Celebrating 50 Years Together
1975-2025
On September 19, 2025, Billy and I celebrated our 50th Date-a-versary!!! It's hard to believe that we've been together for 50+ years, so far. One of the keys to our longevity is our shared love of the Arts and Music, particularly, making music happen.
To celebrate our "long, strange trip" I decided to create a 21st century online scrap-book, where I can share my 50+ years of accumulated memorabillia, pictures, and genealogy information with our family, friends, music & art lovers, travellers, history buffs, and anyone who's interested.
If I piqued your interest, please have a look around, and remember to check back from time-to-time, as I am regularly adding content.
To celebrate our "long, strange trip" I decided to create a 21st century online scrap-book, where I can share my 50+ years of accumulated memorabillia, pictures, and genealogy information with our family, friends, music & art lovers, travellers, history buffs, and anyone who's interested.
If I piqued your interest, please have a look around, and remember to check back from time-to-time, as I am regularly adding content.
Peace & Love! Robyn & Billy (BJ)
Click on image to visit web page
We Are Professional Hand Clappers!
In January 2023 Billy and I, and friends Roger & Joe, took a trip to our friend's studio in New York. Kirk Yano is a musician, engineer, and multiple Grammy Award winner, who was working on a new album with our dear friend, Solomon Hicks. Many of the songs were recorded live at the Blue Note in NYC, and Kirk needed some hand clapping to fill in the audience. And that's where we come in!
Three Years later, the album, How Did I ever Get This Blue?, was finally released on January 23, 2026. We are excited for Solomon, a young man who played the Cotton Club in Harlem as a teenager, and has shared the stage with Buddy Guy, Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, and Ringo Starr, just to name a few.
We are honored to be a part of Solomon's journey, and to be credited as Handclaps & Percussion, along with the incredible group of musicians that made this album possible.
Three Years later, the album, How Did I ever Get This Blue?, was finally released on January 23, 2026. We are excited for Solomon, a young man who played the Cotton Club in Harlem as a teenager, and has shared the stage with Buddy Guy, Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, and Ringo Starr, just to name a few.
We are honored to be a part of Solomon's journey, and to be credited as Handclaps & Percussion, along with the incredible group of musicians that made this album possible.
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Lehigh River Blues Jam Presents.....
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BJ and I would like to thank Bev Conklin and the Lehigh River Blues Jam for honoring us with The 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for Keeping the Blues Alive throughout our career. This award has a special meaning to us, as 2025 marks our 50th anniversary together, most of those years spent as "artist enablers," in one form or another.
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Why the name Gezellig?
The Dutch word gezellig is a positive feeling of coziness, comfort, and social pleasantness. It can be used to describe a person, place, or situation, and can also be used as an exclamation:
- A person: A gezellig person is social, fun, and a joy to be around.
- A place: A room, restaurant, our back-porch, or backstage at Briggs Farm, can be gezellig, if it's cozy and inviting.
- A situation: A house party can be gezellig if it has a relaxed atmosphere with nice people. A visit to grandparents, or Area 51 of the Blues, can be gezellig if it's a time of togetherness.
- An exclamation: Gezellig can be used sarcastically, ironically, or to express enthusiasm.
What is an "Artist Enabler?"
An Artist Enabler is someone who enables an artist to perform their craft. Whether it's providing the sound at a concert, managing the stage, "herding" and feeding musicians, marketing, managing props, or building sets for the theatre, we are the people in the background that help to make things happen. We are NOT artists, so we live vicariously through them.
An Artist Enabler is someone who enables an artist to perform their craft. Whether it's providing the sound at a concert, managing the stage, "herding" and feeding musicians, marketing, managing props, or building sets for the theatre, we are the people in the background that help to make things happen. We are NOT artists, so we live vicariously through them.
Lucas ☼ c.2012 - Jan 30, 2026
R.I.P. our sweet little boy
R.I.P. our sweet little boy
Lucas - The Center of Our Universe
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Artwork by Sue Sylvester - 2026
Art work by Sue Sylvester ─ 2025
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