Bios
Rex Hatfield
Rex (yes, he is related to the Hatfields of the Hatfields vs. the McCoys) was raised in the southwest. His father, an out of work coal miner, had visions far beyond West Virginia and brought Rex and his mother west to New Mexico and then Arizona, where Rex grew up and met his beautiful wife of 50 years.
Rex started playing guitar at the ripe old age of 12. As a teen he played gigs on the Indian reservations in Northern AZ to Prescott and Camp Verde. His band's set lists in those days were mostly country and some rock. Rex spent time in the San Diego area playing bars and yacht club events (lots of fun and great memories from those days). When he and his wife decided to look for a place to slow down, they ended up in Sun City, Texas, the best move they have ever made, as the residents here are really great people, including his band mates. Rex says, "I hope this gig goes on for a long time!"
Jeff Hoffman
Jeff got his first guitar, a Silvertone acoustic purchased at a pawn shop, at age 12. He took a few folk guitar lessons from the reigning Miss Berks County (PA), but really wanted to be like The Beatles, so in 1965 at age 13, he bought his first electric guitar and amplifier at Zeswitz Music in downtown Reading, PA. Almost immediately he formed a band with friends Gary and Bob and started playing music written by artists such as The Ventures, Duane Eddy, The Shadows, The Kingsmen, The Chantays and others.
In high school, Jeff played guitar in the school dance band, performing hits of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Throughout high school and college Jeff also performed solo and with bands at coffee shops, bars and parties in and around the Philadelphia area, playing folk music, Americana and rock and roll.
In the mid-70s, Jeff arrived in Texas, reuniting with a bandmate from college and started playing bluegrass and progressive country music. Off and on from the 70s through the early 00s, he was a member of various bands that performed in and around the DFW metro area. His last band before leaving Dallas was a classic rock band called The B-4s, with buddies David Large, Scotty Middleton and Nick Salas. After moving to Georgetown, TX, Jeff once again started performing solo in 2018, and made lifelong friends in central Texas with whom he enjoys making music. In 2019, Jeff joined with Rex Hatfield to start the Almost Austin Band. Jeff has played on stage with Bill Kirchen (of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen), at the Fur Peace Ranch with Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Bruce Hoffman and Art Chikofsky, and opened (with Rex) for Darden Smith and Three Chord Rodeo.
Tommy was raised in Mercedes, Texas. He started playing drums at an early age and has played with a variety of bands over the last 40 years. Currently Tommy is a minister and spiritual leader with the Unity Spiritual Center in Georgetown, and Almost Austin is proud to have him performing with us.
Tommy de León
Roger Bono
Roger originally hails from Bowie, Maryland, a community outside of the Washington D.C. beltway. He began taking private bass lessons at age 10 under bassist Bill Cary (backing Bill Haley, Capital Blues Ensemble, etc.) in Montgomery County Maryland. He performed in 3 different school jazz bands and several working bands over the next 8 years around the Baltimore / Washington area focusing on electric and acoustic blues and classic rock style. Having been brought up in a musical family (father played B flat clarinet & tenor/alto saxophones, mother and two sisters on piano, brother on guitar), there was always music of varied styles being played. After taking a few lessons from a second cousin in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, the double bass seed was planted, which would later be added to his musical repertoire. Education, farming, motorcycles, cars, music and the business world would bring him to Scottsdale, Arizona and Wilmington, Delaware and eventually south to Houston in 2011. Roger met with players for regular sessions and gatherings, including the late Phil and Mandy Tague (Mustang Lightning & Mandy Smith Group), and studied double bass under the direction of Alan Simmons. Professions have taken Roger and his wife to many locations across the country over the last 26 years, finally settling in Sun City, Texas in 2021. Sharing the love of friends and learning from one another is part of a well-balanced daily routine which now includes joining the Almost Austin family of musicians. A true honor with plenty of good times to come for all!
Jim Strudel
Jim was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota. During his early years, his activities revolved around sports. That all changed in 1964 when The Beatles hit our shores. Jim got a guitar and practiced month after month. By the following spring, Jim got together with other guys and started playing in bands. This went on throughout junior high school, senior high school and college. When he was a sophomore in high school, he formed a band that played throughout eastern South Dakota.
Three years later, he switched to bass guitar and joined a different band, one that traveled more. Looking back, that may have been a mistake because a few years ago, the original band was inducted into the South Dakota Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He got married but continued to play in bands. Eventually, it was time to start a family and Jim quit the band life.
After 25 years or so, the urge came back so he started playing in bands again. He enjoys playing classic rock music and rock & roll oldies. Jim is currently bass guitar par excellence in the Almost Austin Band.
Gary McElwee
Gary was born in a little coal mining town in eastern Pennsylvania. When he was 10 years old, his Grandmother gave him a dollar to take drum lessons. Every week for two years he learned how to read music and play drums. One day his drum instructor sat him down behind a full trap set and from that time on he was hooked. In high school, his first gig was with a polka band and from there became the drummer for an orchestra playing every Friday and Saturday nights at a local dinner club. Since those days he has had the pleasure of performing with some truly amazing musicians. He was given the opportunity to do a summer tour with Mitch Rider and the Detroit Wheels ("Devil with a Blue Dress On" was their big song).
Living in the Aspen area of Colorado for 26 years, Gary played with the Jammin' Canyon Band and another band called Local Color. The Local Color band was a combination of musicians from the Oak Ridge Boys, Ike and Tina Turner, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. They played all over the Aspen area and never had a rehearsal. Truly amazing musicians. Now, as he enters the twilight of his drumming career, he says, "I am blessed to have met and get to play with my fellow musicians, and a great group of guys, Almost Austin."
John Milburn
John was born in St. Petersburg, Fla. He started taking piano lessons when he was 6 years old. John loved playing the piano but soon discovered that girls were more impressed by someone who could play the guitar. John played guitar in several bands in junior and senior high school and college.
John eventually got married, worked as an electrical engineer and went on a hiatus from playing in bands altogether to help his wife raise his family of 5 kiddos at the time. When the kids got old enough to take care of themselves, he started playing keyboards in bands again in the Austin, Texas area. He played in groups like The Baby Boomers, The Starters, The Berry Brothers Band and many more. The types of music he enjoys playing are 70’s/80’s Rock, alternative rock, and classic rock. John is currently playing keyboards and adding vocal harmonies in the Almost Austin Band.
