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The Valley Boys have been a part of the Eugene/Springfield, Oregon, area scene for over two and a half decades now. This unpretentious three-piece band has been playing in Eugene and the Northwest steadily since 1983, when John Powell and Alan Reinoehl split from a locally legendary country rock singer named Ron Lloyd. They played briefly with drummer Dan Travena, and for some years with Doug Lay (aka Bernie "Dog-Boy" Kempler) before Gary Marullo joined in 1988. That was their last personnel change.
From the very beginning the band has enjoyed success in a huge variety of venues: fairs, backyard barbecues ' conventions, weddings (notably, Mary Decker's, and Chris Miller's), bars, resorts such as Mt. Bachelor, the first several Eugene Celebrations, and even the Oregon Governor's Ball.
They began in era of vinyl and 8-tracks and have seen music grow, transform, and reinvent itself over and over. MTV, CDs, downloading music; rap, hip-hop, grunge, alt-rock, indie rock, the Boss, the King of Pop, the Material Girl, New Wave and Nu-Metal have come and mostly gone, while the Boys just keep on doing what they do.
Their mix of oldies, covers, blues, country, rock and comedy is delivered enthusiastically in long, nonstop set. They handle themselves professionally and, unlike many acts, understand their role and why they're there.
That is what keeps a band rolling for over 25 years. Year after year, the Valley Boys are a model for a working band--having fun, staying young, and still gettin' paid for it.
Satisfied
Customers . . .
Here's what satisfied customers had to say about the Valley Boys' performances:
"For the Governor's Ball, their music was perfect for our event as
the crowd thoroughly enjoyed them. You were right when you said they 'keep
the crowd hopping' as they certainly did this. They were also very flexible
and willing to work with our needs. They were prepared and set up on time
and took care of everything so we had no concerns."
-- Kristen Funk-Tracy, Democratic Party of Oregon
"This
was a great group to work with, and their nostalgia music really brought
out a crowd."
-- Carla Carey, Chelan County Fair, WA
"This
'Bop-'Til-You-Drop' dance band just won't let you sit down."
-- Springfield Broiler Festival
"I
have a lot of bands that want to play here, but you guys are special.
You're welcome anytime."
-- John Oh, Ramada Inn, Eugene
"When
asked to recommend the best band around for an important function, I always
name the Valley Boys. They've never let me down."
-- Jurgen Gross, Eugene Country Club
"Year
after year, undoubtedly the most popular dance band on the outdoor stage
at the Lane County Fair."
-- Paul Nathan, Co-producer, Lane County Fair
"We
would have the Valley Boys for our party every year if we could."
-- Sharon Sless, McKenzie-Williamette Hospital
"Their
rapport and charisma with the audience was hot."
-- Sharon Adcock, Curry County Fair
"Excellent!
Outstanding! Great group! Great song selection! Great harmony!"
-- Tim Zwettler, Delta Sand and Gravel
"An
instant hit at Boatnik and every year since! The Boys are great to work
with and seem to get better every year!"
-- Rick Chapman, Grants Pass Boatnik Festival
"Always
the best draw in our room, always entertaining and always professional."
-- Kelly Steele, The Factory, Springfield
"The
raves are still coming in. Can't wait to hear you again."
-- Lori Light, Winter Assembly, Sunriver
"Thank
you for taking care of us and our requests. Everyone that I have talked
to commented about how good you were and what fun they had. Thanks for
making our reception so memorable."
-- Susan Gress
"We
got as many compliments on your show as we did during our whole season
last year! Thank you!"
-- Tom Hilton, City of Medford Parks and Recreation
"Their
style and variety was tops, and their rapport with our staff was excellent."
-- Gloria Bussart, Yakima Valley Jr. Fair
"Thank
you! The perfect background music for our picnic. I got lots of comments
on how much our employees enjoyed having you there. Thanks so much for
providing such wonderful music!"
-- Jan Burch, Symantec
"They're
an awful lot of fun and didn't slow down a bit."
-- Sandee Hansen, Florence Chamber of Commerce
"Thank
you for such a wonderful evening of music at our wedding. It is nice to
know that you can be counted on to be on time, set up and play good music
without a worry."
-- Mary Chris Stangland
"Thank
you one and all for the great job you all did. Friday was our biggest
night ever!"
-- Eugene Oktoberfest Board