Bio

  •      My name is  J.R. Bradford, and I was born in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. My parents moved to Aurora, Illinois at my young age of 4,  where I grew up and went  through school. After a short stent in the Army, I started playing music with a 4, and sometimes 5  piece bands in the Fox Valley area, through the late sixties, seventies, and up until 1986.  Our bands were, "The three J's,"  "Jr and the Country Knights", and "J.R. and the Dallas band". We were a top 40 country and oldies band.  I recorded my first album in North Aurora, Illinois. I followed up with recording a single 45 of my original songs at Shad Ohsea recording studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. We moved to Bowling Green Ky in 1986, and then Owensboro, Ky. In 1997.  It was in Owensboro, Kentucky I had trouble putting a band together. I bought a keyboard and taught myself a few chords and doodly-do's. I had been playing guitar and singing with back up tracks, but I didn't like the feel of the canned music. I had to play something to make me feel useful and to have control over the song. So in a year or so, I ditched the guitar and started playing the keyboard full time. I started my single act career there. My harmony vocals are built in to the keyboard as well as my rhythm instruments. I play a lot of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Dion, Everly's, Roy, The Platters, Conway, Jones, Cash, Allan Jackson etc. many more classic tunes Oldies and Classic Country.



     I met  H.T., (Harrison Tyner of Elvis's Entourage), and "Gary Buck from the Canadian Hall of Fame" project."  They published two of my songs and called me to Nashville to record them, and also to be a demo singer for songs of future stars.  Then in 2011 my wife and I moved to Port Charlotte, Florida,  I said I would never have a place in Florida again. In 2004 we bought a house in Punta Gorda Isles in May of  that year, Hurricain Charlie came through in Aug and caused $193,000 worth of damage. But here we are living in Florida again. I continued with my music, booking jobs here and there. My wife Linda, started raising yorkies again ( the smaller 3-5 lbs). Check out her web page. www.myyorkiesdomain.com  So between the two, we keep fairly busy.  I love playing babyboomer music along with some of the new hits.

 

 

     I play  clubs and 55 parks in the area. I have played "Miceli"s Waterfront Restaurant" in Matlacha' Fl., for over eight years on Monday nights. I will never forget all the huge number of great fans we had in Illinois and Kentucky, and now building a family of fans in Florida. What a great crowd we get on Monday nights. I love it when I see someone from my old home town come walking in. I get quite a few people from Aurora, Illinois coming down for vacation, and come to the restaurant. I always post my upcoming dates on my website except, private parties. Hope you enjoy the website and return as often as you like. The music button will give you a list of, two minute songs, Just demo songs so you get some idea. The tab marked store is where I have original material for sale .99 per track. Hit Repertoire for a song list.  Have any questions, hit contact or my email is bjoe190@aol.com.