The Blue Band legacy started June 10, 1981, and throughout their 20-year endeavor has acquired a dedicated fan base of all ages and has become one of Iowa’s most revered and requested bands. The band has been tagged as "The best damn rockin’ soul dance band in the heartland…" by The Mississippi Valley Blues Society. Originally called "Bobby’s Blue Band (an obvious tongue-in-cheek play on blues icon Bobby Blue Bland), The Blue Band is a 6-7 piece group performing original and cover blues, soul, rockabilly, and r&b grooves. The band includes founding members, bandleader Bob Dorr and his unmistakable lead vocals (Dorr can also be credited with a 29+year career at KUNI-FM, for which he was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association Hall of Fame in September 2000.); and Jeff Petersen on his 1968 Gibson Flying V guitar, lap steel guitar, vocals, and song writing. Heath Alan, on tenor and alto sax and rhythm guitar; has been a member with the group for 5 years; and Bryce Janey, a second-generation Iowa bluesman (Billylee Janey is his dad) on guitar, is just finishing his 3rd year with the group in addition to sustaining a solo career. New to the full time lineup, but heard on all Blue Band CDs since 1996 is Iowa Blues and Jazz Hall of Famer, Sam Salomone, on Hammond organ and organ bass; Brian Connett, longtime Des Moines area drummer on the skins: and appearing on numerous shows in 2002-Iowa AND Nebraska Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Gary King, on Tenor and Baritone saxes. On occasion the band is joined by guest musicians to create the old-time Revue atmosphere. These musicians include internationally recognized Telecaster guitar man, Billy Lee Janey; one of Iowa’s premier tenor saxophone players, Phillip Marlow; and organ player Tom Giblin, just to name a few. The Band plays 125-175 dates a year performing at live music venues, summer festivals, and private functions. The band generally travels within a 300-mile area of their home base in Eastern Iowa including Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Chicago. The band also performs in Summit County Colorado yearly and has performed at Bluestock International Convention & Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Starting its 3rd decade, it is something old and something new: The 2002 Blue Band is reinventing itself nightly. Be a part of the change! ·

        Bob Dorr has been a mover and shaker in the Eastern Iowa regional music scene for over two decades as the leader of The Blue Band and as host of many music shows on Public Radio KUNI-FM. Dorr’s legacy with the Blue Band began in June 1981, originally called "Bobby’s Blue Band" and became "The Blue Band" shortly thereafter. Although Dorr is talented on various instruments including the harmonica and percussion, his voice is best instrument. Not only has Dorr made his own band a success, but has provided valuable exposure for other regional bands through the use of his highly popular radio show on KUNI-FM. Bob began his tenure at KUNI-FM in October of 1972 and for his 29 years of entertaining listeners with his solid knowledge of music history and interviews with highly noted rock and blues figures, he was inducted into the Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Association Hall of Fame in September 2000. 

Jeff Petersen

        Jeff Petersen, guitar, is one of the Eastern Iowa Region’s best guitar players and a founding member of The Blue Band. He has performed for over 30 years, playing a customized 1968 Gibson Flying V Guitar. Originally from Clinton, Iowa, Jeff started playing guitar at the age of 14 after hearing the Beatles and was further influenced by B.B. King, the Allman Brothers, and Eric Clapton. After a 10-year stint with the Headstone Band, Jeff helped institute The Blue Band along side with Blue Band front man, Bob Dorr. Jeff has played in a variety of venues and has opened for national acts such as Freddy King and Johnny Winter. According to Jeff, he’s trying to find that one perfect note and takes life one day at a time. He explained, "I don’t care how big the crowd is, I just love to play." 

Heath Alan

        Heath Alan, tenor and alto sax and rhythm guitar, comes from a strong family music heritage, which encouraged him to start playing the harmonica at eight years of age. "I just starting playing whatever I heard. If I could sing it, I could play it. All I knew was that it was fun and I could do it naturally." says Heath. Although Heath couldn’t read written music, he could play by ear well enough to fool his teachers until high school. At that time he realized if he was to be an educated musician he needed to learn to read music. After professional lessons, Heath captured a few local and national classical performance competitions including awards from the National Association of Jazz Educators and the Iowa Bandmasters Association. It was during his college study of classical music that Heath realized his heart was not one hundred percent into his studies. With influences from John Lennon, Roy Orbison, and Bob Dylan, Heath joined a rock and roll band in 1992 and then became a member of The Blue Band in 1996. Heath states, "I am back at a place where I can play more like I did when I was a kid." In addition to The Blue Band works, Heath has recently released his self-titled, debut CD. 

        Although Sam is now a more permanent member of The Blue Band sitting behind the keyboard of his Hammond B3 organ, he has contributed to Blue Band works for the past 5 years. Prior to his works with Iowa-known acts like The Blue Band and Billy Lee Janey, Salomone started his impressive blues and jazz career in the early 60s. With the influences of Little Richard and Ray Charles--Jerry Lee Lewis being the one to ignite his passion--Sam started his career touring with names like Del Shannon and The Duprees. Sam bought his first Hammond B3 organ in 1965 and after studying theory and harmony at Grand View College, he made his move to jazz. Since those days Salomone has toured from Coast to Coast and within the Midwest including Chicago and Kansas City, but has in recent years decided to stay closer to home. His work in Iowa has not gone without notice. Sam was inducted to the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001 as well as the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame in January of 2002. 

        Brian Connett, coined, "Central Iowa’s first call blues drummer" from the Central Iowa Blues Society-Blues Crier News, followed in his father’s footsteps and started playing the drums when he was 6 years of age. Playing along with albums in his parent’s basement and learning the fundamentals and techniques of drumming from his father, Brian has "drummed up" some impressive stats. He started to play with live bands around the age of 18 and is currently the drummer for the Thursday Night Jam band and the After Work Party at Blues on Grand in Des Moines, in addition to his new endeavor with The Blue Band. Brian has played with well-known local and regional bands such as the Soul Searchers, The Delta Kings, and Fat Tuesday and has opened for nationally known acts like Delbert McClinton and Johnny Winter. Brian attributes his unique style of drumming through his years of experience and playing with great musicians, blending a bit of each into his own act. 

        This Rock and Roll Hall of Famer (1995 Nebraska, 2002 Iowa Inductee) began his music career in the 2nd or 3rd grade with the piano and moved on to the clarinet by the 5th grade. By the 8th grade he was convinced by his friend, Roger Hughes, a violinist turned guitarist and now fellow Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, to add the sax. It was to the boys’ observations that a rock and roll band attracted more young ladies than chamber orchestra concerts. Just out of college, Gary played with "The Bands of Gold" who contracted with Mercury Record’s Smash label. Gary then put 30+ years of teaching music. (During this time Gary played weekends in various venues which provided enough distraction to avoid killing something small in the halls during the week!) In recent years, Gary has been active in the Cedar Rapids Blues Scene playing with Billy Lee Janey, Bryce Janey, Don Sohl (Nebraska), The Smoke Ring (Nebraska), Lyle Beaver and the Brass Notes (Iowa City), as well as touring with The Blue Band on special occasions.

        Bryce Janey, guitar and vocals, joined The Blue Band 1999. Bryce grew up in the Cedar Rapids-based family band "The Janeys" and has been playing since he was 13 years old. His talented voice and raw guitar sound has captured national attention and has been featured in several trade publications. Since 1991 he has released four solo CDs and his latest solo endeavor, Bare Wire, met with rave reviews from Blues Access, Blues Revue, and Scene Magazine. Bryce comments, "I try to come out and play like an original, not a copy. I want to play with simplicity and sound like an old master rather than copying someone else."