Lyric Hayride Concert Series: Bob Appel

Part of the Lyric Hayride Concert Series.

Bob Appel stands up every day and night — at dance halls, festivals, markets, opry shows, honky tonks, beer joints, and bars — bringing the musical traditions of times gone by to times yet to come.

With unlikely roots for a country singer, Northern California native Bob Appel was exposed to the neo-traditional country sounds of Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam, and Aaron Tippin as a teen.

It took years to appreciate the poetic storytelling, simple musical structure, and heartfelt vocal performance evident in their songs, and to understand that there was a common source of inspiration — one steeped in country music traditions from prior generations. It was through the allusions in the lyrics and sounds of these singers that Bob found the music of icons like Hank Williams, Faron Young, Ray Price, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, and Wynn Stewart.