MT. MORRIS — The Mt. Morris Jamboree is pleased and proud to announce the return to our band shell stage of local legend Lyle Grobe and the Rhythm Ramblers on July 14. This band, who’s appeared during all five Friday Concert seasons, always has the crowds line-dancing on the grass to toe-tapping while sitting in lawn chairs and on the new benches.
Lyle Grobe has been performing for many years starting in the early 1950s with two brothers, Harry and Richard Hackbarth. They appeared at many shows in the Lee County area for years. They began moving into the Ogle County area in the late 1950s at venues such as Castle Rock Bar on IL Route 2 in Oregon.
Grobe then went a different direction later on where he was a radio announcer for WIXN which is now River Country 101.7. He then began an era in his life of being a night club owner when he owned and managed Skyline Lounge in Dixon. During this time some of the current Rhythm Ramblers joined him. Many years have come and gone and Grobe still, with the love of music, keeps the band going by having weekly band rehearsals in his garage both summer and winter. Many a musician has stopped and “picked” a tune or two.
The lead guitarist in the band is Frank Evans from Sterling. Evans was an important player in the Skyline days bringing his lead guitarist experience to the stage. His playing brings so much to the band with his country/rock sound.

The drummer in the band has been with Grobe since the Skyline days also. Dennis Milby comes from Sterling. Milby does a great job on drums and also does a lot of back-up singing with Grobe during performances. Milby, throughout the years, has also been in other bands playing around the Sterling area.
The bass player these days is none other than Marvin Kunde. Kunde comes to the band with experience and a background that also put him in the radio field for a time also DJing at WIXN back in the day. He then went on to being the head chef at White Pines for a period of time. He also does a great job of singing the older Jimmy Reeves songs that were so popular back in the day.
Lisa Allen-Grobe is the female singer in the band. Coming from Sterling, she has been with the band for a few years. She brings to the stage the songs of Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and other Women of Country Music.
Jim Miller returns to the band after playing with them back in the 1970s, bringing prodigious talent to the Ramblers with excellent keyboard, harmonica, banjo and singing skills.When he’s not gigging with the Ramblers, he can be heard presenting solo and duet shows at various venues in the area.
The two hour show starts at 7 p.m. and is free to the public with any donations being entirely optional. Concessions for the evening are provided by the Mt. Morris Senior Center, who will be serving BBQ sandwiches, chips, soda or water and Dilly Bars starting at 6 p.m.
The Mt. Morris Jamboree committee is committed to helping seniors through programs, services and events and is a nonprofit organizations.
Be sure to check out all the good locally grown produce and other foods and crafts available at the Mt. Morris Community Farmers Market held in the bank parking lot at the corner of Wesley Ave. and IL Route 64 from 4-7 p.m., every Friday through October. The rain location for the concert and concessions is the Mt. Morris Moose Lodge, at 101 Moose Dr. just off of E. Hitt St. at the same times.