File:Al Rogers pianist, singer, composer, entertainer.jpg

English: Al Rogers, was born,March 5, 1951 and adopted three days later and named Roger Alan Meyer, has been a professional pianist and singer since 1970. During and after attending The Manhattan School of Music Al played various clubs in N. Y. C. and surrounding area and states, including Puerto Rico. However the important part of Al’s career came when he went to the Netherlands in 1976. He was invited to play at a party of Dutch show business celebrities. The guests were thrilled at Al’s entertainment as they gathered around the grand. This came to the attention to Holland’s famous impresario, Lou van Rees who booked Al at several large events. Al then came under the auspices of Lou and Ank Bouwmeester.who were the managers of Holland’s famous boogiewoogie pianist, Pia Beck. As Al and Pua were both blondes, the idea was to couple them as an act.

Al was booked to perform with Pia in a two grand piano shuffle blues number and a his own number with bassist Jack Schools and drummer John Engels in Scheveningen’s famous “Circus Theater,” for a simultaneous radio-television broadcast of “Swinging Scheveningen.” Rogers got a huge standing ovation but because he hadn’t yet name recognition, was cut from the broadcast. Ironically, the production room was impressed enough by Roger’s performance that the cameras were constantly on him during the finale when all the performers were on stage. The day after the show aired, al was questioned by the butcher of a local store, “Did I see you on TV last night? Were you a waiter or something?”

Regardless of this comical setback, enough exposure had been made. Al was a headliner in the 1981 resurrection of historic jazz club, Der Vliegende Hollander,” and played at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Rogers felt rather good as he had rather acclimated to Holland, that he wasn’t advertised as the American pianist/singer but was included with the Dutch artists. Rogers also appeared from time to time as a radio guest.

In the early 1980’s, Al was asked to be band leader of the TRIS television network’s program, TV Prive’ which he did for two seasons. Later he became the main musician entertainer in Holland Casino Amsterdam became the unofficial music manager booking other musicians at the Casino.

Rogers had the chance to play with several jazz legends such as Lionel Hampton, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Toots Thielemans, John Engels. In 2977, Al had the wonderful experience of meeting, as band leader of the night club band in Amsterdam, playing, and becoming friends with, for Step and tap dancing legend, Carnell Lyons. One of His best memories is when the Four Tops joined Al in an impromptu performance during an event at which they were performing.

Then love brought Rogers back to the U. S. Where he married Cheryl August 1, 1998. As Rogers 22 year career in Holland was known, he had to recreate himself which he did in upstate New York as a special Ed. music teacher Rogers considers working with those kids one of the greatest periods in his life.

In 2006, Al an Cheryl moved to Espanola, New Mexico. Al found a great music venue in which to play, “Vanessie of Santa Fe.” Have a beautiful 9ft. concert grand on which to play gave a bit of a revival to Roger’s performing. However Rogers was also teaching in the Espanola School district until 2017 when his wife was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He needed to care for her which he did until Cheryl passed in her sleep, August 8, 2017.

Covid 19 was another blow to musicians everywhere. Roger’s turned to creating a group page on Facebook, “Remembering Music Old & New” providing musical clips with some history regarding the artists..