Last Updated on February 23, 2018, 9:35 PM | Published: February 23, 2018
Roger Lienke was 8 years old when he wrote his first music, 12 when he wrote his first pop song and 16 when he first started recording popular music with his two brothers, Tupper and Tom.
He has been writing music all of his life in what he describes as a journey of “following the music.”
His latest CD “Playing for Keeps,” is being released Saturday, February 24 with a concert at the Blue Door in Oklahoma City at 8:00 p.m.
“This project is an answer to an inner imperative,” said Roger. “It’s time to share.”
It will be his first public performance since the Paseo Art Festival nine years ago.
To Oklahoma City residents who have followed his music-making over the years, it may seem like Roger is starting up again after taking nearly a decade break, but he wouldn’t agree.
“I’ve been very focused on my practice (psychiatric nurse), but I’ve also been writing the whole time since I last performed at the Paseo,” he told us during a recent visit to his studio.
In recent years he has been working steadily on more collaborations with Lunacy Records/Studio 7 where this 20-song CD was produced by Dave Copenhaver.
If you don’t have tickets already, you will need to ask around and see if someone will turn loose of theirs. The concert is sold out.
Deep history
Counting the LPs he did with his brothers early on, it’s the tenth one for Roger, many of them solo works like this one.
The Leinke Brothers City Band gained popularity in Oklahoma City in the 1970s as they played an increasing number of gigs around the city.
That creative soup generated three 45 rpm single records, then their first LP album in 1979.
Their popularity in OKC led them to Los Angeles where they continued to record.
Eventually, though, the three separated as a band (although still close as family) and pursued other goals.
He went back to school and became an RN, at first doing general medical work, then specializing in psychiatric nursing mostly in institutions, then in the last ten years in private practice.
Roger’s marriage to Kathleen is nearing its 40th year.
Family and his individual counseling practice have created balance in his life where family, profession and creativity have happily intermingled.
Discography
• Playing for Keeps, 2017, CD
• This May be Heaven, 2015, CD
• Dragonfly, 2014, CD
• Free, 2013, CD
• Alive Music, 2013, CD
• Snake in the Grass, 2008, CD
• Unchained Events, 1994, CD
• Roger’s Back, 1985, CD
• Brothers by Choice, 1982, vinyl
• The Lienke Brothers City Band, 1979, vinyl
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
