Me."

In 1970 I moved to Nashville, TN to work with Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely of Grand Ole Opry fame.  After eight Years, I spent a brief time with Cal Smith , of "Country Bumpkin" fame. After this, I worked with the great Tammy Wynette. Then, I was honored to work with the great Dottie West when she was doing the Kenny Rogers Tours. After Dottie, I worked with The Four Guys and then Lorrie Morgan. It has truly been an honor and privilege to work with so many Opry greats. They all remain my good friends.

In 1985 it was time to get off the road awhile and spend some time with my family. I spent time as a freelance musician in Nashville where I was a staff musician at Opryland in the Country Music USA Show, kept a demanding recording session schedule, and led a popular Nashville club band.

In 1990, the call came from Mel Tillis to move to Branson, MO. and Become part of "The Statesiders" at Mel's prestigious Branson Theatre. After ten years, I felt it was time for semi-retirement and moved again to Louisiana. One more call came from Mel and I ended up back in Mel's band for a couple of years on the road, then settled down back in Louisiana content playing weekend dates.

Now I am back actively playing music and have my own small studio out side of Leesville, LA. and have just released my first guitar instrumental CD "Generation Bridge." I hope you like what you hear and will keep a look out for more music coming from "The Lil' Red Barn Studio."

I have been playing the Sunday jam at The Cotton Club and Steakhouse in Granger, Texas for the past two years with The Can't Hardly Playboyz, and gigging with several other groups in the Houston and Southeast Texas areas.