Keith Neubauer was born with a song in his heart and a soul in search of the sea. He is not the first musician to write about the glories of Galveston. And, he’s in good company. Johnnie Webb and Glen Campbell (“Galveston” 1969), ZZ Top (“Balinese” 1975), and Bruce Springsteen (“Galveston Bay” 1995) all wrote odes to Texas’ upper Gulf Coast. But Neubauer doesn’t just sing the song, he jives the Galveston vibe.

He is a proud islander by choice. His signature song, “G.I. (Galveston Island) Blues” is a tribute to island life. The words: “I don’t care if the water’s brown or green. It doesn’t really matter to me. Just get me closer to the sea,” are not just a chorus he wrote for that song. It’s his mantra.

“It took half my lifetime, but I navigated my way to the sea,” Neubauer, 59, said. He and his wife, Shari, moved to the island in 2019; almost 35 years after his first island gig at B. Jiggers with the band MC Squared.

Since then, he’s written and released many original songs about the island: “Blame it on Galveston,” “Dancing Palm Trees,” and “Island Life,” among others. The exclusively instrumental album, “That is What You Sound Like,” features a track titled, "Ocean Waves.” All of these were inspired by, and written about, Galveston Island.

Music was, and still is, a family affair. He was born and raised in San Antonio and moved to Clear Lake as an adult. His father, Johnny Daye, played in a rock and roll show in Las Vegas in the early-’70s.

Keith wrote his first song when he was eight years old, the same year he started taking piano and drum lessons. Over the years, he’s added harmonica and ukulele to his instrumental repertoire.

His brother, Kerry, plays piano and trumpet, and still gigs with Keith often. All three of Neubauer’s children are musicians. His daughter is featured on his current album.

He signed with agents in San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston and played all over Texas, but his heart belonged to Galveston. Why? “The beach, the people, the vibe. I just fit,” he said.

During his career, Neubauer has written hundreds of original tunes, including six new songs penned during the pandemic. “We all felt the loss during lockdown. Folks were starving for some kind of creative and socially distanced interaction,” he said.

“So, I took the time to write and produce. And I performed in real time on Facebook, like a lot of artists did.”

He performed live concerts from his balcony in the strand area where folks watched from their golf carts on the streets below.

The particularly poignant, “Everyone’s the Same,” written during that time, is both heartwarming and heartbreaking simultaneously. Neubauer is “devoted to family, God, and Galveston,” although not always in that particular order. He is currently affiliated with Friendswood Communal Church and works with Hope Village, a community that caters to mentally and physically challenged folks. During the ’90s, he directed his talents to ministry and served as a full-time worship leader, releasing two albums devoted to Christian music. Neubauer is a multi-faceted music professional whose work covers a spectrum of musical genres. His lyrics run from the fun and light to the deeply personal. His voice ranges from smooth to raspy to all-out wail.

He is as comfortable writing or singing love ballads as he is performing pop, blues, or devotional songs. He has released an impressive eight albums over a musical career that spans close to four decades.

He has hand-picked 20 of his original favorites for an upcoming, three-hour performance called “Keith and the Palm Trees.” The show is from 7 to 10pm on April 15 at Island ETC.

His 2019 show, “The Neubauer Project,” played to a sold-out audience at the same venue. “Galveston has my heart and I promise to them give a great show,” he said.

Can’t make it to his April 15 show? Neubauer currently plays at these Galveston locations: 3 Doors Down Bar in the Peanut Butter Warehouse, Huli Huli Hut, Albatross, The Old Quarter Acoustic Café, The Bryan Museum, and The Alibi. He also performs at the Haak Winery in Santa Fe.

Keith Neubauer’s music is available on YouTube and Spotify. For upcoming gigs and more information, visit keithandthepalmtrees.com.

Upcoming Shows

Huli Huli Hut 7-10 p.m. - April 1, April 29, May 20, and June 3
Haak Winery 7:30-10 p.m. - April 7
Albatross 2-5 p.m. - April 10
Island ETC 7-10 p.m. - April 15 (tickets on sale now)
Diana’s Bartique on The Strand 2-5 pm. - April 23 and May 7
Old Quarter Acoustic Café 7-10 p.m. - May 14 (tickets on sale now)