OutBack is a professional country band who enjoy the people they entertain as much as the music they perform for.  From young to old, this band has music everyone enjoys and their spur of the moment comedy always brings chuckles and laughter from the crowd. Nothing is scripted!  OutBack plays many of the old favorites in Country and Classic Rock, but also keeps current on many popular Country tunes.

Four of OutBack’s members have been entertaining for well over 30 years. Their experience and comfortable attitude with the crowd has gained them quite a following.

OutBack dance and performance schedules are available at all OutBack events. We encourage our fans to mark their calendars for the next fun night with OutBack. Mailings are sent out on an annual basis.

Appreciation of the crowd and the venue they are playing at makes the group easy to work with and a crowd pleaser. OutBack is neither a loud nor abrasive band and we are very conscientious of the manager’s requests on sound levels.

“Live a Little, Laugh A Lot and Love The Music!”


Front: Laurie Larsen and Jan Grimm

Back Row: Ken Atwood, Howard Grimm and Dave Bergquist


Laurie Larsen –Bloomfield, Nebraska- Rhythm Guitar, Lead & Harmony Vocals

Laurie has been playing in front of crowds since she was 13 and has opened for greats such as The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Eddie Rabbit, Janie Fricke, Ricky Skaggs and many others.  Laurie’s start on the road was with the all girl band “Patches” in the late 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s.  Patches was a finalist in the Country Wrangler Showdown and represented Nebraska in Nashville in 1984.  Her favorite music is well rounded from Patsy Cline to Trick Pony to Tricia Yearwood to all the favorite Classic Rock hits. Laurie loves to entertain, enjoys the people and watching them laugh and have fun – it is her passion to keep people tapping their toes, smiling and asking for more.

Ken Atwood – Forestburg, South Dakota – Drums, Lead & Harmony Vocals

A 43-year veteran of both the performance and management ends of the music business, Ken’s rare vocal style and ability commands crowd attention. An admirer of several music genres, his favorite is 50’s & 60’s Do-Wop. A professional drummer since age 15, Ken is also a skilled bassist, and one of the few in South Dakota that have mastered the mighty Ibanez 5-String Bass guitar. Additionally, Ken sings Lead or Harmony on either instrument. His dry wit is always a hit with the crowd and also keeps his band mates laughing every night!

Dave Bergquist – Lynch, Nebraska – Lead Guitar and Vocals

Dave has been playing for over 45 years, and with so much experience, he is considered one of the best Lead guitar players in the area. Dave played in bands with Dave Dudley (Six Days on The Road artist) and Johnny White (Two old Maids Sleeping in the Bed artist) plus has opened while in the band with Connie Lee for twenty one years for national acts: Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap, John Conlee, Ray Price, Travis Tritt, George Jones and others.

Dave has a humor all his own and is a great addition to this band. Though primarily a Jazz stylist, he can play most any musical genre. Just name a tune and he’ll probably know it!

Howard Grimm – Lynch, Nebraska – Keyboard and Vocals

Howard’s music career began with piano lessons in 1957 and continued for three years culminating in an inability to read music, much to the frustration of the teacher.  “YOU’RE PLAYING BY EAR, AREN’T YOU?”  Elvis Presley and his guitar was a big influence in the mind of this young wannabe musician so the piano was put by the wayside in favor of a string instrument. The sixties Rock ‘n’ Roll scene found Howard performing onstage, much to his enjoyment, but even that came to an end when Uncle Sam invited him into the Vietnam conflict.  Marriage, child rearing and ranching put the brakes on Howard’s music career for a while but an invitation to get involved with music once again arose, when he was able to perform with his son in a local Nebraska country dance band 15 years ago. Howard has been playing ever since and the electric keyboard has become his favorite instrument.

Jan Grimm – Lynch, Nebraska – Bass Guitar and Vocals

Jan started 10 years ago. She had no previous experience with a bass guitar. For the first 6 months, she didn’t even know how to tune the bass!!  Jan started taking lessons from a professional guitarist. So far, “he has not dismissed me,” she says, “so I must be doing something right.”

Music was not her first love, but was always a part of her life. Now Jan enjoys backing some wonderful people who keep her very busy.  Her quick humor, friendly smile and contagious laugh are a joy to the crowd.