The Jacobs and Brock Band

As he steps up to the microphone, Terry Brock is right at home on the stage. After all, he did sing and tour with great bands such as Kansas and Louisiana’s LeRoux. He is a remarkably talented singer, guitar player and entertainer. He can belt out great classic rock songs like Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas or beautiful ballads such as New Orleans Ladies by Louisiana’s LeRoux that will leave you wanting to hear more! Terry is in a local Panama City band, The Jacobs and Brock Band. He is one of two front men for the group as he shares the spotlight with Kevin Jacobs, with whom Terry has been singing with for the past 6 years. Kevin Jacobs’s vocals impersonate and are equal to those of Steve Perry, just ask any local who has listened to him sing. When Terry and Kevin combine their harmonies and extraordinary singing skills, it can make you sit back and wonder “What are these guys doing in Panama City?!” Add superstar quality keyboard talent and vocals, Chaz Butler, a kickin’ bass guitarist and vocals, Rob Rudd, with a rockin’ drummer who has a great groove, Kevin LaCour and you have the recipe for a band that can play and sing original and cover songs from AC/ DC to Etta James. Did I mention four- part harmony that will blow you away?

Terry Brock has a ready smile a way of putting you at ease when you talk with him. Candid and unguarded, Terry talked about his past and events that led him to where he is today. In high school he took guitar lessons from his teacher, Ms. Rose Hicks. He recalls: “I was the only one who had an electric guitar; everyone else had a nice acoustic. So I moved myself further back up in the back [of the classroom] because I was embarrassed. She evidently saw something in me, and she said ‘You. Come down front’. So we met after class and I said ‘I’m embarrassed’ and she said ‘You have a gift. I’m not going to let you throw it away. You’ll be right down front and if you want private lessons, I’ll give you private lessons beforehand’. She wouldn’t let me quit”. Terry hasn’t forgotten her and she has attended two of his symphony shows.

Terry chose a music career over college and, while playing in a band in Atlanta, Georgia, he came to know Kansas guitarist, Rich Williams. Rich would come out with some of his band members and listen to Terry. In 1983, Terry was invited to and went on tour with Kansas as a vocalist. After the Kansas gig, Terry eventually joined the Scottish band Strangeways and moved to England. He recorded four albums with them and recently went out on their reunion tour with them.

From 2007-2010, Terry sang with Louisiana’s LeRoux whose hit single; New Orleans Lady was a billboard hit. A highlight of Terry’s career came in 2009 when he, along the band, was inducted into the Louisiana’s Music Hall Of Fame!

These days, Terry splits his time as a lead vocalist with a number of bands. He has a five-piece band, which performs The Music of the Eagles Show, traveling to various US cities once or twice a month performing with their local orchestras. They have played with symphonies such as the New York Philharmonic and, just this last September, he and his band played with the Panama City Pops at Pier Park. And if that isn’t enough, he is currently the lead singer for the rock band Giant (90’s rock band whose hit I’ll See You In My Dream”, hit the charts at number 20 in 1990). Terry co-wrote some of the songs and recorded on their album Promised Land , at Martina McBride’s studio in Nashville, TN in 2010.

Terry writes his own music and has two solo albums out, Back to Eden and, the most recent, Diamond Blue . Some of the tracks for Diamond Blue were recorded locally at Boogie Tracks recording studio and engineered by fellow band member, Chaz Butler. Terry was excited that he was able to use local artists, including band mate Kevin Jacobs. on this recording.

I don’t think Terry will be “Dust in the Wind” anytime soon! His versatility and voice will carry him upward and onward. I’m just happy he is an iconic part of our community and I can go listen to him singing with The Jacobs and Brock Band anytime at Pineapple Willy’s Sunday’s through Thursdays! Who knows, maybe I will see you out there, too!

Terry’s CD’s are available for purchase online or at Pineapple Willy’s when The Jacobs and Brock Band is playing.

By Victoria Stewart