From the desk of MARILYN RODGERS, mom and wife of Buckz Boyz, 2004
Buck Rodgers was in the music scene before he was born, believe it or not, because his dad Merle "Buck" Rodgers played bass and sang with Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys. These cowboys were one of the first recording artists in the country music scene in the beginning of recorded music!
Merle's harmonies wooed Buck's mom, Bonnie, all the way from Lubbock Texas 60 miles away to see his show after she heard him sing on the radio. When Bonnie saw the tall handsome performer strummin' and wailin' she couldn't let him go!
Buck was born while his dad was in the limelight and although his dad quit the stage to stay home and support his two sons, Bonnie always encouraged Buck and Lee to sing and play. And that's what they did.
Buck played and sang his way all through high school till his band "Bill Rodgers & the Heartbreakers", complete with a full horn section, was #1. After high school Buck went in the Navy and left the stage for awhile. He returned to civilian life, found the Las Vegas stage and screen, performed with dozens of extremely talented and well known entertainers, and eventually made his own original music with his band, the "Allright Family Band" for many years. Now he appears on lots of Hawaii island stages playing his trombone with his son and Buckz Boyz own, Jai with BET, Natural Vibes, & Simplisity, to name a few.
For the past 10 years, Buck has been producing and helping everyone he meets with musical talent by showcasing artists on his musical TV show called "Buck Rodgers Hawaiian Beat". Currently you can find his videos on "Star Tracks" at 7 pm every Friday evening on Channel 52.
Buck had a bunch of children (remember Kimsheree, the weather girl)! And now with his wife Marilyn (he calls her his "administrator"), he has raised his two teenaged and most talented musical songwriters, players, and singers, Jai and Danny Rodgers. They proudly call themselves BUCKZ BOYZ. These boys were first introduced by that name when they played China's Classic Women Longboard Competition in Waikiki last year. They were flanked by numerous professional musicians Jaime Calder , James "Cowboy" Koller, Andy "Dr. Sax" Sexton, & Tyler Marks.
Jai Rodgers is a 23-year-old graduate of Kalaheo High School who earned a music scholarship from UH by playing trombone in the high school band. Danny Rodgers is a 15-year-old who has been strongly influenced by his music teachers George Poliahu and Kevin Hopkins. Danny was honored to be one of 6 students in his 7th grade band to perform in the Honors Concert Band at McKinley High. Both boys learned some guitar basics and horns from their music teachers.
These two boys have been watching their dad perform on television and most recently with Oahu's B.E.T. and Simplisity. They join dad in shows and backstage when dad videotapes talent for his TV show. Aside from music being in their bloodstream, they have been inspired byAndy Sexton, Simplisity, Kevin Hopkins, BET, Sugahdaddy, James Koller, Opihi Pickers, Kale Imua, and the list goes on.
These boys will continue the exceptional legacy started by their classic grandfather "Buck", and by their ever-popular dad "Buck"!
Welcome the youthful, energetic, and refreshingly talented "Buckz Boyz"!
