Steve Rosko got his start on his 16th birthday, thanks to a nylon string classical guitar. Not long after, he picked up fingerpicking and just never really stopped playing. Over time, he got drawn to the Dobro’s unique sound, but eventually the pedal steel guitar pulled him in for good. He’s been at it for ten years now, and you can really hear it.
Steve’s setup is something special—a 41-year-old vintage pedal steel, run through an old-school 8 vacuum tube amp head and a pair of custom-voiced speakers. That’s how he nails those warm, classic tones you’d hear back when the steel guitar ruled country music. He’s got a big thing for classic Country & Western and Western Swing, though sometimes he’ll dip into Country Rock just for fun. Steve’s passion for that pure, traditional sound is why he founded Sunset Ridge. He started this group to ensure the true, classic country vibe—pedal steel and all—is permanently back on the Central Texas dance floor. One of his proudest moments? Getting to play twice at the legendary Luckenbach dance hall. For Steve, that was a real dream come true.
Bob Murray's beat has been setting the rhythm since he got his first drum kit in 1969. While growing up in Germany, he was drawn to rock drumming and developed a lifelong love of jazz. Bob’s professional history in Texas music started with his first pro gig at Austin’s Aquafest.
His career highlight came when he joined Standing Waves, a leading New Wave band that toured the U.S. and appeared in the 1980 movie Roadie alongside legends like Roy Orbison and Hank Williams Jr. Though he later took a detour to earn a B.S. in Forestry, Bob spent three decades playing everything from funk and soul to classic rock and country across regionally successful bands.
In 2024, Bob and his wife retired to Sun City, bringing his incredible wealth of experience back to the local scene. Now, Bob is excited to be part of Sunset Ridge, holding down the backbeat for musicians who share his genuine love for the classic country sound.
Al Kaler's musical journey began at just six years old when his grandmother taught him his first chords. By sixteen, he had joined a rock group that became the house band for Pittsburgh DJ Terry Lee, backing legendary acts like The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Drifters.
A true multi-instrumentalist, Al spent his youth learning everything from the dobro and fiddle to the saxophone and pedal steel. At age twenty, country music called his name. In the 1970s, he formed Pittsburgh’s premier country band, opening for icons like George Jones, Bobby Bare, and B.J. Thomas.
Al brings serious Nashville pedigree to our stage. He played with Freddie Fender throughout the '70s and '80s and officially joined Conway Twitty’s "Twitty Birds" in 1983. A seasoned session player who has rubbed elbows with greats like Chet Atkins and Jimmy Capps, Al’s world-class experience is a perfect fit for our classic country sound.
John Bell, providing vocals and guitar for Sunset Ridge, hails from a deeply rooted musical family of native Kentuckians who played in the hollers from the early 1900s to the 1950s. His journey began in his church choir at age eleven. A pivotal moment came at fourteen when he met local legend and bass player Skinny Don Keeling. Recognizing John’s natural country voice, Keeling gifted him an old guitar and loaned him records by George Jones, Merle Haggard, and George Strait. Hearing "The Grand Tour" instantly hooked him on the genre.
Under Keeling’s mentorship, John attended gigs and learned from country greats in the Don Walser band, including the legendary Jimmy Day. By eighteen, John fronted his own band, becoming a staple in the Texas dancehall scene of the 1980s and 90s. Praised as an Austin Chronicle "Best Bet" for his rich baritone voice, John eventually stepped away from performing. Now, his enduring love for country music brings him back to the stage with Sunset Ridge.
Mike Johnston has been playing bass guitar in country music and blues bands for several years. His early career was spent with The BossMen in East Texas playing at clubs and dance halls in both Texas and Bossier City, Louisiana. During college, he played with several bands in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area including The Floyd Dakle Four (“Dance Franny Dance”).
After moving to Austin in the early 70’s, he played with the original BootStrap band for 6 years. He played with The Hayriders in Carthage, Texas for several years in the early 2000’s and backed such nationally known musicians as Charlie Walker, The Cajun Aces, Karen Anderson, John Rex Reeves and Jeanette Hicks. The BootStrap Band reformed in 2001 and played gigs in Central Texas until 2008. He has since been playing bass guitar in several bands in the Austin area (Lunar Rollers, The NTO’s, Spilled Whiskey Band, Whiskey Renegade Band and fills in with several other bands in Austin as needed.