The Green River Band was
formed in 1984 by Roger Kenaston and the
group has been playing Traditional
Country dance music and shows across the
Midwest ever since. Roger’s
sister, Vanessa, and multi-talented
drummer/trumpet player, Jerry Neeman,
are original members of the group.
Roger’s wife, Sharon joined the group in
1994 and in 2003 they added Curt
Shoemaker on Steel Guitar. All of
these musicians are multi-talented and
bring great variety and skill to the
group.
Roger
Kenaston has been playing traditional
music since he was very young. He
started out with his mother and father
in the family dance band, moved on to a
successful 50’s & 60’s group, and is
currently playing bluegrass shows with
the popular Kenaston Family Band and
shows and dances with the Green River
Band. His multi-instrument skills
add a real variety to the group.
He’s an award winning electric guitarist
and has won numerous awards on fiddle,
dobro and mandolin. In addition to
being a great instrumentalist, his lead
and harmony vocals add another dimension
to the group.
Vanessa Kenaston started
singing with the family band
when she was six years old. Today
she’s one of the top female vocalists in
the Midwest and is an excellent
instrumentalist as well. She plays
the upright bass with the Green River
Band and is also a solid rhythm and lead
guitar player, mandolin player and
drummer. Her energetic
performances are contagious and her love
for music is shown in every song.
She’s been awarded the International
Traditional Country Music Female Singer,
National Country Music Female Singer,
Nebraska State Country Music Female
Singer and has also won numerous awards
on guitar and mandolin.
Sharon
Kenaston grew up listening to Classic
Country Music on the radio and in dance
halls in South Central Nebraska.
She began singing in church when she was
very young and began playing guitar when
she was a teenager. There are very
few young people who share the passion
for Classic Country Music that Sharon
has. She plays rhythm guitar for
the band and sets in on the drums during
trumpet tunes. She has also been
awarded in many of the same categories
as her sister-in-law, Vanessa.
She promotes Traditional Country Music
and live entertainment as well as
handling bookings for both the Green
River Band and the Kenaston Family Band.
Jerry
Neeman has been a music educator for
over 25 years. He’s an
extraordinary trumpet player and plays
both the trumpet and the drums for the
Green River Band. He’s a
multi-talented musician and adds lead
and harmony vocals to the band.
Jerry brings a variety of music to the
group by adding such great swing tunes
as “In The Mood” and standard cowboy
songs like “Red River Valley”.
He’s a dynamic performer and his
personality blends in well for any
occasion.
The
newest addition to the group, Curt
Shoemaker, of Ionia, Kansas is clearly
one of the greatest steel guitar players
in the entire Midwest. During
several years of living in Nashville, TN
and Branson, MO he worked with such
artists as Dottie West, Box Car Willie,
Buck Trent, Albert E. Brumley & many,
many others. His love of
Traditional Country Music makes him an
icon to today’s top pedal steel players.
He is a featured entertainer at many
Steel Guitar Conventions across the
United States and works many other
festivals when his busy schedule allows.
This group of musicians
come together to form the “Central
States Favorite Dance Band”. You
can hear them playing somewhere nearly
every weekend for county fairs, wedding
dances, anniversaries, music festivals,
and shows. They have performed on
the main stage and beer tents at the
Windmill Festival in Comstock, Nebraska;
the Danciest Dance of the West and Grand
Old Opry Showcase at the Wahoo Country
Music Show in Wahoo, Nebraska; the
National Country Music Contest and
Festival in Ainsworth, Nebraska; Ranch
Expo in Bassett, Nebraska; and many
other shows and festivals throughout
Nebraska and the Midwest. They are
host band to three music festivals
collectively each year including the
Wahoo Country Music Show in Wahoo, NE;
Ionia Country Music Festival in Ionia,
KS; and the Traditional Country Music &
Dance Festival in Utica, NE. They
have worked with Norma Jean, Claude
Gray, Jean Shepard, Jack Greene, Ernie
Ashworth, Terry Smith and a host of
other entertainers during their careers.
Specializing in
traditional dance music, the Green River
Band offers a wide variety of tunes for
every occasion. Their ability to
keep people on the dance floor is
phenomenal and to work with any crowd,
both young and old is a rare quality
when it comes to live music.
You’re sure to be entertained by this
lively bunch of well respected musicians
as their love of Traditional Country
Music & Dancing comes through in every
tune.
For additional
information contact:
Sharon & Roger Kenaston
1480 County Road V
Lyons, NE 68038
402-687-9594
402-443-8367 Cell
Roger
Kenaston has been playing traditional
music since he was very young. He
started out with his mother and father
in the family dance band, moved on to a
successful 50’s & 60’s group, and is
currently playing bluegrass shows with
the popular Kenaston Family Band and
shows and dances with the Green River
Band. His multi-instrument skills
add a real variety to the group.
He’s an award winning electric guitarist
and has won numerous awards on fiddle,
dobro and mandolin. In addition to
being a great instrumentalist, his lead
and harmony vocals add another dimension
to the group.
when she was six years old. Today
she’s one of the top female vocalists in
the Midwest and is an excellent
instrumentalist as well. She plays
the upright bass with the Green River
Band and is also a solid rhythm and lead
guitar player, mandolin player and
drummer. Her energetic
performances are contagious and her love
for music is shown in every song.
She’s been awarded the International
Traditional Country Music Female Singer,
National Country Music Female Singer,
Nebraska State Country Music Female
Singer and has also won numerous awards
on guitar and mandolin. 
Sharon
Kenaston grew up listening to Classic
Country Music on the radio and in dance
halls in South Central Nebraska.
She began singing in church when she was
very young and began playing guitar when
she was a teenager. There are very
few young people who share the passion
for Classic Country Music that Sharon
has. She plays rhythm guitar for
the band and sets in on the drums during
trumpet tunes. She has also been
awarded in many of the same categories
as her sister-in-law, Vanessa.
She promotes Traditional Country Music
and live entertainment as well as
handling bookings for both the Green
River Band and the Kenaston Family Band.
Jerry
Neeman has been a music educator for
over 25 years. He’s an
extraordinary trumpet player and plays
both the trumpet and the drums for the
Green River Band. He’s a
multi-talented musician and adds lead
and harmony vocals to the band.
Jerry brings a variety of music to the
group by adding such great swing tunes
as “In The Mood” and standard cowboy
songs like “Red River Valley”.
He’s a dynamic performer and his
personality blends in well for any
occasion.
The
newest addition to the group, Curt
Shoemaker, of Ionia, Kansas is clearly
one of the greatest steel guitar players
in the entire Midwest. During
several years of living in Nashville, TN
and Branson, MO he worked with such
artists as Dottie West, Box Car Willie,
Buck Trent, Albert E. Brumley & many,
many others. His love of
Traditional Country Music makes him an
icon to today’s top pedal steel players.
He is a featured entertainer at many
Steel Guitar Conventions across the
United States and works many other
festivals when his busy schedule allows.