Robert Maxwell Case was born in Olean, New York, and grew up in the rural village of Franklinville, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. He began his musical journey in junior high, playing guitar and singing in rockabilly bands, often performing at high school basketball games and local teen clubs. His main group, The Vibratones, played seasonally at the Lime Lake Pavilion dance hall, sharing the stage with notable acts such as Levon Helm & The Hawks and The Rockin' Rebels, known for their hit "Wild Weekend." Robert graduated from Ten Broeck Academy / Franklinville Central School and spent two years at the University of Buffalo, where he played alongside contemporaries such as Stan & The Ravens, The Rising Sons (featuring Jimmy Caliri), and Ronnie James Dio & Elf. His band opened for Link Wray & The Wraymen and occasionally performed as "The Roddymen," named after WKBW deejay Rod Roddy, who was also known as the announcer for "The Price Is Right."
After transferring to St. Bonaventure University, Robert graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Business Management. During his time there, he played in small R&B and pop-rock groups, and even secured an opening slot for Patti Page at the Three Rivers Inn in Syracuse, NY. Following his college years, he relocated to New York City and signed with Herb Alpert's A&M Records, where he released a single titled "For Awhile We Helped Each Other Out" b/w "When I'm Wrong You Never Forget."
After brief employment with Eastman Kodak Co. and a stint in the U.S. Army, Robert transitioned to performing as a solo artist in the Rochester, NY area. His singles "Cookie & Lila" and "Movin' In The Same Circles" both reached the Top 10 on country station WNYR, while his original song "Livin' The Life" garnered national attention in Billboard magazine. Over the next 15 years, he released two vinyl LPs—"Let The Cowboy Dance" and "Rest Your Love On Me Awhile"—along with four cassette-only releases: "That's All," "Let It Be Me," "Case Country," and "Always," in addition to numerous vinyl singles. During this time, Robert opened for a variety of national recording artists, including Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Marty Robbins, Tammy Wynette, The Statler Brothers, Riders In The Sky, Asleep At The Wheel, Sonny James, The Bellamy Brothers, Little Jimmy Dickens, David Houston, Cal Smith, the Original Drifting Cowboys (Hank Williams Sr.’s band), and Ronny Robbins (son of Marty Robbins). He frequently performed at local venues such as the Americana Rochester hotels, the Country Warehouse, the Schoolhouse, the Periwinkle Pub, and was a regular at the city's annual Lilac Festival. Additionally, Robert owned and operated the country music venue Case's California Ranch on Honeoye Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region. He was recognized as the area's top local country music artist in the Gannett Rochester Democrat & Chronicle's "Best Of" reader's poll. He also served as a guest entertainer on a country music-themed cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines' SS Norway, featuring George Jones and Mickey Gilley, who encouraged him to consider Branson, Missouri.
Robert spent ten seasons performing on the Branson strip, where he entertained at venues including the Country Pub, Roy Clark's Loft, the Polynesian Princess showboat (where he served as music director), and the Welk Theatre's Canteen Lounge. He released the cassette-only album "Alive And Well In Branson, MO" as well as the Hawaiian-themed "Holo Aku." During this period, he also worked for seven winter seasons at the River Ranch, a western-themed resort in the Orlando, Florida area. After a year in Fort Lauderdale, performing at the Armadillo Cafe and Coop's in Davie, Robert moved to the San Antonio/Austin, Texas region, where he regularly performed in Gruene (at Gruene River Grille) and Canyon Lake (at venues like the Lakeview, Papa Docks, the Old Windmill, and Anchor's Landing). He opened for acts including Earl Poole Ball (from Johnny Cash's band), Two Tons Of Steel, and the Ace In The Hole band (associated with George Strait).
In recent years, Robert has made his home in Slick, Oklahoma (part of the Tulsa metro area), performing for one year in Branson, Missouri (at Big Cedar Lodge) and for five years at Tulsa's Western Country Diner. He once again opened for Riders In The Sky and, in 2014, formed the western music duo A Little Farther West with his wife, Susie, on keyboards. The duo has released five albums: "A Little Farther West," "Mountain Storm," "God Must Be A Cowboy," "Christmas On The Line," and "Vaya Con Dios." A Little Farther West has held local residencies at historic Route 66 venues such as The Beach House and C&J's Restaurant and has opened for Michael Martin Murphey and Sons Of The Pioneers. They have participated in multiple seasons at Old West celebrations, including the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show at the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Will's Country Christmas at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch.
