By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
It was a hot Thursday afternoon and lady luck smiled down on Keith Nuebauer. Normally he plays keyboard while singing outside at the Bryan Museum for Thursdays at The Bryan. On this Thursday, after weeks of 90+ temperatures in Galveston, a decision was made to move the show into the conservatory.
Surrounded by the glass building and the outdoors filled with greenery, Neubauer began his show promptly at 4:00pm with a Beatles favorite, I Get by with a Little Help From My Friends. As he rang out tunes from the Beatles, guests dropped green backs into his tip jar.
Guests continued to wander into the conservatory sipping on wine and enjoying each other’s company while Nuebauer entertained them with more 60’s and 70’s pop music. Occasionally, he threw in a country tune.
“He is really popular here,” said one of the guests.
“We really enjoy his music,” said another guest of Neubauer, who performs frequently for Bryan Museum audiences.
Neubauer has a smile on his face, a friendly welcome to everyone in his audience, and his voice sings out happiness. The audience is relaxed and join him in smiling and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.
His music transports the audience to someplace filled with lighthearted fun without any concern other than just enjoying the moment. It’s like being on an island beach, but of course it is an island, and the beach is a couple blocks away.
Neubauer was born in San Antonio to a family of five children. He remembers his brother being very good at piano playing.
“My brother could read music really well, so I just sat and watched him play and copied what he was doing,” shared Neubauer. Keith was playing piano from the age of nine and drums from the age of seven.
He also remembers his mother loved listening to music. Her favorite was pop music, which is his favorite. Of all the pop bands, his most favorite are The Beatles and his favorite Beatle is Paul McCartney.
Being a musician has basically been what he has done his entire life. He played drums in his high school marching band and piano for stage band. After high school, he joined up with a pop band and toured Texas for seven years. One band led to another band, and he just kept playing. He has also worked as a worship minister for 10 years.
Though he is joining the crowd of people with a little bit more salt than pepper in their hair, that hasn’t stopped Neubauer from taking up the challenge of creating music videos for YouTube.
He writes his own lyrics for his videos, most of which are inspired from life around him. He’s been writing lyrics since he was in seventh grade. Now life around him is filled with seagulls, seashells, pelicans, and all the other great island treasures. Galveston’s landscape, sea life, landmarks, and residents are featured in his videos.
After All These Years is one of his most popular music videos. He wrote the song for his high school reunion. It’s about a couple who broke up and then they run into each other and find love again.
Featured in the video are a real-life husband and wife whose romance is similar to the song. The video is set at familiar locations throughout Galveston.
Living on the Strand in Galveston with his wife Shari, they have become well-known with the island’s relaxed free-spirited, toes-in-the sand crowd. Shari helps him set up for his performances. “We’ve got it down to 15 minutes,” said Shari.
“I am very fortunate to have such a supportive wife,” Keith said.
Shari attends all his performances unless grandmother duty keeps her away. “He’s good at what he does, and he enjoys it so much. It’s a lot of fun to be part of his performances,” said Shari.
Once in a while they sing a duo.
When they aren’t tending to music performances, the couple owns two Allstate Insurance branches, one in Sugar Land and another in Santa Fe.
