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University professor and founding member of a professional classic rock band. These might seem like divergent career paths, but not for Roger Boyd, PhD (’97 and ’98). The retired faculty member in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Social Work was also a founding member of the legendary rock band Head East. According to Boyd, these careers fulfilled two of his lifelong dreams.

“When I left the University of Illinois in 1970 to play music, the School of Engineering dean told me I’d never come back,” said Boyd. “My greatest accomplishment in my education was returning to school in 1995 and continuing on to earn my PhD.”

Boyd earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from SIUE in 1997 and 1998, respectively, but he didn’t stop there. He continued his education at Saint Louis University, where he earned a doctorate in 2003.

While earning his degrees, Boyd never parted with his first love, rock ‘n roll. From Head East’s first concert on Aug. 6, 1969, at the Golden Gauntlet in Carbondale, Boyd has remained loyal to the band he helped found. Today, he is the only remaining member of the original band, but he is the force that has kept the band a relevant part of the classic rock music scene for the past 50 years.

Boyd and his current bandmates are celebrating that milestone this weekend with back-to-back 50th anniversary shows on Jan. 24-25 at the Wildey Theater in Edwardsville. They will perform the band’s 1979 double-live album, “Head East Live,” which includes many of the songs from their most well-known album, “Flat As A Pancake,” including “Never Been Any Reason” and “Since You Been Gone.”

“Recording ‘Flat As A Pancake’ is one of my proudest accomplishments as a musician,” said Boyd. “The album is still viable today – 45 years later. It took us from being a regional band to being a national act. It also gave us the freedom to perform our own songs.”

Boyd attributes changes in the music industry to making it possible for him to go back to school and eventually become a faculty member at SIUE in 2003. Instead of touring year-round, many bands began touring only in the summer – a schedule that aligned well with the academic calendar in higher education.

“We would tour all summer, and when Labor Day came, I would put my rock ‘n roll clothes in the closet and put on my mortar board,” said Boyd. “Then on Memorial Day, I’d pack my mortar board away and put on my rock ‘n roll clothes.”

This schedule allowed Boyd to focus all of his attention on his students while an SIUE faculty member. From 2003 until his retirement in 2011, Boyd taught in the Department of Social Work and also courses in sociology and criminal justice. He learned firsthand about social issues such as addiction and substance abuse while in the music industry, and he wanted to teach students how to support individuals who may be dealing with these issues.

One of the ways Boyd helped his social work students gain empathy for their clients was through the “Single Parent Family Day” activity he created. His students would spend a day simulating life as a single parent trying to complete everyday tasks, such as caring for their children and getting to work, on a limited budget without reliable transportation.

“It was a way to give my students a better idea of what their future clients might be going through on a daily basis,” explained Boyd. “I received great feedback from them down the road about how the exercise helped them in their work.”

Even in retirement, Boyd is still supporting SIUE students. He and his wife, Rita, who also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at SIUE in 1978 and 1991, respectively, created the endowed Rita E. Boyd Scholarship in Nursing through the SIUE School of Nursing (SON). Rita worked and then taught at the SIU School of Medicine for 15 years. She then became a faculty member at the SIUE SON, earned her doctoral degree from SIU Carbondale and accepted a position as a tenure-track faculty member at SIUE. She and Roger met in 2003 during faculty orientation at SIUE.

“Both Rita and I received incredible support from SIUE for our education during our time there, so we wanted to return the support,” said Boyd.

As Boyd gears up for the 50th anniversary shows at the Wildey Theater this weekend, he has no intention of making them the last milestone shows he performs with his band.

“As long as I can still lift my synthesizer over my head like I do at the end of every show, I’ll keep playing,” said Boyd. “At this point in time, I don’t see an end in sight.”

Photo: SIUE retiree and alumnus Roger Boyd, PhD.