Robert Owen (Bob) Burns
June 24, 1942 – January 11, 2017
The extraordinary life of Bob Burns began in Tucson June 24, 1942. He hated leaving Tucson in 1952 but a move to El Paso laid the foundation for a life of music which ran in his blood. Bob's maternal grandparents taught their six children to play instruments and the family traveled as "The Musical Grays" in the 1920s and 1930s. For a while Bob's father also played trombone in the group. Grandfather "Pop" Gray settled in Clovis to become the first band director at Clovis High and many of the children and grandchildren (including Bob) went on to become professional musicians. While at his beloved Austin High School Bob learned to play trumpet under the tutelage of his band director and later mentor, friend, and "second father" Bobby Booth. Bob excelled and earned a scholarship to North Texas (now UNT) as a Jazz trumpet major. Bob continued his studies at NMSU and UTEP where he was a proud member of TKE fraternity, and changed his major to Mass Communication. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of New York with a triple major in Music, Mass Communication and English. In his late teens and early 20s Bob played trumpet on the road with Ralph Marterie and Charlie Spivak. A shift to folk music in 1962 added banjo and guitar to his repertoire performing locally with the Tekewoods who had a top 40 record "Chamizal Blues" and "Bummin' Around" and on the road as a single act traveling with his friend Clark Maffitt (of Maffitt and Davies). While in Boulder, CO, he met his first wife Ronna, and returned to El Paso where he worked with his dad at Burns food brokerage and had three children: Jill, Cristin, and Kenton. A return to music, working for multiple radio stations, as Ted Bender's weather apprentice on Channel 9, Arts Coordinator for the city of El Paso, and a talent agency, had Bob involved with Music Under the Stars, Jazz Festivals, Senor Blues and other venues where he "rubbed elbows" and worked with well known artists too numerous to mention here. A move to Las Cruces in 1989 to continue his education at NMSU shifted his radio talents to KRWG-FM where he worked for over 20 years hosting and producing a variety of programs including his popular Jazz program "Burnsland". He worked for a time at KASK-FM with one of his El Paso heroes, Rudy Tellez, who had retired from producing the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. While at KRWG-FM Bob met Nellie Nosbisch who became "Annie" of "Hoot & Annie". They toured the folk music and Western music circuits for 11 years and produced three albums. In 1993 Bob married Melody and acquired a singing partner for his music ministry. Bob had been music director at several churches and with Melody intermittently led and shared music in church services all over the southwest and other fun places like New York City, Mexico, Germany, and Norway. Melody is a former member of the Bruce Nehring consort in El Paso and they also had the privilege of touring overseas with Bruce and with NMSU's Masterworks Choir with Dr. Alt. After "Hoot & Annie" retired, Bob and Melody continued playing in concert halls and in schools as "Banjo Bob and Melody". Bob shared folk music with over 250,000 school children. In 1995 Bob co-founded the Las Cruces Music in the Park series with Mayor Ruben Smith, and continued to produce it for 10 years. At the same time Bob continued to play trumpet and sing with the Mike Caranda Orchestra (Big Band) and took over as leader in 2005 when he returned from Ventura, California where he spent 5 years sharing folk music in the schools, playing trumpet in 26 different bands in the LA area, and also singing with the Randy Van Horne Singers. After retiring the band in 2013, Bob continued to lead the Mesilla Valley Swing Band and serve on the board of Local #466 of the American Federation of Musicians where he was a proud member for 60 years. Bob also co-founded and presided over the Mesilla Valley Jazz and Blues Society and the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse/Open Mic. Bob was the first recipient of the Dona Ana Arts Council Community Arts Award and in 2015 was honored by a musical tribute at the Rio Grande Theatre where he received the first El Paso "Jazz Legends" award, and by a Las Cruces City Council proclamation that made June 3, 2015 "Bob Burns Day." He was so excited in 2016 to be named Austin High School's "Outstanding Ex"! In his career, Bob recorded ten albums, and published two songbooks and a book of stories from his life.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents George and Phyllis and his brothers Bill, Ed and Johnny. Bob is survived by his wife Melody, his children: Jill, Cristin (Dell), Kenny (Korey), six grandchildren: Kendall (Shawn), Ashley, Jessica (Brandon), Matt, Sydney and Chloe, four great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Kason, Lily and Jacob, cousins Neil and Delia, niece Kim, nephews Scott and Jason, sisters-in-Law Sherry, Nancy and Suzi and many, many friends.
His amazing passion and energy will be missed! No doubt he and Bobby Booth are now laughing and playing Herald trumpet duets.
Bob loved flowers but he would prefer donations be made to the Bob Burns Jazz Scholarship Fund (checks made to MVJBS PO Box 3031, Mesilla Park, NM 88047), First Christian Church-Las Cruces, KRWG, KTEP, Dona Ana Arts Council, Unity church, Wellspring Church, Center for Spiritual Living, or a charity of your choice in his honor.
His Celebration of Life Service was held Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on January 22, 2017.
June 24, 1942 – January 11, 2017
The extraordinary life of Bob Burns began in Tucson June 24, 1942. He hated leaving Tucson in 1952 but a move to El Paso laid the foundation for a life of music which ran in his blood. Bob's maternal grandparents taught their six children to play instruments and the family traveled as "The Musical Grays" in the 1920s and 1930s. For a while Bob's father also played trombone in the group. Grandfather "Pop" Gray settled in Clovis to become the first band director at Clovis High and many of the children and grandchildren (including Bob) went on to become professional musicians. While at his beloved Austin High School Bob learned to play trumpet under the tutelage of his band director and later mentor, friend, and "second father" Bobby Booth. Bob excelled and earned a scholarship to North Texas (now UNT) as a Jazz trumpet major. Bob continued his studies at NMSU and UTEP where he was a proud member of TKE fraternity, and changed his major to Mass Communication. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of New York with a triple major in Music, Mass Communication and English. In his late teens and early 20s Bob played trumpet on the road with Ralph Marterie and Charlie Spivak. A shift to folk music in 1962 added banjo and guitar to his repertoire performing locally with the Tekewoods who had a top 40 record "Chamizal Blues" and "Bummin' Around" and on the road as a single act traveling with his friend Clark Maffitt (of Maffitt and Davies). While in Boulder, CO, he met his first wife Ronna, and returned to El Paso where he worked with his dad at Burns food brokerage and had three children: Jill, Cristin, and Kenton. A return to music, working for multiple radio stations, as Ted Bender's weather apprentice on Channel 9, Arts Coordinator for the city of El Paso, and a talent agency, had Bob involved with Music Under the Stars, Jazz Festivals, Senor Blues and other venues where he "rubbed elbows" and worked with well known artists too numerous to mention here. A move to Las Cruces in 1989 to continue his education at NMSU shifted his radio talents to KRWG-FM where he worked for over 20 years hosting and producing a variety of programs including his popular Jazz program "Burnsland". He worked for a time at KASK-FM with one of his El Paso heroes, Rudy Tellez, who had retired from producing the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. While at KRWG-FM Bob met Nellie Nosbisch who became "Annie" of "Hoot & Annie". They toured the folk music and Western music circuits for 11 years and produced three albums. In 1993 Bob married Melody and acquired a singing partner for his music ministry. Bob had been music director at several churches and with Melody intermittently led and shared music in church services all over the southwest and other fun places like New York City, Mexico, Germany, and Norway. Melody is a former member of the Bruce Nehring consort in El Paso and they also had the privilege of touring overseas with Bruce and with NMSU's Masterworks Choir with Dr. Alt. After "Hoot & Annie" retired, Bob and Melody continued playing in concert halls and in schools as "Banjo Bob and Melody". Bob shared folk music with over 250,000 school children. In 1995 Bob co-founded the Las Cruces Music in the Park series with Mayor Ruben Smith, and continued to produce it for 10 years. At the same time Bob continued to play trumpet and sing with the Mike Caranda Orchestra (Big Band) and took over as leader in 2005 when he returned from Ventura, California where he spent 5 years sharing folk music in the schools, playing trumpet in 26 different bands in the LA area, and also singing with the Randy Van Horne Singers. After retiring the band in 2013, Bob continued to lead the Mesilla Valley Swing Band and serve on the board of Local #466 of the American Federation of Musicians where he was a proud member for 60 years. Bob also co-founded and presided over the Mesilla Valley Jazz and Blues Society and the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse/Open Mic. Bob was the first recipient of the Dona Ana Arts Council Community Arts Award and in 2015 was honored by a musical tribute at the Rio Grande Theatre where he received the first El Paso "Jazz Legends" award, and by a Las Cruces City Council proclamation that made June 3, 2015 "Bob Burns Day." He was so excited in 2016 to be named Austin High School's "Outstanding Ex"! In his career, Bob recorded ten albums, and published two songbooks and a book of stories from his life.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents George and Phyllis and his brothers Bill, Ed and Johnny. Bob is survived by his wife Melody, his children: Jill, Cristin (Dell), Kenny (Korey), six grandchildren: Kendall (Shawn), Ashley, Jessica (Brandon), Matt, Sydney and Chloe, four great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Kason, Lily and Jacob, cousins Neil and Delia, niece Kim, nephews Scott and Jason, sisters-in-Law Sherry, Nancy and Suzi and many, many friends.
His amazing passion and energy will be missed! No doubt he and Bobby Booth are now laughing and playing Herald trumpet duets.
Bob loved flowers but he would prefer donations be made to the Bob Burns Jazz Scholarship Fund (checks made to MVJBS PO Box 3031, Mesilla Park, NM 88047), First Christian Church-Las Cruces, KRWG, KTEP, Dona Ana Arts Council, Unity church, Wellspring Church, Center for Spiritual Living, or a charity of your choice in his honor.
His Celebration of Life Service was held Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on January 22, 2017.
Robert Owen (Bob) Burns
June 24, 1942 – January 11, 2017
The extraordinary life of Bob Burns began in Tucson June 24, 1942. He hated leaving Tucson in 1952 but a move to El Paso laid the foundation for a life of music which ran in his blood. Bob's maternal grandparents taught their six children to play instruments and the family traveled as "The Musical Grays" in the 1920s and 1930s. For a while Bob's father also played trombone in the group. Grandfather "Pop" Gray settled in Clovis to become the first band director at Clovis High and many of the children and grandchildren (including Bob) went on to become professional musicians. While at his beloved Austin High School Bob learned to play trumpet under the tutelage of his band director and later mentor, friend, and "second father" Bobby Booth. Bob excelled and earned a scholarship to North Texas (now UNT) as a Jazz trumpet major. Bob continued his studies at NMSU and UTEP where he was a proud member of TKE fraternity, and changed his major to Mass Communication. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of New York with a triple major in Music, Mass Communication and English. In his late teens and early 20s Bob played trumpet on the road with Ralph Marterie and Charlie Spivak. A shift to folk music in 1962 added banjo and guitar to his repertoire performing locally with the Tekewoods who had a top 40 record "Chamizal Blues" and "Bummin' Around" and on the road as a single act traveling with his friend Clark Maffitt (of Maffitt and Davies). While in Boulder, CO, he met his first wife Ronna, and returned to El Paso where he worked with his dad at Burns food brokerage and had three children: Jill, Cristin, and Kenton. A return to music, working for multiple radio stations, as Ted Bender's weather apprentice on Channel 9, Arts Coordinator for the city of El Paso, and a talent agency, had Bob involved with Music Under the Stars, Jazz Festivals, Senor Blues and other venues where he "rubbed elbows" and worked with well known artists too numerous to mention here. A move to Las Cruces in 1989 to continue his education at NMSU shifted his radio talents to KRWG-FM where he worked for over 20 years hosting and producing a variety of programs including his popular Jazz program "Burnsland". He worked for a time at KASK-FM with one of his El Paso heroes, Rudy Tellez, who had retired from producing the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. While at KRWG-FM Bob met Nellie Nosbisch who became "Annie" of "Hoot & Annie". They toured the folk music and Western music circuits for 11 years and produced three albums. In 1993 Bob married Melody and acquired a singing partner for his music ministry. Bob had been music director at several churches and with Melody intermittently led and shared music in church services all over the southwest and other fun places like New York City, Mexico, Germany, and Norway. Melody is a former member of the Bruce Nehring consort in El Paso and they also had the privilege of touring overseas with Bruce and with NMSU's Masterworks Choir with Dr. Alt. After "Hoot & Annie" retired, Bob and Melody continued playing in concert halls and in schools as "Banjo Bob and Melody". Bob shared folk music with over 250,000 school children. In 1995 Bob co-founded the Las Cruces Music in the Park series with Mayor Ruben Smith, and continued to produce it for 10 years. At the same time Bob continued to play trumpet and sing with the Mike Caranda Orchestra (Big Band) and took over as leader in 2005 when he returned from Ventura, California where he spent 5 years sharing folk music in the schools, playing trumpet in 26 different bands in the LA area, and also singing with the Randy Van Horne Singers. After retiring the band in 2013, Bob continued to lead the Mesilla Valley Swing Band and serve on the board of Local #466 of the American Federation of Musicians where he was a proud member for 60 years. Bob also co-founded and presided over the Mesilla Valley Jazz and Blues Society and the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse/Open Mic. Bob was the first recipient of the Dona Ana Arts Council Community Arts Award and in 2015 was honored by a musical tribute at the Rio Grande Theatre where he received the first El Paso "Jazz Legends" award, and by a Las Cruces City Council proclamation that made June 3, 2015 "Bob Burns Day." He was so excited in 2016 to be named Austin High School's "Outstanding Ex"! In his career, Bob recorded ten albums, and published two songbooks and a book of stories from his life.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents George and Phyllis and his brothers Bill, Ed and Johnny. Bob is survived by his wife Melody, his children: Jill, Cristin (Dell), Kenny (Korey), six grandchildren: Kendall (Shawn), Ashley, Jessica (Brandon), Matt, Sydney and Chloe, four great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Kason, Lily and Jacob, cousins Neil and Delia, niece Kim, nephews Scott and Jason, sisters-in-Law Sherry, Nancy and Suzi and many, many friends.
His amazing passion and energy will be missed! No doubt he and Bobby Booth are now laughing and playing Herald trumpet duets.
Bob loved flowers but he would prefer donations be made to the Bob Burns Jazz Scholarship Fund (checks made to MVJBS PO Box 3031, Mesilla Park, NM 88047), First Christian Church-Las Cruces, KRWG, KTEP, Dona Ana Arts Council, Unity church, Wellspring Church, Center for Spiritual Living, or a charity of your choice in his honor.
His Celebration of Life Service was held Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on January 22, 2017.
June 24, 1942 – January 11, 2017
The extraordinary life of Bob Burns began in Tucson June 24, 1942. He hated leaving Tucson in 1952 but a move to El Paso laid the foundation for a life of music which ran in his blood. Bob's maternal grandparents taught their six children to play instruments and the family traveled as "The Musical Grays" in the 1920s and 1930s. For a while Bob's father also played trombone in the group. Grandfather "Pop" Gray settled in Clovis to become the first band director at Clovis High and many of the children and grandchildren (including Bob) went on to become professional musicians. While at his beloved Austin High School Bob learned to play trumpet under the tutelage of his band director and later mentor, friend, and "second father" Bobby Booth. Bob excelled and earned a scholarship to North Texas (now UNT) as a Jazz trumpet major. Bob continued his studies at NMSU and UTEP where he was a proud member of TKE fraternity, and changed his major to Mass Communication. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of New York with a triple major in Music, Mass Communication and English. In his late teens and early 20s Bob played trumpet on the road with Ralph Marterie and Charlie Spivak. A shift to folk music in 1962 added banjo and guitar to his repertoire performing locally with the Tekewoods who had a top 40 record "Chamizal Blues" and "Bummin' Around" and on the road as a single act traveling with his friend Clark Maffitt (of Maffitt and Davies). While in Boulder, CO, he met his first wife Ronna, and returned to El Paso where he worked with his dad at Burns food brokerage and had three children: Jill, Cristin, and Kenton. A return to music, working for multiple radio stations, as Ted Bender's weather apprentice on Channel 9, Arts Coordinator for the city of El Paso, and a talent agency, had Bob involved with Music Under the Stars, Jazz Festivals, Senor Blues and other venues where he "rubbed elbows" and worked with well known artists too numerous to mention here. A move to Las Cruces in 1989 to continue his education at NMSU shifted his radio talents to KRWG-FM where he worked for over 20 years hosting and producing a variety of programs including his popular Jazz program "Burnsland". He worked for a time at KASK-FM with one of his El Paso heroes, Rudy Tellez, who had retired from producing the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson. While at KRWG-FM Bob met Nellie Nosbisch who became "Annie" of "Hoot & Annie". They toured the folk music and Western music circuits for 11 years and produced three albums. In 1993 Bob married Melody and acquired a singing partner for his music ministry. Bob had been music director at several churches and with Melody intermittently led and shared music in church services all over the southwest and other fun places like New York City, Mexico, Germany, and Norway. Melody is a former member of the Bruce Nehring consort in El Paso and they also had the privilege of touring overseas with Bruce and with NMSU's Masterworks Choir with Dr. Alt. After "Hoot & Annie" retired, Bob and Melody continued playing in concert halls and in schools as "Banjo Bob and Melody". Bob shared folk music with over 250,000 school children. In 1995 Bob co-founded the Las Cruces Music in the Park series with Mayor Ruben Smith, and continued to produce it for 10 years. At the same time Bob continued to play trumpet and sing with the Mike Caranda Orchestra (Big Band) and took over as leader in 2005 when he returned from Ventura, California where he spent 5 years sharing folk music in the schools, playing trumpet in 26 different bands in the LA area, and also singing with the Randy Van Horne Singers. After retiring the band in 2013, Bob continued to lead the Mesilla Valley Swing Band and serve on the board of Local #466 of the American Federation of Musicians where he was a proud member for 60 years. Bob also co-founded and presided over the Mesilla Valley Jazz and Blues Society and the Howling Coyote Coffeehouse/Open Mic. Bob was the first recipient of the Dona Ana Arts Council Community Arts Award and in 2015 was honored by a musical tribute at the Rio Grande Theatre where he received the first El Paso "Jazz Legends" award, and by a Las Cruces City Council proclamation that made June 3, 2015 "Bob Burns Day." He was so excited in 2016 to be named Austin High School's "Outstanding Ex"! In his career, Bob recorded ten albums, and published two songbooks and a book of stories from his life.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents George and Phyllis and his brothers Bill, Ed and Johnny. Bob is survived by his wife Melody, his children: Jill, Cristin (Dell), Kenny (Korey), six grandchildren: Kendall (Shawn), Ashley, Jessica (Brandon), Matt, Sydney and Chloe, four great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Kason, Lily and Jacob, cousins Neil and Delia, niece Kim, nephews Scott and Jason, sisters-in-Law Sherry, Nancy and Suzi and many, many friends.
His amazing passion and energy will be missed! No doubt he and Bobby Booth are now laughing and playing Herald trumpet duets.
Bob loved flowers but he would prefer donations be made to the Bob Burns Jazz Scholarship Fund (checks made to MVJBS PO Box 3031, Mesilla Park, NM 88047), First Christian Church-Las Cruces, KRWG, KTEP, Dona Ana Arts Council, Unity church, Wellspring Church, Center for Spiritual Living, or a charity of your choice in his honor.
His Celebration of Life Service was held Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on January 22, 2017.
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