Band

Abbey Rodeo… the Band Bio

Somewhere around 1999 or 2000, when in the course of normal life changes, Chris Butcher ran into Fred Grupe. They had known each other previous to this run-in… both were musicians between gigs and so they began to try some songwriting and recording together. They enjoyed the process so much that they soon began asking other musicians to join in on the project which came to be called the "Abbey Rodeo Project". A number of choice musicians became involved.

A certain amount of recording was completed on a number of Butcher and Grupe penned songs over a period of time. Enough for a complete CD but it was a hodgepodge of recordings without any real continuity or theme. They had been discussing the possibility of forming a live performing group or troupe to provide a variety show complete with opening acts and a headliner band. All using musicians from the troupe in support of the songs that they were writing and recording. Fred was becoming adept in the recording studio (he calls Chris, Sensei, for sharing his knowledge in the studio) and was to serve as the troupe’s producer and manager. Chris would be the lead singer and co-producer.

As in real life, some things happened sort of that way and some were very different from what they originally planned. For one thing Fred started playing the bass guitar again at recording sessions and jam sessions after years of not playing at all! Fred started attending and playing at open mic and jam nights at local clubs. He began to encourage Chris to come out and play at some of these gigs. Chris started playing and getting good responses to the old songs that he and Fred performed. Numerous other musicians were also performing at these shows, many whom were already involved in the Abbey Rodeo Project… including Verne McClelland, Bob Yocum, Debbie Daniels and Justin Butcher. It was Verne (singer/guitarist) who suggested they make it an official band. Fred and Chris thought it was a great idea and saw the possibility to fulfill their original vision, in many ways, with the great potential of the musicians who ultimately became Abbey Rodeo, “the band". The troupe concept is still used from time to time, as Abbey Rodeo sometimes hosts other performers at their shows. Bob Yocum came to the band, followed by Debbie Daniels, bringing multitudes of instrumentation possibilities to the band. Justin Butcher, Chris’ son, became the drummer and vocalist. Justin had participated in many of the Abbey Rodeo Project’s recordings. He is also a bass guitarist and eventually left the band to pursue other musical interests. Bob “Chick” Chiacone came on board in 2005 to replace Justin and Vince Lesso replaced Bob on drums and vocals in 2006. Keyboardist and banjo player, Debbie Daniels left the band in 2010, moving on to greener pastures and sunnier skies. Pat Shelby took over piano and keyboard duties as well as singing, also in 2010. Abbey Rodeo played their first gig on May 20, 2003 at the Flying Burrito Cantina in Madison, Ohio and from that first flight they continue today.

Much of Abbey Rodeo’s history since then is contained somewhere within the pages of this website. Please visit the individual band member's bios on this page and also visit the Photo Gallery and Scrapbook Page to find more.

The North Coast Voice Magazine was and remains instrumental in promoting and supporting Abbey Rodeo. Abbey Rodeo also supports and appreciates the efforts of the Voice in recognizing and promoting the local music scene in Northeast Ohio.

How would you describe the music of Abbey Rodeo?

The name Abbey Rodeo was coined by Fred Grupe and describes the music that Chris and Fred originally wanted to play… like the Beatles or the early Mersey Beat & 60’s sound but also with an element of hillbilly and country music to it. When Debbie and Bob joined the band they provided a big part of the “Rodeo” side of the band sound. Their bluegrass and country sounding instruments have the ability to transform a song. In the studio Fred and Chris used to refer to “Crowellifying” a song in reference to Rodney Crowell’s mixture of country and pop influences. Nowadays Abbey Rodeo uses the term “Rodeoify” to perform the same operation on a song. For example, it is amazing how well a fiddle or a banjo works in many Beatles’ songs.

As the band’s name implies, Abbey Rodeo’s influences and songlist run the full gamut of styles between Rock and Roll and Country Music, including the sounds of the 60’s, Hillbilly & Rockabilly, Pop, Surf, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues and more. The combination of all of these styles is probably a good definition for rock and roll music itself. The band's sound is not exactly Country Rock either, although that genre could be included in the mix.

The music is created with acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, piano, fiddle/violin, mandolin, keyboards/MIDI orchestration, harmonica and percussion. Abbey Rodeo also has five strong singers and one of their highest priorities is to keep a strong focus on the vocals and harmony singing.

Abbey Rodeo is...

Chris Butcher
Guitar, Vocals

Verne McClelland
Guitar, Vocals

Bob Yocum
Fiddle/Violin, Mandolin, Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals

Fred Grupe
Bass Guitar

Vince Lesso
Drums, Vocals

Pat Shelby
Piano, Keyboards, Vocals

Abbey Rodeo’s Mission is…

… To play the music that we and our audiences love… both covers of great songs that people know, along with new and original music. Our philosophy is that we have to enjoy the music first so that we can present it honestly. Our commitment to the music is what the audience hears and sees at a live show. It is a moment in time when we must bring back the magic of the greatest music, create a new spark with an old song or cause a spark to ignite something totally new and exciting.

… To play covers accurately with due respect to the original versions and to try to create new music and “Rodeoified” covers capable of evoking similar reactions or feelings as you’d get with the classic tunes.

… To perform a wide variety of song selections of varied, yet compatible styles, with well-blended vocal harmonies, diverse instrumentation and arrangements and pleasant, yet dynamic listening levels provided by a professional sound company hired by us for all of our shows. These have been and remain as successful components of our band.

… To have fun playing for our audiences and be appreciative of the support of our friends and fans.

… To be all about the music… and all of our friends who come out to hear it. Here’s to a good time for one and all… the music has always been at the heart of it all.

Here is some of what has been written about Abbey Rodeo:

These guys did some incredible harmonizing- something that you don’t hear too often—or at least, done that well. Very pleasant, and the music selections were refreshing.
Voice Magazine, May 2003

It was Saturday October 11th and the hottest location in the nation (that night anyway) was the Lighthouse Bar and Grille in Geneva. It was standing room only for the hottest new act to hit northeast Ohio in years…. Abbey Rodeo. The excellent food was hot, drinks were flowing and the band was outstanding. The tone was such that it was reminiscent of the good old days when a band packed the house and no one would leave. In fact people were outside, in the basement and in the formal dining room but none of that mattered as long as you were within earshot of the band and their smooth sounds. The joint was jumping… Of course Abbey Rodeo stunned and amazed the packed house with their heavenly harmonies and very cool retro tunes taking us back to a simpler time. Nice job gang.
Voice Nights Out, by Rachelle Drown, November, 2003

On Saturday, December 13th, Abbey Rodeo, Rockin’ Robin Productions, the Voice and Joey’s Italian Grille in Madison continued the “One Spirit, One Mind, For all Mankind” food drive. What a huge success. Abbey Rodeo as always did a wonderful job. This band is becoming legendary. Bass player Fred Grupe who has played a huge part in the success of this project deserves much recognition for his hard work and dedication on this project. The vocals of Chris Butcher and Verne McClelland were incredible. Debbie Daniels, Bob Yokum and Justin Butcher were absolutely outstanding.
Voice Magazine, Livewire, December, 2003

… at the Lighthouse Bar and Grille in Geneva on Saturday, November 30th, Abbey Rodeo and crew once again exceeded all expectations. The management at the Lighthouse opened up the entire dining room and lounge, and still it was standing room only… Abbey Rodeo was simply awesome. This band once again showed this massive crowd what musical masters they truly are.
Voice Magazine, Livewire, December, 2003

Saturday March 6th, another “standing room only” Abbey Rodeo crowd gathered at Sam & Tommy’s in Painesville to experience another epic Abbey Rodeo show… Abbey Rodeo again stunned the crowd with their “knockout punch” song list and perfectly blended harmonies. A special treat was provided by old friends of Abbey Rodeo during the second break as Jim Bonfanti, Wally Bryson, Eric Robertson and John Penca performed a couple of impromptu Beatle tunes that captured the ears of all who were privileged to hear. It was not only a partial Raspberries / Secret reunion, but a couple of the guys have brand new projects…
Voice Magazine, Livewire, March, 2004

Thank you to all you local curmudgeon rock stars for keeping the emphasis on the music, and for keeping great rock and roll music alive because of your incredible talents. A special thank-you to Chris Butcher of Abbey Rodeo for performing those great revived 60’s tunes! He always could nail that stuff, and has been one of my favorite voices since the 1960’s. Growing up in Mentor, way back then gave me the opportunity to watch and get to know an impressive number of truly talented musicians, vocalists and songwriters, and I am thrilled to see many of them still performing.
Voice Magazine, Always an Opinionated Rock and Roll Curmudgeon, March, 2004

This year’s line up includes Abbey Rodeo. This band started about a year ago and with their combined talents and years of experience has raised the bar in the local music scene.
Voice Magazine, VoiceFest Ad, July, 2004

… And it is guaranteed to be four hours of sheer musical enjoyment – one is never disappointed at an Abbey Rodeo concert! … There are several things about an Abbey Rodeo show that make them unique. First of all, no two shows are alike. The hard-working band practices every week, constantly learning new material – not comfortably resting on their laurels. Their sound mix is impeccable (no squealing feedback or garbled lyrics here) – they are meticulous to detail.
Voice Magazine, On The Cover, by Cat Lilly, February, 2005

In the category of "Easy Listening" bands, Abbey Rodeo is, without a doubt, best in the class. Since these veteran musicians came together as Abbey Rodeo in 2003, they have been building a huge loyal following. It's no wonder. The incredible blend of talent, the vast song selections, the impeccable harmonies, and the down-home atmosphere created at each show, can't help but to impress anyone attending… Abbey Rodeo is a class act the whole family can enjoy. Always there to help out with benefits and community projects, we are blessed that they call Northeast Ohio home. Thank you, Abbey Rodeo!
Voice Magazine, Band of the Month, December, 2005