The Blue Band legacy started June 10, 1981, and
throughout their 24-year endeavor has acquired a
dedicated fan base of all ages and has become one
of Iowa's most revered and requested bands. The
band has been tagged as "The best damn rockin' soul
dance band in the heartland..." by The Mississippi
Valley Blues Society's Karen McFarland. Originally
called "Bobby's Blue Band" (an obvious tongue-in-cheek
play on blues icon Bobby Blue Bland), The Blue Band
is a 5-6 piece group performing original and cover
blues, soul, rockabilly, and r & b grooves. The
band includes founding members, bandleader Bob Dorr
and his unmistakable lead vocals (Dorr can also
be credited with a 30+ year career at KUNI-FM) and
Jeff Petersen on his 1968 Gibson Flying V guitar,
lap steel guitar, vocals, and song writing. Iowa
Blues and Jazz Hall of Famer, Sam Salomone, on Hammond
organ and organ bass has been on all Blue Band recordings
since 1996, touring full time with the group since
January 2002. Saxman and section leader Nathan Peoples
is "the new guy", joining in February 2004. Rounding
out the sound and pounding out the rhythms is "The
Chief"-legendary Iowa City drummer Steve Hayes.
When the band has the opportunity to add a horn
section, it's filled by eight year Blue Band veteran
Heath Alan, as well as Blue Band alumni Bob Thompson
and Gary King. Occasionally Nathan's dad Jerry Peoples
joins the band for "The Peoples Horns" or some of
the state's best trumpet players like Dave Kobberdoll
and Scott Davis round out the section. The band
plays 100-125 dates a year performing at live music
venues, summer festivals, and private functions.
The band generally travels within a 300-mile area
of their home base in Eastern Iowa which includes
Minneapolis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Chicago. The
band also performs in Summit County and Denver,
Colorado yearly and has performed at Bluestock International
Convention & Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. 2006
brings the 25th birthday of The Blue Band. They're
still rockin' your soul. Be part of the show some
night soon!
