Moondogs

BURT COMPTON

DRUMS/VOCALS

Burt Compton enjoyed a decades-long, successful music career in Miami, Florida as a bandleader, recording artist, session musician and booking agent.  He collects vintage Ludwig drum kits, and you never know which color set will be at the next show!  He also has a collection of Beatles-era Rickenbacker guitars. Burt’s drumming influences include Ringo Starr, Hugh Grundy, Bobby Elliot,  Keith Moon, Dino Danelli, Carmine Appice, Danny Seraphine and Bill Bruford. Also known as “the glider guy”, Burt is a flight instructor at Marfa Gliders soaring school.  More about his sailplane flying at www.flygliders.com

KEN JONES

BASS GUITAR

Ken Jones is on bass guitar (sometimes a Warwick fretless), through a Carvin amp stack.  Besides the electric bass, Ken plays many instruments including guitar, saxophone and percussion.  Ken's degree is in English and History and is a retired teacher.  He can also whistle very loud and makes great gravy for our post-show breakfasts.  

Rising from the roadhouses and barbeque joints of Texas, The Moondogs climbed to the top of Marfa's cover band scene in 2008 playing rock & roll and rhythm & blues. All members had previous careers in music but came together accidentally in Marfa to play the music they grew up listening to.  Individually, the band members have many prior accomplishments.  Mark Davenport, formerly of The Invaders has written numerous songs, featured on the album, “Greet the Invaders”.  Burt Compton’s album on the Wizard label, “Rock ‘n Roll Genius" features two of his originals.  Ken and Linda Jones are formerly of Houston-based band, County Road Zero.  Kathie was frequently a guest vocalist for The Stan Gunn Show.  The band members met the night of a scheduled gig.  Burt and Kathie Compton, who were passing by, asked if they needed any help rolling in equipment.  Mark asked, “You don’t happen to know a drummer, do you?  Our drummer can’t make it”.  “Let me see your song list,” Burt said.  “I knew every song on the list,” he says.  “We walked down the street and rolled the absent drummer’s kit to the gig.”  The rest, as they say, is history.

Why is the band called The Moondogs?  The  name suits our collective love of science (paraselene), the Beatles (Johnny & the Moondogs) and our dogs (Canis familiaris).  Together, it's just who we are!