About Us

Roger is an outstanding musician, playing pretty much anything with strings and a little bit of piano when the mood strikes. He’s a multi-award winner in various contests for Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro, Fiddle and Vocals. He’s a member of the National Traditional Country Music Association Hall of Fame and was honored as 2019 BMAI Dobro player of the year. In addition to his musical talents, Roger spent many years working as a mechanic and over the road truck driver. He can fix anything that has a motor or moving parts. He loves old cars, old tractors, antique garden tractors, animals and his family. Roger’s daughter, Bobbi Jo, Mrs. Randy Faaborg, has three kids, Shelbi, Shelden and Stetsen. Shelbi added a great-grandson, Kaesin, to the family in October 2019. Bobbi Jo is an LPN, ambulance transport driver and all around hard working mother, rancher and farmer. Randy is a Deputy Sheriff and owns a mobile communications company. Roger’s son, Marty, has four kids, Alison, Lindsay, Katelynn and Brianna. Marty is an over the road truck driver and, like his dad, is a master mechanic and motorcycle rider. Roger is currently enjoying his “semi-retirement” as he hauls grain for the neighbor. His hobbies include restoring classic automobiles and tractors and playing music. See the image gallery below for some of our favorite Roger pictures.

Vanessa is one of the most awarded vocalists in Nebraska, having won dozens of International, National, Regional and Local Country Music contests beginning in the 70’s. Besides being a powerful singer, she’s also been awarded for her guitar and mandolin picking. She mostly plays rhythm guitar for the band but can occasionally be seen playing the upright bass or drums. She’s a member of the NTCMA Hall of Fame, a nashville recording artist and is often seen on RFD-TV’s Midwest Country Show. Her full time work is as a cattle rancher on the Kenaston home place in North Central Nebraska. The ranch that she operates has been in the family for over 125 years. She’s one tough gal, often wranglin’ calves twice her size, plus ropin’ and ridin’, feedin’, fixin’, fencin’, hayin’, doctorin’ and doin’ whatever it takes to keep the cows fat and happy. The cow-calf operation keeps her busy year round from calvin’ in the spring, movin’, workin’ and sortin’ cows and hayin’ through the summer, to feeding in the winter. She’s a cuttin’ horse riding champion, loves to fish and spend time with family. Vanessa has two sons. Clifford and his wife Brittany have two girls, Bailey and Mia. Clifford also helps his mom on the ranch and has his own cattle herd and custom haying business. Brittany is an RN at the Bassett, NE hospital. Vanessa’s second son, Jesse, is on the run helping his mom at the Kenaston ranch, his dad at the Heese farm & ranch and he also has a guided hunting service for birds, big game, small game and preditors. Click on this link for more information about guided hunting packages from H and H Hunts. Vanessa loves the outdoors, is an expert in animal husbandry, has a green thumb and a love for gardening and flowers. Though she’d like to slow down and do more fishing, she stays busy all the time tending to her cows, more like pets, and all her other critters. See the image gallery below for some of our favorite Vanessa pictures.

Johnny Butten is the newest member of the Kenastons, joining the band in 2022. A family friend for over 30 years, it took most of those 30 years for him to find his way back to the United States from Somerset, England. He now calls Springview, Nebraska his home where he’s become a real Old-West, Cattle Ropin’ and Chasin’, Gardenin’, Jack of All Trades, Midwesterner. Johnny is an amazing talent on fiddle, guitar, anything else with strings and does some mighty fine singing too. He’s a true master at the five string banjo and is honored to have the World’s Fastest Banjo record at 260 beats per minute as awarded by the Guiness Book of World Records in 2009. A record that stands to this day. Johnny also creates custom recordings for people all over the world, depending on their needs, he adds his musical and production skills to all different genres of musical compilations. When Johnny doesn’t have a musicial instrument in his hand, he’s working on his motorcycle, turning wrenches, or building and doing work as a finish carpenter. He’s never at a stand still, always in a hurry and if you need something done, ask him, he’ll make it happen.

Sharon, well, that’ me, so let me tell you a bit about myself. I have loved country music since I was very young and was allowed to tag along with my parents to dances whenever I could. I started playing guitar when I was 15 and was singing and playing bass in a band when I was 16. I first met the Kenaston family in 1987 when I attended my first music festival in Ainsworth, NE. It wasn’t until 1994 that I would start dating Roger and we were married in 1995 making June 17, 2020 our 25th wedding anniversary. Like my talented family and friends, I have a few accolades, trophies and honors including membership into the National Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame. I’ve been employed in office type jobs and some unusual jobs over the years such as lawn care office management, janitorial service management, rural newspaper delivery, pizza delivery, sewing inspector, hotel reservationist, photo developer, insurance office assistant, bookkeeper, typesetter, full-time care giver, funeral home office manager and more. I’ve been the director of the Wahoo Country Music Show for 24 years, have published newsletters, designed websites, recorded, mixed and mastered audio recordings and created artwork for publication. In 2014 I became a full time college student and earned an Associates Degree in Accounting in December 2015. I’m a technology geek, I recently discovered I love to paint and do crafty, creative things, I enjoy walking barefoot in the grass and planning the next event or gathering of friends. You’ve probably already read about the Kenaston family and know Roger has two kids and seven grandkids and one year old great grandson. I do not have any children of my own, only Roger’s wonderful kids. I come from a rather large family, the youngest of six, and my dad was one of 15, my mother was one of 12. So, there’s lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews in my life and the family continues to grow exponentially. When I’m not, planning, preparing, promoting or preserving music, I am an avid sports fan. I especially love Husker football and volleyball but enjoy watching just about any type of sporting event. I love being with family and friends, playing board games, exploring new technology and going South for the winter to play music and escape the cold and snow. Click the image gallery below for a few of my favorite Sharon pictures.

Bobbi Jo is the happy little drummer with the band when she’s not busy wranglin’ kids, hospital patients or cows. She adds plenty of delightful lead and harmony vocals and occassionally you’ll find her playing the upright bass or rhythm guitar too. She is often requested to drum on recording projects and at festivals with more entertainers than she can count. She has been an LPN at Valley County Health in Ord, NE for many years. In addition, she is on-call for patient transport by ambulance to larger hospitals, she has a few critters to take care of, she helps the neighbors with cattle and farming, and she’s one fantastic mother to her three kids, Shelbi, Shelden and Stetsen. The neighbor kids and school pals know they are loved as much at Bobbi’s house as they are at home. Bobbi is married to Randy Faaborg after a beautiful wedding in the Spring of 2020. Randy is a deputy sheriff and has been an awesome dad to the kids. And, he’s all about the music, being a John Phillip Sousa award winner in his high school days. Bobbi’s daughter, Shelbi, mother of one year old boy, Kaesin, is a lovely young lady, very intelligent, very resilient, and is an incredible mother. Bobbi’s oldest son, Shelden, is a recent graduate of Ord High School and he’s currently working as a hunt guide and all around handyman with his cousin, Jesse Heese. He is a great young man, has a lovely girlfriend, Emilee, and he works hard at mechanics, farming, cattle and all things rural. And finally, Bobbi’s youngest, Stetsen, is learning all he can in school, working for his dad on occasion and is constantly using his big heart to make sure everyone else is doing ok. Bobbi has been blessed with a great husband, her awesome kids and one cutie pie grandson. Taking care of everyone has been Bobbi’s thing for a long time so it’s no wonder she’s in the medical field. She’s an excellent cook and baker, loves to hunt and fish, and always shows her beautiful smile. If there were such a thing as free time, she’d spend it cooking and taking care of her family, just like she does every day. Click the image gallery below for some of our favorite Bobbi pictures.

Roger and Sharon spend most of the winter, from early December through the middle of March, in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Over the years they have worked with their favorite friends and musicians to provide some of the best, live, dance music in the valley. They most notably have worked Wednesday’s at the Riverside Club Event Center in Mission and Thursdays at Winks (now Mel’s Honky Tonk) in Brownsville. Through their performances in the Midwest and the Rio Grande Valley, they have enjoyed a dedicated fan base, affectionately referred to as The Rowdy Bunch. These friends are often in attendance at every possible performance. The Kenastons have been Valley Star Award nominees for Country Band of the Year several times and are scheduled for numerous performances, shows and dances in the valley this season. The Kenastons will again be working with local talent, Epi Martinez on drums and vocals. Epi is a local legend in Texas Cojunto Music, playing Bajo Sexto, Drums and various other instruments in the local, traditional style. He started his music career at 8 years old playing drums in his mom and dad’s traditional country dance band and enjoys spending the Winter Texan season playing drums with the Kenastons and singing along with some of his favorite old country songs. Epi is a remarkable entertainer and the crowd always enjoys Epi’s mother, Cruz, who occasionally joins him on stage for a South Texas flavored country tune or two. Joining us again for the 2022/2023 season is, Mike Hughes of Oregon, MO. A multi-talented instrumentalist and vocalist, Mike adds his vocals on some of the best traditional country dance music along with old time rock and roll and rock-a-billy tunes. He’ll be playing rhythm guitar for the Kenastons again this season but will also offer his work on bass and lead guitar from time to time. Recently, Mike was awarded “Honky-Tonk Music CD of the Year” for his recording, “To Make An Angel Cry”. He’s currently recording another album which is certain to be well received. Dedicated to traditional country dance music, Mike is looking forward to working with the Kenastons again this season. Combining efforts with Barry and Linda Burton (AKA High Country) of Bethany, MO for the 2022 season has been an exciting and excellent combination. Barry is a very talented steel guitar and lead guitar player and he provides vocals on many songs by request. His wife, Linda, is a solid bass player and an incredibly gifted singer. Her recent recording, Beneath Still Waters, was produced by Justin Trevino and released in 2022. It showcases Linda’s great vocals and her love for traditional country music. The Burtons, together with the Kenastons, Epi Martinez and Mike Hughes do indeed have the “biggest band and are the biggest name in the valley” billed as Roger Kenaston with High Country, Mike Hughes and Epi Martinez. Also throughout the winter, other friends and family will join in as their time permits. Roger’s sister, Vanessa, plans to be in the valley for a couple weeks mid-season if she can get away from feeding her cattle for a little while. Stay tuned to the website and schedule for updates and details of special performers and added performances. We’re available for additional bookings this season and next and we’re willing to cover for last minute cancellations, or know someone who can. We are dedicated to promoting ourselves with advertising, flyers and fan support. Give Sharon a call to check for availabilty anytime at 402-936-0638.

The Rowdy Bunch

Riverside Club. Mission - 2019

Winks, Brownsville - 2015