Raised in Jacksonville through the age of rock and roll, Rob was initially inspired by The Beatles when he received his first guitar for Christmas in 1969. By 1972, he had his first electric guitar and began playing gigs as a young teenager. At age 15, Rob was regular ly gigging in some of the areas best bars and music venues. Good thing he passed as being 18 years old.

Rob has a God-given talent to play music and his musical lineage goes way back with his parents, aunts and grandparents. He quickly realized that playing guitar, almost any genre of music, came easily to him because he plays all songs by ear. Rob also learned to read music and charts.

In 1973, Rob had another inspirational moment when he jammed with and watched Allen Collins of Lynyrd Skynyrd play the lead to Freebird with at a Navy base gig two weeks before the song was officially released. Allen played it on Rob’s ’65 Gibson Firebird- he still has the guitar and the memories. He knew playing guitar would always be a big part of his life.

From his first band, Mad Dog to later groups like Leo, Lynx, Lazarone, Down Under, Midwest Stage and beyond, Rob has been burning up the frets for more than 30 years. In 1979 he joined up with his first touring group and played all over the U.S. In his travels he met members of the Dixie Dregs, had a drink and talked guitars with Rick Nielson of Cheap Trick, and met numerous other celebs. In 1983, he played the Jacksonville Coliseum with the Palmer Kaleel band when they opened to a packed house for Gary Morris. Most recently, Rob had the privilege of working with the NFL and Don Mischer Productions for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and Alicia Keys pre-game performance of “America the Beautiful” in Super Bowl XXXIX.

He loves jazz and fusion because it offers a more creative, open music structure from which to play. On his venue wish list: to one day play at “Whiskey a Go-Go” on Sunset Boulevard. He owns an enviable collection of 20 guitars, but covets his 1954 Les Paul Jr. the most. He also has a collection of vintage Marshall amps and a prized ’64 Fender black-face Deluxe Reverb.

Rob is married to his biggest fan, Jill, and together they have four teenage children: Melissa, Rob, Jonathan and Marcus. He is an avid Harley-Davidson rider, sailor, gardener, golfer and loves vintage guitars, cars and motorcycles.

Rob owns an advertising agency <http://www.rls-group.com/>  with Jill and is involved with his Mom and Dad in Storeybrook Tree Farm <http://www.storeybrook.com/> --the family Christmas tree farm in North Carolina.