Mike Robertson
craves creativity. As Creative Director for Riverbend Church,
he does graphic design, plays keyboards on Sundays, helps to
write and act in the unique "newsreel" videos produced by his wife
Lisa, and is a frequent speaker and author.
A life-long Beach Boys fan,
Mike has loved harmony and music since he was a toddler. He majored in
music at Baylor University, although there weren't any classes there
about how to become Billy Joel or Elton John. Mike is a voracious
reader and movie buff, with a library of over 700 films, most of which
are black and white features from the 30s and 40s. He loves to dig
through old songs to find forgotten novelty tunes or early vocal
ensembles which can become influences on 150 Reasons.
Mike formed 150 Reasons
in the fall of 2003, hand-picking the other three vocalists to
form his "dream group." He has written or arranged several of their
songs, including their signature number, "Git Ta Church," a jazzy,
Four-Brothers-ish swing tune; "I wanted it to sound like it had been
written in the 1940s...if there had been any churches hip enough to
PLAY such a song back then!"
Mike proposed to his wife by writing and
recording a proposal song and then talking KLBJ-FM into playing it at a
prearranged time. It worked. They've been married for 17 years and have
one 13-year-old daughter.
Deb Acevedo-Tamminga
has a very long last name (seven syllables). Deb has a Bachelors and
Masters degree in Music Education from The University of Texas at
Austin and also holds a Bachelors Degree in Spanish. She is an
elementary school music teacher in Austin, Texas.
Deb loves teaching
children about music and how much it can be a part of their lives.
When she's not teaching she devotes times to her choir at Riverbend Church
where she sings with 150 Reasons, a trio called Spirit, and
solos. Deb and her husband, Bill, love to hike and travel
around the world. Her latest goal is to shine up her motorcycle and
take it out for a ride.
Craig Lowery
has always had a flirtatious relationship with music. Many who
knew him when he was a child assumed he would become a professional musician;
but the siren's call of computer science proved to be stronger, and after
writing his first program as a college freshmen, he followed a path which led
to a Ph.D. and professional life as a computer scientist.
But Craig has never
let go of his music. Throughout his life he has remained active in church
music and drama as a singer, a writer, and an actor. He'll be the first to
tell you he's not professionally trained to do any of this, but he doesn't let
that stop him from using his God-given talents. Of the many groups with which
he has sung, 150 Reasons is the first ensemble experience he describes
as "effortless - the group just seems to magically gel!"
Craig loves to compose new tunes,
transcribe old ones for the group, or simply sing an assigned part. He uses
his knowledge of computer technology as a tool for his various musical
endeavors, which includes singing solos and in other ensembles at
Riverbend Church. In spite of
his schoolin' and daytime job, Craig is really a musician at heart who can't
wait for the next rehearsal or performance.
Jill Rutherford
has never had as much fun singing as she has with her
150 Reasons friends.
Jill is an active member of Riverbend Church and
enjoys singing in the choir as well as performing solos on occasion.
She received her musical education from Northwestern University,
majoring in Vocal Performance and Opera. But don't let that fool you;
she can sound like anything but an opera singer when called upon.
When not singing, Jill is a wife, Mom and HR professional.
She treasures time with her son James and
her very supportive husband, Shan.
The Rutherford house is brimming with musicians. Husband Shan plays
keyboard in a number of local bands, including Riverbend's very own
Resonate band. Young James is busy learning his mother's craft as a
singer. He has already begun his career in the children's musicals at
Riverbend. Who knows, maybe the group will soon
have room for a boy soprano??
