Currently based out of Peoria, singer-guitarist-performer Dexter O’Neal was born in Ferriday, La. His earliest musical memories are from that area, singing in one room churches with his grandmother. When Dexter was five, his family moved to Bloomington, Ill., where he sang in the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church and spent time in community theater. After singing his way through high school and a stint in the Air Force, he began the “long road of touring, recording and working my way into the industry,” with stops in Austin and Philadelphia along the way. From opening slots before famous folks like Ashford and Simpson, The Temptations, Average White Band and Bootsy Collins to encounters with the likes of Jerry Garcia, Phil Perry, Patti Labelle and Jeff Beck Band, Dexter and his music friends made the rounds. Now playing a variety of rhythm and blues hits sure to please all ages, Funk Yard members Bryon Moore (drums), Ron “Ocie” Jamison (bass) and Stan Burns (lead guitar) bring it on with Dexter, making music from the heart as a dynamic performance band.
Dexter O’Neal and Funk Yard
Friday, March 6, 9pm
Longbridge Golf Course Clubhouse
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.
