Glenn "Chops" Lightford
Glenn "Chops" Lightford, the band leader of "Don't Tell Mama", grew up in Dallas and went to school in Dallas, and later, studied Music Education at Abilene Christian University. He has lived in Dallas, Abilene, Houston, San Antonio, and the Rio Grande Valley.
Chops plays Trumpet and Flugle Horn with DTM, but also plays French Horn, Baritone, Trombone, some percussion, and keyboards.
Glenn played his first professional performance at the age of 13, (about 6 months after he picked up a trumpet) and has been playing his horn ever since. He began writing music for small ensembles while in High School, and later in life, he began writing for High School ensembles, College ensembles, and other small groups. Presently, he writes arrangements for the horn section of DTM.
Glenn's most memorial performances that he recalls are from High School, College, and a few "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunities to play along side Herb Alpert, Luis Miguel, The Count Basie Orchestra, and Tower of Power. Chops has played in several different venues and with several different bands around the Dallas/Fort Worth area for the past 30 years, including, Danny and the Dinosaurs, Roscoe Turner and Company, and The Blues Hunters, just to name a few.
His Trumpet influences include: Herb Alpert, Al Hirt, Arturo Sandoval, Lee Morgan, Bill Chase, and of course.....Maynard Ferguson !
His Band influences include: Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, Tower of Power, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and several bands of today...With "Don't Tell Mama" at the top of the list. He loves playing Jazz, Latin Jazz, and Tejano Music.
Another "once-in-a-lifetime" event for Glenn was to be re-united with his High School Sweetheart (of 34 years) Maria, and they are now happily married to each other !
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Maria G Lightford
Flute/Percussion/Backup-Vocals
Maria grew up in Dallas and has lived here all her life. She first became interested in music in Jr. High School. This is were she began playing flute in the marching and concert band. She continued to play her flute in High School as well. While in High School she volunteered to be in the drum line, playing cymbals and snare drum. Maria taught herself to play the congas, bongos and other percussion instruments. She loves to play a variety of musical styles.
She played with Danny and the Dinosaurs for about 4 years prior to Don't Tell Mama. She has also played with Rosco Turner & Company and The Blues Hunters. She has played flute with the Rockwall Community Band for 3years. She also loves to dance, as well as play music.
Glenn (Chops) Lightford the leader of this band (DTM) is her husband, they were both in Jr. High and High School Band together. They have known each other for 34 years. So you see, they have been make beautiful music together for along time. After High School they lost touch with each other. But now they are back together like they should have been all along (after 34 years, they finally got married!)They have never been happier.
Maria's family is also an important part of her life.Her children andgrandchildren.Maria is doing what she loves best, making music, and being Glenn's wife.
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Willie "Keys" Webber
William Webber was born and raised in Modesto, a city in the San Joaquin Valley of northern California. Also known as "The Big Valley". Modesto is in the heart of a large agricultural area of California which extends from Sacramento to Bakersfield, approx. 400 miles. The son of a Peach, grapes, walnut, and almond farmer.
The nearest city of size was San Francisco, where he crafted his skills as a musician. As a young lad he took piano lessons at the age of seven. Through grammar and high school he played a Baritone in band, which helped him to learn to read music. At the age of 18 he heard an album by an organist named Jimmy Smith, which helped launched his Music career.
After obtaining a Hammond B3 organ, and learning how to play it, he started his career. Starting with little combos in his home town. His first band, called "The Firecrackers" played high school dances and proms in the local area. As his skills improved, He started playing with better players. Some of these players went on to become stars in their own rite. i.e. Michael Allsup-Three Dog Night, Mike Pinerra-Iron Butterfly, and Blues Image, Mike Olson-Lee Michaels, Bruce Conte - Tower of Power.
After many years on the road, touring the United States, he ended up in Dallas, which is now his home. In Dallas he played with many Bands. They were Robert Lee Kolb, Willy and the Poor Bois (His own Band ), Randy Surley and 4your blues, to name a few.
The music he personally likes to listen to is of course music from organists like Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Groove Holmes, Red Young, Tommy Young, Joey Defrancesco. All extremely talented people. Other music, all the old R and B hits, Good Blues, and Jazz. also those wild piano players i.e. Jerry Lee Lewis , Little Richard, etc.
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Teresa "T-Bird" Hickman 
Teresa Hickman is the band's lead female singer.
Teresa has been playing in bands for 20 years (ever since she was 6 years old!). She grew up on a farm in northern Illinois, singing in both the church choir and the Forreston High School "Madrigals".
Teresa moved to Dallas some years ago and has been heavily involved in the Dallas music scene ever since. She played for many years with Danny and the Dinosaurs where she sang and played saxophone.
Some of Teresa's musical influences include Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Bette Midler, Pat Benatar and Etta James.
Teresa has been with Don't Tell Mama since their formation in 2005.
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