The Bobs

Though four a cappella singers billing themselves simply as “Bob” and tackling rock & roll material might seem an unlikely proposition, the quartet has earned an enthusiastic audience that even includes influential admirers. Their inventive arrangement of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” earned a Grammy nomination. Gunnar Bob Madsen and Matthew Bob Stull launched the group in 1981 after both were let go by a singing-telegram firm. Joined by Richard Bob Greene, they began presenting a cappella sets around the San Francisco Bay Area and brought Janie Bob Scott into the fold the next year. Their self-titled debut arrived in 1983, its sleeve carrying the memorable notice “Warning: All the sounds on this recording were produced by the mouth or other parts of the body.” Among its selections were the aforementioned Beatles track, Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer,” and several sharply observed, humorously clever originals. My, I'm Large followed in 1987, again blending outside material with exuberantly zany compositions, while Songs for Tomorrow Morning (1988) contained a five-song suite on the subject of laundry commissioned by the group’s creative collaborators, the dance ensemble ISO. Founder Gunnar Bob Madsen departed in 1989; Joe Bob Finetti took his place for the album Sing the Songs of.... The revised roster stayed together until 1997, when Lori Bob Rivera succeeded Janie Bob Scott, only for Amy Bob Engelhardt to step in the following year and help complete Coaster. Two further collections appeared during the 2000s: Rhapsody in Bob (2005) and Get Your Monkey Off My Dog (2007). The current lineup unites the remaining founders, Matthew Bob Stull and Richard Bob Greene, with Amy Bob Engelhardt and Dan Bob Schumacher, who had earlier taken over Joe Bob Finetti’s role.