The Green River Band

Biography

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