So who is Keith Reding?
I was born a small child (as most people are) in southeastern Arkansas. In the 6th grade, I started beginner band and played trumpet. I continued to play until I graduated high school. Also in high school, I started to play drums and guitar.
When I graduated high school in 1981 (you do the math), I went to college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Go Hogs! I played some guitar and sang with the Sigma Nu fraternity band but that certainly was not a major use of my free time. After the U. of A., I went to graduate school at Ole Miss and then at the University of Georgia where I earned a Ph.D. in 1991. During that time, I was not very involved in music except for playing guitar at the departmental parties.
After working at the University of Minnesota and then the US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, I took a job with Monsanto and moved with my wife and daughter to St. Louis, MO. At that time, I started to get back into music.
My first gig was at Stovall's Grove in Gray Summit, MO , where I convinced the manager to let me play for beer one Thursday night per month. There were never many people in the bar on a Thursday night but I did allow me to gain some experience and develop a small following.
In 1999, we moved to Valley Park, MO from Ballwin, MO. I found a bar at Hwy 141 and Vance named Cheers. Ace and Jackie Pasquarello, who are now very good friends of mine, hosted a jam session there every Sunday from 7 pm until 11 pm. I remember the first time I walked into that bar with my acoustic guitar. Ace and Jackie were very nice and let me play and sing some country songs. I became a regular at the jam session and did not miss a Sunday for about 4 years.
In about 2000, Ace and Jackie asked me to join their band, Capt. Kick Ass. I played rhythm guitar and sang. We were mostly a rock band but also did some country. This was a great learning experience for me.
In about 2002, Ace and I started playing as an acoustic duo called ToneWood. I played at upscale restaurants, wineries, and private parties. We even had a recurring gig every Saturday night on the Robert E. Lee Riverboat until they closed down and later moved to Kimmswick, MO.
In 2003, Ace and I started another band called Sax Appeal. We were a three-piece band where I was singing and playing drums. We had several gigs booked under this name when our sax player decided he could not stay with the band. Because of the name, we definitely needed a sax player. So, I decided to give it a try. We got our friend Jim Berilla to play drums and I tried out sax. It was rough at first but after a few months I was not too bad. This arrangement gave the band the flexibility to play different instruments depending on the song. Ace would play piano, guitar, and bass and I would play sax/trumpet, guitar or bass.
In 2005, I decided to join Shiloh Band to get back into country music. We played the local west county country bars about 10 times per month. Although I enjoyed it very much, after one year, that amount of playing became too much for me. I decided to look for a band that fit my interests but played only a few times per month.
In November 2005, I auditioned for Planet Boogie as a trumpet player. This band played all dance music and typically performes three times per month. They asked me to join their band and I started playing with them in January 2006. I enjoy it very much and the reduced schedule allowed me to occasionally play other gigs as a country or rock band. I played in this band until June 2007. Several of the members decided to leave for other projects. I left with the sax player to join a band called All Mixed Up.
I also formed a country/rock band named JamBerilla as an outlet for country and classic rock. The band's name was derived from our drummer's name, Jim Berilla. Click on the Bands link for more information on JamBerilla. We play about once every two months at bars, weddings, and other private parties.
Regards,
Keith