2026 OK Blues Hall of Fame Inductees

A true pillar of the North Tulsa music community, . is a storied bassist, bandleader, and the CEO of Eaton Media Services (KBOB 89.9 FM).

Bobby Eaton Jr. was born and grew up in Tulsa’s Greenwood (aka Black Wall Street) neighborhood. Bobby’s grandfather Joseph ran a grocery store / barber shop that existed during the heyday of Black Wall Street. It was a place for the community to gather and share stories, often around a classic Coca-Cola vending machine. As a child, Bobby discovered his love for performing music, inspired by the thriving music scene and great musicians Greenwood produced, some big names and some underappreciated. When Bobby was 17, he and a friend hopped in a car and drove to Los Angeles, beginning what would be a long and storied career as a professional musician.

Bobby has enjoyed a phenomenal career by doing what he has been gifted with and more importantly what he loves by playing bass guitar and writing music for some of the most celebrated artists in the music industry such as: Memphis Horns, where he wrote and performed on “Get Up and Dance” on RCA Records. He has performed with Johnny Mathis, Peabo Bryson, Sly Stone, Bobby Womack, D. J. Rogers, Ike and Tina Turner, Candy Staton and The Dazz Band which afforded him the opportunities to record in the studios of Capitol Records, Arista, Paramount, Warner Bros, Columbia Records, Total Experience Recording Studio and Bolic Sound Studio. As the bass guitar player for Ms. Natalie Cole (RIP) he performed and traveled with her worldwide for several years. He is the recipient of a Platinum Record for her “Thankful Album” which featured the hit single “Our Love”, “I Love you So” which was a Gold Album and “We’re The Best of Friends” with Peabo Bryson which went Gold (Capitol Records), as well as “Natalie Live”, a Two Record Live Gold Album on Capitol Records. Eventually Bobby moved back to Tulsa and started a low power radio station KBOB 89.9 FM in his grandfather’s house. KBOB is still operating today out of a commercial building on Lansing – a critical hub of Black Wall Street. He is the band leader and plays bass in The Eaton Out Band.

From his early days forming the funk/R&B band The Liberators with Charlie Wilson, to his recent launch of the Eaton Out band, Eaton has continuously bridged the gap between old and new generations of Tulsa musicians. His philanthropic work and dedication to the historic Greenwood District have cemented his legacy as both a gifted musician and a tireless community advocate.

Keyboardist Garcia Tarver has performed blues, soul, and R&B music with a variety of artists for over 50 years. He performed keyboard/bass with the late great Kelvin Drake for several years including several performances at the Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival. Garcia also performed at the Blues Festival with the Oakland Divas. Along with other groups Garcia has performed in opening acts for national entertainers such as The Dells, O’Jays, Bobby Womack, The Whispers, Zapp Band, Bobby Blue Bland, and many others. Born in Oklahoma City, Garcia was encouraged by his mother to begin piano lessons at an early age. While still in grammar school he began playing for the Siloam Baptist Church. Garcia’s piano teachers were Ms. Paulette Counter, Ms. Annie Elsie Moore, and Mr. A.L. Ellis, Jr. His music education continued in school with a snare drum from Mr. Earl Pittman; clarinet from Corlandus Lang; music theory & amp; history Mr. Leroy Hicks, and finally, as a member of the Douglass Trojan Marching Band with Mr. W.E. Perry. Done with music, Garcia was a senior psychology major at Lincoln University of Missouri when he met and recorded with saxophonist/producer Oliver Sain at Archway Studio in St. Louis, beginning a lifelong fascination with synthesizers, multi-track recording, writing, and performance.

Garcia returned to Oklahoma City to obtain a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. He also served as a piano/organ for the Wildwood Christian Church, Siloam Missionary Baptist Church, and Greater Cleaves Memorial CME Church.

Garcia has played with local bands Glass Pyramid, Vizions, CDS Jazz Band, Kelvin Drake Trio, Shortt Dogg, 411/Motown Soul Revue, Jahruba & the JahMystics, and others. He has written several songs that have been in rotation on local and regional radio, and has performed for a plethora of balls, parties, television programs, and social events including concerts with many national touring acts. His musical influences are James Brown, George Duke, Paul Hardcastle, and Bernie Worrell.

Mark Galloway is a professional musician and golf professional from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mark began his music career as a teenager playing in local bands around Oklahoma City. He progressed to playing with the finest musicians Oklahoma City had to offer. Playing nightclubs and private parties through the ‘70’s, Mark developed a reputation as one of Oklahoma’s finest guitar players. Mark is still considered to be one of the finest guitarists to ever come out of OKC. Mark is especially known for his slide guitar playing, influenced by his guitar heroes Elmore James, Duane Allman, Ry Cooder, Lowell George and others.

Later in his music career Mark was leader of one of the top bands in Oklahoma City. As band leader of the band Sailor, represented by Gary Good Entertainment and Speakers Bureau, Mark played thousands of nights over the span of 24 years. Including hundreds of wedding receptions.

Since 2004 Mark has been performing as a solo and duo artist utilizing state-of-the-art loop sampling technology to accompany himself. He is occasionally accompanied by other fine Oklahoma City musicians in a duo, trio or combo format. Mark still performs occasionally with the legendary “Mojo Men” band and the “Mojo Brothers”, a collaboration with the “Mojo Men” and “The Brothers” and is a former member of the “Cadillac Blues Assembly”, an all-star lineup of OKC’s finest blues musicians, in and around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Mark also performs in a duo format with many different artists including Stephanie Johnson.

As a solo artist, Mark plays a wide variety of music including Blues, Jazz standards, Classic Rock, Southern Rock, Motown, Country, and many original compositions. Mark released a solo Blues CD titled “Southern Sweet” in October of 2015 to critical acclaim. This album includes several original compositions along with a fresh take on a few classic Blues standards.

Playing Blues shows with Walter Taylor, III (renowned blues artist) as a featured guitarist. Also playing Blues Festivals with headlining artists as a featured guitarist and solo artist. Mark has been a featured artist on several occasions for the Oklahoma Blues Society. Being featured on the cover of South-Central Golf Magazine and in several articles as a guitar playing golf professional. Being featured on the cover of the Oklahoma Gazette and in several articles, Mark is an in-demand studio musician. He also performs as a sideman with national music acts when they come to Oklahoma. Over the last four years, Mark has contributed guitar, bass and vocal performances in the studio to the Zircon Skyeband.

Mark is a Life Member of the PGA of America. In recent years Mark has been a featured guitarist for local tribute shows. Featuring the music of the Allman Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt. Mark is currently playing guitar for National Blues award winning, “Smilin’ Vic and the Soul Monkeys” and continues to perform in and around the Oklahoma City area.

Since becoming a solo artist in 2004, Mark has developed an international following as a guitarist through his YouTube videos. As of this writing, Mark’s videos have been viewed almost four million times.

http://www.youtube.com/user/markgalloway

Rentiesville Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Jerry Wallace, known to the music world as “Pete,” has established himself as one of Oklahoma City’s premier R&B and Blues bassists through a career defined by rhythm, versatility, and soul. His journey with the strings began in 1974 at the age of 11. After four years of dedicated practice perfecting his craft, he transitioned into the professional circuit, spending six foundational years touring and performing with the Gospel Truthettes.

Throughout his formative years, Pete remained a fixture of the Oklahoma music scene, sharpening his technical skills in the Douglas High School Stage Band from 1979 to 1982. This academic discipline provided the perfect springboard into the world of R&B. In 1982, he played his first R&B gig with Brian McKinney, a performance that launched a prolific era of collaboration with several notable groups, including: Full Effect Band and The California Malibu’s BLT Band. In 1992 Pete took center stage as a band leader, founding The Kalazh Band. Over the next 20 years, the group became a powerhouse of entertainment, performing at premier venues across Oklahoma and Texas and cementing Pete’s reputation as a cornerstone of regional rhythm.

His career is distinguished by the legendary company he keeps. Pete has shared the stage and played for some of the most iconic figures in Blues and Soul history, including: Johnnie Taylor, Shirley Brown, Floyd Taylor, Tyrone Davis, Bobby Womack, Big G, Big E, Clarence Carter, Mel Waiters, and Marvin Sease. Today, Jerry “Pete” Wallace continues to represent the heartbeat of the Oklahoma City sound, bringing decades of expertise and a deep, soulful groove to every stage he touches.

Tony Lorenzo Snyder is celebrated for his deep-seated passion and commitment to the local blues community for over thirty years. Through his artistic contributions and support for the genre’s growth in the region, Snyder has played an important role in keeping the soulful traditions of the blues alive and thriving for future generations.

Tony is the drummer/vocalist for House Money Blues in Oklahoma City and has performed at several Dusk til’ Dawn Festivals. He is also the drummer for the Redd Bone Band and performed at the Rentiesville Mini-Fest.

Joe “Survival” Caruso is a seasoned New Orleans-born blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for his unique, gritty sound rooted in the classic blues tradition. Born in 1947, he earned his moniker by “surviving” a Vietnam tour and Hurricane Katrina, and he has been performing professionally since age 15.

Early Influences: Growing up across from New Orleans’ Club Desire, he was exposed to legends like Ray Charles and Guitar Slim, developing a style influenced by B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. At 15, he formed “The Ecstatic’s Revue,” opening for acts like Etta James and Aaron Neville.

Joe formed the band “Survival” in 1983 and later moved to Oakland, California, in 1984, becoming involved with the Bay Area Blues Society. His albums include I’ll Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (recorded at Southland Records after returning to NOLA in 1992) and the Lakehouse Records release I Gotta Tell Somebody (2013), which was dedicated to his late mother.

Life as a “Survivor: Vietnam War- He was drafted into the Army in 1969 and served a tour in Vietnam, returning in 1971 to resume his music career.

Hurricane Katrina: In 2005, he was on his way to a performance when the storm hit, destroying his home and all his belongings. Following Katrina, he relocated to DeBary, Florida. Caruso is celebrated as a “true Blues listener” artist who embodies the resilience of the blues, continuing to perform and record with a sound that bridges traditional blues, soul, and funk.

Joe Survival Caruso came to Oklahoma City from Florida in mid-August 2024 and during that time he met Selby Sue Minner and they became friends. Selby invited Joe to play his first gig with her and her band at the Red Bug Senior Center. Joe played the Mini Fest in 2025 and later that year Joe Survival Caruso played the Dust till Dawn Blues Festival. Joe has also performed at the Rentiesville Down Home Blues Club Sunday Blues Jam. OBHOF Inductee, Bronko Carr and John Denault have joined with Joe Survival Caruso to form a fantastic group. They recently performed at Cee Gee’s lounge in Edmond OK. Joe Survival Caruso performed at the 2026 Mini Fest “Springing the Blues” and is looking forward to performing at the 2026 Dust till Dawn Blues Festival!