|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Behr Appleby, has spent a major portion of his life on the stage. On occasion, he may be seen playing clarinet, trombone, tuba, saxophone, tenor banjo, or guitar. His bass a 1946 'Kay' has virtually traveled with him all over the United States. He prefers a nylon wound string which gives the bass a more mellow tone that is full and rich. Although, he plays a walking bass style on many of the swing band songs he prefers long notes which 'put a foundation under all that pretty music'.
When Behr plays his muted cornet on selections like ‘Young at Heart’, and ‘Moon River’, the mute yields a distant sound that is very pleasing. He also conjures up thoughts of New Orleans with songs like ‘Basin Street Blues’ and ‘Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans’.
Behr sings several Vaudeville songs with the group, and indeed will produce a good laugh now and then, or you just might catch a tear or two in the audience when he sings his rendition of the 'Louis Armstrong' classic 'What A Wonderful World'. He more often lends his voice to harmonies in many of the Pop and Big Band tunes.
As one of the members of 'The Memorial String Band', Behr worked at music festivals, state fairs, theme parks, country music shows, and river boats nationwide. Radio and television appearances include 'Hee Haw' on network TV, 'You Can Be A Star' on TNN, and 'The Oldtown School of Folk Music Show', and 'A Prairie Home Companion' on NPR. He also has performed in several community and dinner theatre productions, and played the part of a banker in the 'Tri-Mark Pictures' film 'Frank and Jessie'.
Behr truly feels at home on stage and shares the duties of song introductions with Gil, usually with brief historical comments, and the occasional story or one liner for a good laugh.