ISU Bengal

Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Life

Media Credit: Donald Steele Saturday night at The Booth Barn, Steelhead Redd Band played at CW Hog's Sno Ball event.

It may be difficult for some students to picture their professors having lives outside of Idaho State, but the reality is that most of them do.

Robert Picard, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Accounting Department at ISU, plays in a band when he isn't busy bestowing knowledge upon his accounting students.

Picard grew up playing drums and claims to have started his career out by playing with the Beatles. Well, playing along with them anyway.

"I used to play along to the Beatles when I was, probably, ten," said Picard.

Picard now plays guitar for Steelhead Redd. If that name sounds familiar that is because they headlined the Sno-Ball that CW HOG held last Saturday. They also have been featured at Revive at Five in Pocatello as well as Alive after Five in Idaho Falls.

Picard started Steelhead Redd in 2000 with his two friend,s Steve Byars and Reuben Snyder. When Snyder moved to Portland, Ore. Byars and Picard weren't sure the band would survive without him. That was before Picard first heard Jessica McAleese's voice on the quad at ISU.

"I thought this is a really special person with a really special sound," said Picard.

Picard followed his instincts and asked McAleese to join the band. Today Steelhead Redd has four band members: Picard, Byars, McAleese and Sherrod Parkhouse. Picard is pleased with the direction the band has gone.

"We've got, I think, a really unique sound and I'm certainly enjoying it," said Picard.

On the subject of Steelhead Redd's sound, Picard says it is difficult for a band to label their sound with a genre. He says the best way to describe their music is to call it folk rock. They try to keep a little bit of an edge to add some depth to their music.

"When you are writing your own stuff it is just what comes through," said Picard.

Steelhead Redd has many opportunities on their horizon. This summer they will perform at the Northern Rockies Folk Festival in Hailey, Idaho. They also have the opportunity to play at the Lakecity Music Festival in Lakecity, Colo. Nanny Goat Records, Steelhead Redd's own official Record label, plans to release Steelhead Redd's first CD this summer.

On Saturday, March 8, Steelhead Redd will be featured at Vino Russo in Idaho Falls. Students in the Idaho Falls area should take the opportunity to stop by and check them out.

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