THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411240283
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: John Harper
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Kevin Roughton, Tom Scheel, Kelly Roberts, Jeff Walker and Dan DeGregory are The Amazing Love Tractors. All five members of the band play or have played with various Outer Banks' bands. Let's shake the family tree:
Roughton and Scheel are The Wilders. Jeff Walker plays in a bluegrass band called Shorefire. DeGregory plays drums and guitar with several Outer Banks bands. Occasionally, Roughton does a solo act. Roughton, Scheel and Walker play as a trio from time to time. And depending on the venue, Roberts sometimes makes the trio into a quartet.
Roughton, Scheel and Roberts formed the Amazing Love Tractors in l992. Walker originally handled sound for the band. But his real ambition was to play.
``I was going to ease into music any way I could,'' says Walker. Eventually, Walker moved on stage as a harmonica player and singer. He stills works sound, only now he does it from the stage.
``It's my main job. I help the band produce high-quality sound.''
Walker brings years of sound experience to the band, having worked with The Country Cadillacs, One Tribe and Johnny Paycheck.
Kevin Roughton is a guitarist and the band's lead singer. He's played in bands since he was 13. Roughton spent years studying classical guitar.
Tom Scheel plays bass and sings. Scheel has a bachelor's degree in applied percussion and a master's degree in orchestral conducting from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Scheel also writes and arranges.
DeGregory plays the drums and sings. He's a liberal arts graduate of the University of Virginia.
Kelly Roberts is The Tractors' lead guitarist. His Fender, Martin and Gibson guitars played through Marshall amplifiers give the band an authentic classic rock sound. Most of the major players of the '70s and '80s such as Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and B.B. King played with the tube amplifier sound.
Most of the band's repertoire is cover tunes of Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Eagles and Little Feat.
The Tractors don't ignore the rock 'n' roots of the '50s. Elvis and Carl Perkins are covered. Every song features at least two-part harmony. The Tractors' close harmony is showcased on Beatles' songs such as ``Nowhere Man,'' ``We Can Work It Out,'' and ``I've Just Seen a Face.''
Walker makes no secret of the band's direction.
``We try to capture a different audience. Let's face it, most bands ignore the over-30 crowd.''
How do the old rockers stay focused?
Walker says the band's hierachy is like ``Star Trek.''
``Kevin is Captain Kirk, our leader. Tom is Mr Spock, he keeps us on course and I'm more like Scotty because I'm technically sound.''
Walker admits that are some hazards playing classic rock in a bar.
``Somebody always yells `Free Bird,'(Lynard Skynard burnt-out oldie) and we feel obligated to play it. But we take liberties. One night, the band played a reggae version of the song. The guy was happy and we didn't have to play such an overplayed song.''
Even when the Tractors are in the barn, the members stay active. The various duos, trios and quartets play. Walker plays in Shorefire, a bluegrass group. Tom Scheel is writing songs that he hopes will be heard and recorded.
But for now, The Amazing Love Tractors are playing all over North Carolina.
``If our music takes somewhere, that's OK,'' says Walker. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JAMIE JAMISON
The Amazing Love Tractors' members are, from left, Jeff Walker,
Kelly Roberts, Tom Scheel and Kevin Roughton.
WHERE & WHEN
Who: Amazing Love Tractors
When: Friday
Where: Captain's Watch Restaurant, Point Harbor
by CNB