PHOTO GALLERY

The Early Years

The Later Years

     Herb Metoyer is a Louisiana Creole gentleman who graduated from Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA at the early age of nineteen (19). He is a retired military officer and helicopter pilot, and a recent retiree from General Motors where he served as a Test Engineer in GM's Testing Laboratories.

     Herb is an accomplished composer who experiments with all music genres. He is also one of the few (maybe the only) African-American folk song writers to emerge during the 1960’s era. And although he has composed a number of jazz songs, his favorite medium today is still “Folk.” You might say that he is a musically enhanced "Storyteller" & "Poet." Much of his music concerns civil rights, people & children he has encountered during his lifetime, and other topical subjects such as war, historical events and personal observations. He performs utilizing both the guitar and synthesizer, sometimes playing a harmonica which hangs around his neck, and a bass drum with his foot. 

      His vinyl album recorded in 1965 on MGM’s VerveFolkways Label entitled "Something New," has become a classic folk album that has been selling on ebay as a collector's item. Even today, he still receives fan mail relative to this album.

   When released, Herb’s first album received a “Four Star” rating by Billboard magazine. He was a Helicopter pilot in the military at the time. But once he was promoted to grade of Major, the military cut his budding music career short, claiming that his activities as a singer/songwriter were unbecoming of a field grade officer. So…, Herb gave up performing in favor his military career.

One of Herb's most prized accomplishments, however, is the fact that one of his songs "Mother, Fools are A Long Line Coming" is on the “moon" in the Time Capsule. It was recorded by Fred Neil on his "Sessions” album by Capitol. This was the album selected by the astronauts to be encased in the time capsule that was placed on the moon.

During his youth, Herb performed on the same shows along side such great artists as Joni Mitchell, Fred Neil, Mike Taylor, Josh White (Senior & Junior), Odetta, Vince Martin, Judy Collins, Phil Ochs, Mayon Weeks, Danny Potter, and Steve Biggs.

          During his latter years, Herb concentrated on writing and book publishing. In 1984, he became a founding member of the “Detroit Black Writer’s Guild,” a non-profit organization devoted to improving literacy and training potential authors. With this organization, he held the posts of Senior Editor, Executive Editor, Chairman of the Board, and Executive Director.

To his credit, he has completed two novels and published over twenty books for other authors.

            Now in his seventies, Herb is again focusing on his music. His last CD, “Here I Am Again” was released in 2004. Currently, he has released a  new CD titled “This Is The Time.”

Do yourself a favor and give his music a listen. Full length samples of his music can be found at   (Click)