Biography of: 
TONY TEEBO
(Arthur Antone Thiebaut Jr)
(a.k.a. Tony Thiebaut) 

By 13, Tony had taught himself drums & piano while living on his family’s farm near Fort Scott, KS.

In 1962, at 17 & a high school graduate, Tony enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, & was certified as a Medical Service Specialist giving medical assistance to fighter jet pilot trainees. he later received his honorable discharge. he is a life member of Disabled American Veterans, the American legion, & an honorary member of TREA (The Retired Enlisted Assn)
 

he returned to Kansas in November of 1963, & formed his first band, "the aardvarks." Players were, Delbert “Dub” Metcalf, guitar/vocals. Don Salsbury, drums. Phil Hinderliter, bass guitar. Marc Marcano, guitar/vocals, & Tony on keyboards/vocals. The band did an all-summer gig at Club 31, Kansas City, MO, as “Tom & The Collins."
The aardvarks had a large, Midwest following for the next five years or so.

In 1968, his second band, “The New Survivors, recorded at Hi-Fidelity studios in Wichita, KS, on the Kanwic label. Players were, C.W. Reep, drums. Steve Johnson, bass guitar/vocals. Rick Gimlin, guitar, & Teebo on keyboards/vocals. The bands first record, “The Pickle Protest,” (on YouTube) written by Tony, became a #1 regional hit. Joyland Amusement Park in Wichita, invited the band out for a private park adventure, after hours! 

The record was soon picked-up by Scepter, New York, NY, & along with “Hey Jude,” was selected as a Bill Gavin Personal Pick, which has not happened before or since, for a band from Kansas. 

Of 'The pickle Protest,' Scott Soriano of "Crud Crud" says: “It's a sneering jab at politics done 60’s punk, with a driving organ…good stuff!”
The Scepter roster included B.J. Thomas, Little Richard, Deep Purple, Dionne Warwick, The Shirelles, Ambrosia, Guess Who, Ronnie Milsap, Dr John, Billy Joe Royal & Gary Lewis.
Unfortunately, the bands five record contract with Scepter was cancelled after their manager, Michael Green, cashed their $150,000 advance check, & vanished! The number of records sold is not known, & copies are still selling on Ebay, Amazon & other sites. 
Also in 1968, Teebo had a close-up-one-liner in the Warner Bros/7 Arts movie, “The Learning Tree.”
The new Survivors performed for the “wrap” party when filming was completed in Fort Scott, Kansas.
This Gordon Parks (“Shaft,” etc) film was among the first twenty-five inducted into the National Film Registry, honoring Classic American  Cinema. 
Tony continues his involvement in film, & has worked with Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, John Amos, Dee Snider, Emilio Estevez, Cheryl Ladd, Gary Morris, Wilford Brimley, Arte Johnson, Louis Nye, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane & Jeff Corey. His movies are listed on IMDb.

(THE 70”S)
1970 - 1972. Eight years out of high school, Tony enrolled at Fort Scott CC, on the G.I. Bill. he was elected College Radio Director, & elected by fellow music students, as Student Assistant Director of the 
FSCC Stage & Concert Bands, & the largest, college Marching Band in the U.S. He led the marching band down the field at the televised, National Junior College Football Championship, the Shrine Bowl, in Savannah, GA, in December, 1971. FSCC won against Mesa, AZ.
Tony acted in several plays, had poetry published, & had showings in a number of Art Exhibits.

While attending FSCC, Teebo formed another band, “Shootin’ Bluz.” Players were, Richard Barrett, bass guitar. Kenny Redd, lead guitar. Joe Fry, drums/vocals. Ron Wagner, sax/flute/vocals. Larry Inman, trombone. Craig Waters, trumpet/vocals. Teebo, keyboards/vocals. The horn section was comprised of 1st Chair players. Roger Aldis, of “Roger’s Rainbow, ” provided a light show for the group. With graduation, in 1972, the players went their separate ways.

In 1972, while attending Kansas State College of Pittsburg, now, Pittsburg State University, Teebo was selected as lead vocalist with “The Sensational Showmen.” This 9/10 piece group performed a Humanities For The Arts, reunion concert in 2008, & was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, in 2009. Outstanding players were, Chris Cruz, trumpet. Andy Oberg, B-3/vocals. Steve Hartman, drums/vocals. Mike “Fitz” Fitzmorris, guitar/vocals, & Tom Broadhurst, bass guitar. kmhof induction videos are on YouTube. 

While in college, Tony shared a photography exhibit with KSCP staff photographer, Larry Long, entitled, “Rocky Mountain Impressions,” featuring his Macro Photo’s taken in the Rocky Mountains. 
Tony created the comedic character, Dr. William A. Wonder, for the college recruitment film, “None Of The Above.” (YouTube) This short, 16mm film was shown to high school seniors, nationwide, & won the Special Merit Award at the National Education Foundation, in Los Angeles.
He also wrote & directed the 16mm film, “The Adventures Of Super Student,” a comedic take on a small town boys first experiences on a college campus. 
Tony & Art Instructor, Al Mooser, co-founded the SEKAN Climbing/caving Club. 

Tony maintained a Presidents Honor Roll status, & was elected as a member of Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education. In 1974, he attained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education; Art Ed & Journalism, with K-12 Certification.
 
After graduation, Teebo recorded his original music, at Producers Workshop, in Oklahoma City. Teebo worked with producer Don Johnson, & recording engineer/arranger, David Powell, & fantastic guitarist/Nashville producer, Billy Joe Walker Jr. 
After hearing Tony sing, sisters Ruth & Evelyn, of  'Them Girls Ltd.' Ad Agency, hired him to sing vocals on their “Jingles.“ They were impressed at how “clear” his vocals were. Teebo was soon working fulltime at the agency, & performed, or wrote/performed vocals, on over two hundred jingles including, Sonic Drive In, Shell Oil Company, Mr. Rooter, Oklahoma Educational Television, Cox Cable, a U.S. Congressman & The American Dental Assn. Tony also acted in TV commercials, as a Dental tech. & a man playing UNO with his family. He also wrote copy, did magazine/newspaper layout, & logo/emblem designs for car dealers, & a label design for a Florida-based fruit juice company. he continues writing/recording & performing Jingles. The latest airing on radio/TV, is “Opie’s Pizza,” A Kansas based company.
 
While recording at producers workshop, he became friends with Conway Twitty, Rex Allen, Bobby Helms, Terry Melcher & Mark Lindsey. He also sang a duet with Mary Hart, (Entertainment Tonight) “The Christmas Song,“ on Danny’s Day TV show.
 
In the mid 70’s, Tony was signed as a solo, recording artist/songwriter, to Catfish/GRT records, Nashville, under the command of Dick Heard, former RCA vp, who co-wrote “Kentucky Rain” W/ Eddie Rabbitt. other pros at GRT were Nelson Larkin (tToby Keith) & Fred Vail (the beach boys.) Releases included, “Alabama Summershine,” “Rock & Roll Cowboy,” (a Canadian chart-topper) & “Raging Rhythm.” 
The GRT roster included, Mickey Gilley, Jimmy Buffett, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, Kool & The Gang, The Mama’s & Papa’s, Johnny Lee, Johnny Winter, Minnie Ripperton, Freddie Fender, Jimmy Dean & Alabama. 
In 1975, Tony, Under his legal name, was elected as an ASCAP Songwriter/Artist, with ASCAP fronting him a generous advance. 

(THE 80’S)
In January of 1981, his recording of “Welcome Home,” was played at The White House, in honor of the release of American Hostages, by the government of Iran. 
Teebo was hired by Skeeter Davis to sing 4 - part harmony behind her vocal, "let him be there" for a Christian TV special, & recorded tracks with Janie Fricke & The Holiday Sisters as backup singers. He also recorded original songs with the famous, Bobby Hardin Singers & Hargus “Pig” Robbins, on piano. he recorded at Ojas, Studio  7, Benson Sound, & Dick Wilkinson Studios, all in Oklahoma City, as well as LSI & Woodland in Nashville.
His “Kick & Lick” project, 1987, was recorded at Billy’s Band Aid, in Amarillo, tx. with guitar wizard, Dean Yates, (The Classics 4) & mastered at the famous Bill Rase Studios in Sacramento, ca. among the tracks is “Terminal Man” about the daily life of a Yuppie, & a 9:23 instrumental, “Traveleer,” featuring drummer Skitty Smith. this composition was used by The Dynamic Acrobats Of China in their live show in Branson, MO.

In the mid-eighties, Tony was contacted by Mountain Ears Studios, in Boulder, Colorado, to sing “Only One Colorado,” written by “Mr. Colorado,” who liked Tony’s voice. The piece was recorded as a television & radio commercial for the State Of Colorado Department Of Tourism. The campaign was a huge success. 
His compilation work for “Melody House,” (OKC) included doing character voices on Children’s albums, with millions sold, & voice/vocals for the Alabama Education Assn., & a Bible Story Project. he also did a presentation on jingle writing at the university of central Oklahoma in Edmund.

(THE 90’S/2000‘s)

In 1992, Tony was contracted by “Steppin’ Out Magazine,” (Colorado) & developed a 10 page weekly section, called “Western World.” He reviewed/interviewed dozens of entertainers/notables including The Marshall Tucker Band, Billy Dean, Mark Chesnutt, Yakov Smirnoff, Wayne Newton, Toby Keith, Fess Parker, Johnny Paycheck, Chris Ledoux, Highway 101, Confederate Railroad, Waylon Jennings, Doug Stone, Glen Campbell, Ray Stevens, Andy Williams, Roy Clark, President & Mrs. G.H.W. Bush, Moe Bandy, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Jim Stafford, & T.G. Sheppard, & wrote informative articles about the Music Industry.
1994 Teebo moved with his family, to the Branson, Missouri area & was hired as an account executive for Star Radio, one of the first Satellite stations in the U.S., where he also wrote & produced tv commercials for the United Paramount Television Network. 

In 1997, Tony was contacted by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to be lead singer with the band, “Northern Lights.” The band played the main showroom, "Anchors Aweigh," to a full-house of 750, six nights a week. The ship’s, “Legend Of The Seas,” Music Director, Richard Church, said of Teebo, “ I’ve done my job for many, many years, & Tony Teebo is by far the best vocalist I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with! There are plenty of good singers, but a true “vocalist” is hard to find! A vocalist knows how to interpret whatever the songwriter wanted to say. I’d give anything to have his voice!“ 
Other entertainers on board were “The Captain & Tennille,“ & “The 5th Dimension." Tony lists this adventure as a highlight of his career in music. 
 
Tony has “set-in” with, or shared the spotlight with those he describes as, “Some really, interesting people!” among them, Bob Hope, Mickey Rooney, Gordon Lightfoot, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Steve Wariner, Juice Newton, & Three Dog Night.
In Colorado Springs, Teebo was an account executive for famous KILO, Rock Radio, & KHII Country Radio, as well as Head Illustrator for “Kiva Magazine,” the journal of the Cheyenne Mtn. Heritage Center. 
2001, tony released his “Timeless” CD. This project gained positive, reviews from newspaper/magazine, Music Critics, & continues selling.
2008, Teebo won First Prize for his instrumental, “The Fallen,” at the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. 
2012, saw the release of his, “Small Consolation” CD. 2015 saw the release of “Earth Touch,” Teebo’s first instrumental CD created to draw attention to the continued destruction of the worlds Rain Forests.  New CD's, "Country As I Get" & "Afore & After" were  released in 2024, both mastered by Phil Ward at woodland Studios, Frontenac, KS.
His music has been used for over three decades on television in Spain, & his music can be heard worldwide.
His music is available on eBay, Amazon.com, YouTube, Spotify & Reverbnation. Books that reference his music career, are, “Outstanding, & They Were Wild: The Kansas/Oklahoma Rock Discography,” by Tom W. Tourville, & “Fuzz, Acid & Flowers,” by Englishman, Vernon Joynson.

An art print of his original pen/ink drawing, “The Royal Hudson,” is in the permanent archives of the California State Railroad Museum, in Sacramento. 

His song "Too much" can be heard in the 1990 Bob Eubanks produced movie, "Payback" with Don Swayze, & his song "End Of The Line" is featured in the Christian-based,

2017, short film, "South Of Swan Creek, " he also appears in the film as J.D. Shaw. 

Tony is the owner of Jammer Moth Productions. He is on Facebook as Tony Thiebaut-Teebo. 

He is the fortunate Father of three, beautiful Daughters, eight Fantastic Grand Children, a Great Grandson, & two Great Grand Daughters!

 

 

 

 

 

Information collected & compiled by Shatterlane, Ltd.