BY THE WAY: BIG BREAK COMES TO LOCAL ROCK BAND

The best advice legendary guitar player Steve Morris could give Billy Keys will be tested at the Show Me Center Oct 4.

Morris, who is best known for his work with bands like Kansas and The Dixie Dregs, conducted a clinic for Keys Music students five years ago. It was on the drive from the Cape Girardeau Airport that Morris bestowed on Billy the pearls of his wisdom.

Everyone with some degree of talent is due at least one shot at the big time, Morris said. But what they do with that is what usually separates success from aspirations.

"He told me that sometimes you know it's coming and sometimes you don't," Keys said. "If you keep your eyes open for the opportunity, sometimes it comes down to how bad you really want it."

Keys, who is a member of the band Papa Aborigine, wants to do well in what is about to become his biggest gig. Papa Aborigine will be the opening act for the Pointer Sisters concert at the Show Me Center.

"I've played before 4,000 or 5,000 at the Duquoin, Ill., State Fair, but that was back stage as part of the horn section," Keys said. "This will be the biggest thing we've played. We're all real excited because we know it could lead to something bigger."

Anyone who has ever heard Papa Aborigine play knows the band is good enough to play the Show Me Center. They have already recorded their first tape and have hopes of turning that into a CD.

Keys, who is lead singer and organ player, bass guitar player Chris Ford, drummer Keller Ford, and guitar player Alex Allen have been pointing toward something like this for the past five years.

"I don't know if this is our one big shot, but I feel like we're ready for a concert like this," said Keys, who is a music major at Southeast Missouri State.

Indeed, the band is steeped in talent and musical blood lines. Billy's father Eddie still plays in the band Tufa. Keller Ford's father Jerry has played in bands in Southeast Missouri for several years.

Sadly enough, there isn't enough work for all the talented musicians in town. "I think some of the older music fans would go out of their way to hear live music, but it seems like the younger ones have gotten too used to sound systems," Keys explained. "That's why you don't get that much live music around here."

But that doesn't keep bands like Papa Aborigine from playing or practicing on their own. Keys said there are plenty of talented musicians out there who haven't been given a true chance to show what they can do. And there are those who have little talent but who have been lucky enough to find the right promoter to package their goods.

Papa Aborigine's first big break came from a source that isn't normally associated with rock concerts.

It was Keys' association with Southeast Missouri State's Music Department that led to the band's shot at a concert of this scope. "Barry Bernhardt, who is director of activity bands at Southeast, got a call from the Show Me Center and he told me they were looking for someone to open for the Pointer Sisters," said Keys. "One thing led to another and before you knew it we we're scheduled to do about 20 to 40 minutes. We wanted to do just our own stuff, but now it looks like we'll be doing some cover tunes of familiar rock bands mixed with or original material," Keys said.

Regardless of what Papa Aborigine plays, the band will be exposed to more talent agents and fans than they have seen in one night. "There could be people there who could wind up helping us later on," Keys said. "After all, Donna Summer founded Kiss."

Rest assured, Billy Keys' eyes are wide open.

Bill Heitland is a staff writter for the Southeast Missourian.