Robert 'BOBBY' Lee Balderrama is a living musical pioneer, who, along with the peers of his day, has had a direct influence on many of the popular artists for generations. He has a unique view of musical history, not simply because he has lived it, but because he has provided significant musical contributions through his artistic integrity and remarkable talent. His music and lyrics come together and are brought to life by his passion, desire, love, and complete dedication for his craft. No matter from his Garage/Punk contributions to his current Smooth Jazz contributions and everything in between, Bobby is an artist who continually strives to better himself; raising the bar ever higher after he has already set it.

Bobby is known first and foremost as the founding member and original guitarist, backing vocalist, and songwriter with Question Mark and the Mysterians; that historically significant band credited with creating and originating the musical genre 'GARAGE ROCK/PUNK' in the early 1960's. Imagine a group of five boys, ages 14 to 21 (Bobby was 15), hailing from a small Mid-Michigan town called Bay City, penning one of music's most widely recognized songs; a staple of classic radio broadcasts all around the globe to this day. As Steve Huey of All Music Guide has stated, "It only took one song, the organ-driven number one smash "96 Tears", to make ? & the Mysterians into garage rock legends...the Mysterians sound helped lay down an important part of the garage rock blueprint...they were one of the first Latino rock groups to have a major hit...one of the prime suspects in the evolution of Garage Rock into early Punk."

Indeed, this one historical event, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 Charting single during the week of October 29, 1966, "96 Tears", set Bobby on a course full of historical consequences. His recollections are myriad; and include hearing John Lennon acknowledging "96 Tears" as one of the best pop songs ever written. He remembers also sitting in a New York hotel room with his bandmates and Cameo-Parkway Records Artist and Repertoire head, Neil Bogart, awaiting a phone call from the Ed Sullivan Show to replace The Rolling Stones, who were originally scheduled to perform but needed to change the lyric of their 1967 hit "Let's Spend The Night Together" to the more family-friendly "let's spend some time together." The Rolling Stones DID perform however, and without the lyrical change. Those early years continue to gift Bobby with memories of musicians whom he performed with and/or knew personally; the likes of Jim McCarty of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and The Rockets, Joe Kelley of The Shadows of Knight, Rick Derringer, Joe "King" Carrasco, Robby Krieger of the Doors, and as the opening act for The Yardbirds during the days of Jimmy Page.

Reminiscing through the middle years, it is apparent that those indeed were truly difficult years...they were those lean years where a Legacy Artist, like Bobby, who has had a smash #1 Billboard Charting hit and enjoyed immeasurable early success, but through no fault of his own, found himself taken advantage of by a record company, a manager, a publisher, and the like, either through misappropriation or deceit or worse...a similar story echoed time and time again by many an artist during the early history of rock 'n' roll. Bobby never quit or went away, he simply continued to create musically. He went on to become the guitarist and backing vocalist with "The King Of Tex-Mex Rock and Roll" Joe "King" Carrasco; guitarist and backing vocalist with Latin Music singing sensation Liliana Rokita; founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist of Robert Lee Band (Blues); founding member, guitarist, songwriter of Robert Lee Revue (Smooth Jazz); founding member, guitarist, and vocalist of The Mysterians and a featured guitarist on the recent #1 Billboard Smooth Jazz Airplay Chart hit single entitled, "Any Moment" with Le Sonic. Throughout the years, Bobby's influence has never waned, but has matured and been nurtured by each generation.

Again, no matter from his Garage/Punk contributions to his current Smooth Jazz contributions and everything in between, Bobby is an artist who continually strives to better himself; raising the bar ever higher after he has already set it. - William Kelly Milionis