PebbleRock Band
Howard Brodbeck
PebbleRock Band® is the West Valley’s premier modern rock band playing continuously since 2013. The all-Creeker PebbleRock Band’s current lineup is its best ever and includes PebbleCreek residents Karen Peterson, keyboards; Ron Devine, guitar; Robert Rochefort, bass; and founder Howard Brodbeck, on drums. They are a seasoned group of professional musicians, and play a full spectrum of top rock songs from the ’60s to today’s hits, and regularly perform at Roman’s Oasis, Augie’s Sports Grill, and other events and venues on the west side.
It wasn’t always that way.
The first PebbleRock gig at Augie’s in April 2013 was a SRO event relying on the repertoire of their two guitar original players, PC residents Robert Hover and Ted Moran. PebbleRock signed gigs over the next three years as a five piece with both guitar players, and after Moran left in 2016, continued as a four piece through 2017 with Hover as the solo lead player. Those early years were the best of the original PebbleRock. They played The Wigwam, PC club dances, Augies nearly every month, Goodyear in the Park, local realtor sponsored dances, and much more. The gig list for 2014 included over 20 gigs and in 2015-16 nearly 30.
After 2017, both original guitar players had retired, auditions were held and unfortunately, a non-PC resident guitar player was hired. That only lasted 18 months. The band played well but the camaraderie was gone.
In early 2019 Howard met professional keyboard player Karen Peterson who had recently retired to Goodyear from Colorado with her husband, Chris, and a new, professional musician era started in PebbleRock that continues to this day. That summer, Howard and Karen modernized song lists, found a new guitar player, and began performing songs in their own styles and formats, and, due to Karen’s influence, a more fun and relaxed atmosphere filled the group.
Then COVID-19 hit and the band shut down for two years plus.
In 2021, Karen and Howard met and auditioned guitar player and recent retiree Ron Devine, who had just moved to PC from Pennsylvania with his wife Michelle. Ron hadn’t played in years and had a lingering hand inflammation that he was being treated for and was hesitant to start performing, but he was an exceptional musician, so the band decided to wait until he was ready and instead did duo and trio work where available.
Ron was ready by April 2023, and at a jam in Howard’s garage the three met retiree and savant-like bass player Robert Rochefort, who had also just arrived in PC with his talented dancer wife Lucie. All four knew they had something special with this group, and a new PebbleRock Band, and by far the best ever, was born.
Since then PebbleRock Band has been performing all around the west side. Starting in October 2025, they will perform on the second Wednesday every month at Roman’s Oasis in Goodyear, and other west side venues. Follow PebbleRock Band on FaceBook.