About Us.
The Trophy Husbands have been performing together for the better part of a decade. The group originally met performing for worship services at Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin in the late 2000's, where many of them still perform today.
What first began as a cocktail lounge jazz group (originally called The Oxfords then Nathan Gerlach & Friends) has evolved into a finely tuned band that strives to play wide array of music for the enjoyment of all who participate and listen. With tight harmonies, and creative arrangements of covers, the band enjoys opening up songs for improvised solos or taking Top 40 hits and making instrumental arrangements from them.
With band members hailing from the Upper Midwest, bringing state, regional touring experience, The Trophy Husbands are fast becoming a staple in the diverse Madison music scene. Current members include: Patrick Kenney on keys/vocals, Barry Dobbs on guitar/vocals, Scott Staedter on drums/vocals, Ed Wegert on guitar, Bob Clark on bass/vocals and Nathan Gerlach on saxophone/vocals. Often the band is graced by the some guest musicians,
Meet the Husbands
Nathan Gerlach - sax / vocals
Nathan Gerlach has been playing saxophone in The Trophy Husbands for the better part of a decade. A music education graduate of UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison, Nathan was an active participant in the jazz programs at both schools. He also did a stint as a Graduate TA for the UW Marching Band during his graduate work at UW, working with the clarinets/saxophones in the band. Nathan currently teaches instrumental music in the Cambridge School District, just east of Madison. He also performs in the Bethel Lutheran Church Worship Band each Sunday, which his wife, Kathryn Gerlach (who also teaches choir in the Cambridge School District) leads the band.
Nathan originally began playing in the cover band The Yahara Project, where he met fellow bandmates Ed Wegert and Scott Staedter. From there he formed a jazz/cocktail lounge band called The Oxfords, which morphed into the ever popular Nathan Gerlach & Friends (mostly because of the great band name;). The band played the iconic Cardinal Bar happy hour time slot for several years before it’s permanent closure. From there the band gradually changed their name to The Trophy Husbands. Nathan finds a lot of joy performing with such talented musicians and appreciates the eclectic variety of music the band plays. When he is not playing music, he enjoys spending his time trying to be a “trophy husband” to his wife, Kathryn, and keeping up with his three kids, Alyce, Sylvia and Jonathan.
Scott Staedter - percussion / vocals
I was gifted my first drum kit on Christmas morning in 1968 and have been playing ever since. Someone called me the best “steering wheel drummer” they ever heard and my wife and business colleagues will no longer ride with me because of it! I was influenced by Neil Peart (Rush), Stewart Copeland (The Police), and from the only album my parents ever played when I was young, The Tijuana Brass.
After college, I took a nineteen year performing hiatus until being persuaded to play again at church in 2006 and later that year founded The Yahara Project with Madison keyboardist Randy VanderHeiden, Lars Bland and current TTH members Ed Wegert and Nathan Gerlach. After TYP, Nathan performed with a host of "friends" where I began playing cajon. From these "friends" gigs, we eventually evolved into TTH about five years ago.
When not playing with TTH, I am an international business and sales consultant within the construction products industry having worked in nearly fifty countries. (My wife and kids are pretty sure I work for the CIA.) I am so thankful to be on stage with such talented musicians.
Barry Dobbs - vocals / guitar / harmonica
My first instrument was the organ, which I started playing when I was 8 years old because my mother was a church organist and we had one at home. At the age of 12, I figured out that the guitar was a much “cooler” instrument, so I bought my first guitar and took lessons. In High School, I formed my first band,“Crystal Haze”, and we played the Plano Hometown Days 4th of July dance to high acclaim (tongue firmly in cheek). I have played many instruments over the years, including the drums, tuba, and bass guitar, and have continued playing in bands and writing music, including an 18-year stint in Austin Texas, the Live Music Capital of the World. Nine years ago, my wife and I decided to move back to the Midwest, and I quickly found Nathan and became one of his “friends”. I thoroughly love playing with this group of misfits and intend to keep doing it until they say, “Barry, the 80’s have your hair, and they’re calling you home.”
Patrick Kenny-Brown - piano / vocals
Patrick Kenney-Brown is a pianist, composer, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Green Bay, he started playing piano when he was 6 years old. Patrick graduated from UW-Madison in 2011 with degrees in piano performance and mathematics.
Since graduating, he has kept active musically by playing weekly for services at Bethel Lutheran Church (where he met his fellow Trophy Husbands), performing with the Piano Fondue dueling piano collective in Madison and throughout the Midwest, live-streaming all-request concerts, writing music, and gigging sporadically (including weddings, the UW Varsity Band, and local theatre).
Patrick is an actuary at CUNA Mutual Group (where he also plays piano for the employee choir).
Bob Clark - guitar / vocals
Bob brings years and a breadth of experience to the Trophy Husbands. He began performing in high school, playing the Motor City Sounds on a sax. In college, he picked up the bass & moved into folk-rock. He has worked in various pit bands over the years, but found a home with the Trophy Husbands a number of years ago. He appreciates both the variety of music & personalities and hopes that you will, too!
Ed Wegert - guitar
Ed, being the only single Trophy Husband, carries a significant portion of the load both musically and with respect to the band's legion of groupies, especially the BLC Bluehairs that flock to Nathan's whistle.
In the words of Guitar Player Magazine "He has chops to burn and sets the stage ablaze during each and every performance." Fortunately his bandmates are themselves flame retardant!
Jacob Voigt - piano / vocals
Jacob Voigt is a singer and actor who has worked in many mediums of performance. He has served on the faculty at New York Film Academy for undergraduate musical theatre and at the Jack Benny Center for the Arts. He studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute and recorded music at the Clive Davis Institute at NYU, from which he received his BFA.
Jacob has worked with award winning Grammy, Tony and Oscar winning performers and composers. He has worked regionally around the country and in the Broadway theater scene. He has performed at Radio City Music Hall and with American Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Follow: @thejacobvoigt www.thejacobvoigt.com