About the Band Members
 

Tommy Howser

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Tommy started playing drums in a 50's/60's Rock-n-Roll band called J. J. and the Del-Tones in San Antonio. After a stint of several years as a San Antonio policeman, he moved to Houston in 1968 and played country music with various bands, such as Jim Kinner's Country Rhythm Masters and Frankie Vee and the Village Boys. He is one of the co-founders of The River Road Boys. Tommy works with Playboys II on occasion, and has played drums behind other artists such as George Strait, Merle Haggard, Hank Thompson, Charlie Walker, Johnny Rodriguez, Floyd Tillman, Clif Bruner, and others. The guys in the band appreciate Tommy so much because he plays all styles so tastefully, whether it is swing, light rock, latin beat, jazz, pop music, waltz, polka or marches. Tommy has been inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California, the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, and the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. He plays drums and sings back-up vocals with the band, and lives in Tomball, Texas with his wife, Vivian.

E-Mail: Drumhead1@sbcglobal.net
 

Bill Dessens

Bill started playing mandolin at age 4 in Rockdale, Texas, and by age 5, had a radio show with his 10 year old brother, Frank. By about age 9, he was also playing fiddle, guitar, tenor banjo, bass and steel guitar. He has been recording, doing radio and TV shows, and has been in one movie since then, and played and recorded with Austin's Dolores and the Bluebonnet Boys during college days. Between semesters, he had a studio in Austin, and taught guitar and steel guitar. He has always played Western Swing music, and has worked with or played in backup bands with many varied people, from Bing Crosby and Phil Harris to the Bob Hope Telethon, Hank Williams, Sr., Freddy Fender, Hank Thompson, Johnny Gimble, Clif Bruner, George Morgan, Jim Gough, Pappy Selph and others. He also played with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Band for 14 years. He has been inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California, the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, the Western Swing Music Society of the Southwest Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. Bill sings and plays fiddle and lead guitar with The River Road Boys, and lives in Houston, Texas with his wife, Norma.

E-Mail: bdessens@sbcglobal.net
 

Shelly Lee Alley, Jr.

Shelly is the son of Western Swing pioneer Shelly Lee Alley and is also half-brother to one of The River Road Boys' founders, Clyde Brewer. Being born into a musical family, Shelly began playing music at an early age, first the mandolin and then the guitar and bass. The guitar would prove to be his favorite. At age 16, with brother Clyde's help, he began playing guitar with Red Novak and The Sundowners. After a 4 year stint in the Air Force, Shelly began playing guitar with Clyde in the Village Boys band, led by Frankie Vee. For the next several years, music became very much part-time as he pursued his career as an air traffic controller. He had played with The River Road Boys on many occasions before becoming a permanent member of the band. He sings and plays rhythm and lead guitar with the band, and is a Hall of Fame member in both the Northwest Western Swing Music Society in Seattle, Washington, and The Western Swing Society in Sacramento, California. Shelly is also a full-time minister of the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ, and lives in Houston with his wife, Susan.

E-Mail: shellyalley@zurvita.com
 

Jim Johnson

Jim was born near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and grew up singing with different church and gospel groups, once singing with the Oak Ridge Boys. He attended Lee College in Cleveland, Tennessee, and was ordained as a minister and preached in Michigan. After realizing that his real calling in life was to sing, he re-located to Houston in the mid-70's. He began singing with various groups, and then saw the River Road Boys at a street dance in Alvin, Texas and quickly decided that this was the band he wanted to be singing with. He was invited to join the band as lead vocalist in 1982. In 2001 Jim retired and moved back to Tennessee, but couldn't get this music out of his mind. He moved back to Houston in 2006 and re-joined the band. His genuine pleasure in singing is always very evident at all the band's performances, and he is recognized as truly one of the very best and versatile singers in the country. Jim has been inducted into the Western Swing Society Hall of Fame in California and the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, and lives in Tomball, Texas with his wife, Barbara.

E-Mail: jrj355@sbcglobal.net
 

Ralph "Dusty" Stewart

Dusty grew up in Houston, teaching himself to play the steel guitar. He played with various bands around the Houston area and was soon sought after by many big time artists. He worked with Ben Christian, Jerry Jericho and Harry Choates of "Jole Blon" fame, but got his first big break when he went with the legendary Hank Thompson and the Brazos Valley Boys. From there he enlisted in the USAF, serving two years. He then went to work with Hoyle Nix and the Texas Cowboys in Big Spring, Texas for several years. In 1976 he moved back to Houston, and was invited to join The River Road Boys as their first regular steel guitarist. After 14 years, Dusty retired to a slower life by leaving The River Road Boys to begin playing various local oprys in South Texas. He has now re-joined The River Road Boys as their regular steel guitarist. Dusty, who is very well known by Western Swing artists and fans around the country, has been inducted into the Sacramento, California Western Swing Society Hall of Fame and the Northwest Western Swing Music Society Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington, and lives in Dickinson, Texas with his wife, Ginny.

E-Mail:  dustystewart@comcast.net
 

Booking Information

The band can be booked for engagements by contacting:
Vivian Howser (Secretary)
at (281) 290-7255, or (281) 989-0341
22011 Rosewood Trail, Tomball, Texas  77377

E-Mail:  riverroadboys@sbcglobal.net

Playing and Show Schedule

January 28, 2012
Crosby, Texas - Crosby American Legion Hall
Crosby Stomp Reunion
8:00 - 12:00 PM

February 5, 2012
Wallis, Texas - American Legion Hall
Sponsored by John and Marlys Rivard
Help Us Celebrate Texas!
Admission is Free
1:00 - 5:00 PM

February 14, 2012
Humble, Texas - Humble Civic Center
Sponsored by Harris County Precinct 4
1:30 - 4:30 PM

March 4, 2012
      Special Event      
Western Swing Cruise with The River Road Boys
Aboard the Royal Caribbean's fabulous Mariner of the Seas!
We sail from Galveston on March 4th and return on March 11th.
Click Here for Details