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Many have described the band as highly eclectic, but this is not precise. They are, at their core, a traditional rock band with the traditional line-up of drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboards and vocals, with occasional additions of a small horn section, and other instruments such as accordion, mandolin or steel guitar. Their main stock-in-trade is a loose, lively, brand of White R&B music taken up by thousands of White American musicians during the 1960's. They have endlessly been labeled as a " bar band ", which some consider a pejorative term. Their music remains firmly rooted in the rock/R&B camp, with occasional side trips to blues, country musicCountry music once known as Country and Western music is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. Vernon Dalhart was the first country singer to have a nation-wide hit, rockabillyRockabilly is a style of music made famous during the 1950s by American performers. At its heart, rockabilly is simply a fusion of rock and roll, blues and hillbilly music, hence the name. The music was propelled by catchy beats, an electric guitar and an, novelty songA novelty song is a song, usually in a recorded form, that defies the usual categorisation of music, or may not even be music. These songs are usually of a humourous nature, such as a parody, or a comedic take on current events or fads. Novelty songs ares and even straight-ahead pop vocals. The group's sense of humor has caused them to be labeled as "wacky," or even, more dismissively, "corny." This same free spirit that has caused many to not take them seriously has gained them a small but dedicated fan following.

The original members were keyboardist Terry Adams , guitarist Steve Ferguson , singer Frank Gadler , drummer Tom Staley , and bassist/singer Joey Spampinato . The group relocated to the northeastern US and gained attention in local clubs. They were signed to Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is the oldest continually used brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888. 1925 Columbia was originally the local company distributing and selling Edison phonographs and phonograph cylinders in Washington, D. Maryland and Delaware. in 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i. They featured rockabilly songs and Sun RaSun Ra ( May 22, 1914 (?) May 30, 1993) was an innovative and individual jazz composer, bandleader and piano and synthesizer player, who came to be known as much for preaching his bizarre "cosmic philosophy" as for his phenomenal musical compositions and coversIn pop music a cover version is a new rendition of a previously recorded song. Pop musicians may play covers as a tribute to the original performer or group, to win audiences who like to hear a familiar song, to increase their chance of success by using a on their self-titled debut album. They followed this with an album in collaboration with rockabilly singer Carl PerkinsThe article is about Carl Perkins the musician. For the politician see Carl D. Carl Lee Perkins ( April 9, 1932 January 19, 1998) was an American pioneer of rockabilly music, a mix of rhythm and blues and country music that evolved at Sun Records in Memph, titled Boppin' The Blues.

Columbia then dropped the group, unhappy with their middling sales. Ferguson left the group and was replaced by Conneticutt er Al Anderson . Gadler left in 1972. Drummer (and former fan) Tom Ardolino came on board in 1974. This configuration was the most well-known lineup, which continued until 1994. Throughout this long period, NRBQ continued to receive critical praise and had a healthy fan base, most notably in the Northeastern United States. They released records for a variety of labels including Kama Sutra Records, Rounder Records, and Mercury Records. They recorded what is perhaps their most critically beloved record, Grooves in Orbit , for Bearsville Records in 1981. They also formed their own label, Red Rooster Records (distributed by Rounder), on which they re-released the rediscovered LP by The Shaggs.

In 1989, the band got another one-album major-label deal with Virgin Records, issuing Wild Weekend . This was their first record to reach the record charts since their debut. In the 1990s, drummer Ardolino has been active in the rediscovery and release of musical recordings in the " song poem" genre.

In 1991, Spampinato, Ardolino, Adams, Ferguson and Anderson supplied the backing rhythm section for Johnnie Johnson (musician)'s album, Johnnie B. Bad . This album also featured Eric Clapton and Keith Richards on a couple of songs each.

Al Anderson left the band in 1994, and was replaced by Joey Spampinato's brother Johnny , formerly of The Incredible Casuals . Since then, they have continued releasing records, including several live recordings, and maintaining a heavy touring load.