JM Roberts
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How I got my set list and other tales

My first performance experiences were in school and church choirs and it was there that I learned that I like to sing. I also found that I like pretty much all kinds of misc, with a few notable exceptions. From church and school choir and later band I progressed to the ultimate training ground, the Garage Band! In junior and senior high school I played in many different groups that all practiced in the garage or basement. I got my first performance experience in grade seven when one of the groups I was playing with  was invited to open the Winter Carnival variety show. We played two songs - Bad Moon Rising and the riff intro to Smoke on the Water. Not the whole song - just the intro you know "da da da .. da da da da.. da da da .. da da..". In fact I'm not sure we even knew there were words to it at that time.

But it was in High School that I caught the bug  with our first paying job at the Wolfville Curling Club. Our band teacher, John Herman, landed us the gig and our mothers drove us and picked us up!

With a return to solo performance I was wracking my brain about what my repertoire should be and finally I turned to my friends, co-workers, and family and asked them for one or two songs that make them sing along. True to form they came through with dozens of song suggestions ranging from light pop, folk, maritime, and jazz standards from the great American Songbook. The list is still growing and if you want to add your suggestions email me through the email link at the bottom of the page.

My Song List ...

500 Miles (trad)
Act Naturally
Ain't Even Done with the Night
Ain't No Sunshine
All I have to do is dream
All My Lovin
All Summer Long
All you ever do is bring me down
​Another Saturday Night
Autumn Leaves
Bad Bad Leroy Brown
Bad Moon Rising
Ballad of the Bluenose
Beautiful Sunday
Big Yellow Taxi
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Brown Eyed Girl
Budapest
Bye Bye Love
Carry Me
Cat's in the Cradle
Centerfield
Closing Time
Country Roads
Cuts Like a Knife
Danny Boy
Daydream Believer
Dead Skunk
Diggin' Up Bones
Dock of the Bay
Drift Away
Everybody's Making it Big
​Farmers Song (the)
Fields of Athenry
Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover
Follow Me
Forever and ever Amen​
Galway Bay
Galway Bay (Parody)
Gambler
Garden Party
Gentle on My Mind
Go To Sea *
Green Eyed Gypsy Lady *
Gypsy Rover
Happy Trails
Hey There Delilah
House of the Risin' Sun
I Can See Clearly Now
I'm a Believer
I Fall in Love Again *
If These Walls Could Talk *
In The Summertime
Joy to the World (TDN)
Kilkelly Ireland
King of the Road
Kiss an Angel Good Morning
La Bamba
Last train to Clarksville
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Lies
Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain
Living Next Door to Alice
Love Me Love Me Love
Love of the Common People
Man of Constant Sorrow
Mama Tried
Margaritaville
My Girl
Nellie J Banks
One Toke Over the Line
Overton Square
Popsicle Toes
Pretty Woman
​Puppy Love
Queen of old Argyle
​
Rattlin' Bog
Rose Garden
Runaway
Saturday Night *
Save the Last Dance
Seven Drunken Nights
Seven Old Ladies
Sister Golden Hair
​Smoke on the Water (Special Request)
Song for the Mira
​Sonny's Dream
Streets of London
Summer of '69
Sweet Caroline
Take It Easy
Tales of the Phantom Ship
(The) Thunder Rolls
Those Were the Days
To Love Somebody
Under the Boardwalk
Wagon Wheel
Walkin' in Memphis
Way (The)
When you say nothing at all
Wild World
Working Man
You Belong to Me
​Your Mama Don't Dance                      
* original song

 . . . to be continued (by people like you)


Contact me...

Call or text:
902-691-2552
Email:
Regular mail:
4-171 Kaye St
Lower Sackville, NS
B4C 1N1
  • Home
  • About
  • All about my solo show ...
  • Contact
  • Calendar
  • SWIG
  • Four Season's Community Orchestra