Monitor Engineer | Sound Engineer | 1975–1983

Chester "RoyBoy" Snyder, Jr. — known to family and friends as Bubba — was a Showco sound engineer whose career spanned some of the most iconic moments in live music and Hollywood film. A UT Austin graduate, Class of '75, Roy joined Showco that same year and spent nearly a decade as a trusted part of the road family, working both Monitors and FOH. His first Showco run was with Wings — and it set the tone for everything that followed.

Roy loved Linda Ronstadt above all others, and he'd tell anyone who asked that Van Halen was the most fun tour he ever worked. He kept what amounts to a roadie diary — capturing the moments between the moments, the people behind the gear, the little stories that never make the headlines. This page is part of that record.

If you have photos, stories, or memories of Roy to contribute to the archive, please reach out.

SHOWCO CAREER

Years: 1975–1983 Roles: Monitor Engineer, FOH Engineer First Showco Tour: Wings (Wings Over America) Favorite Artist: Linda Ronstadt Most Fun Tour: Van Halen

Tours :
Richard Pryor | Thin Lizzy | Mary Kay| Led Zeppelin | Elvis Presley| Willie Nelson
Rufus & Chaka Khan | Rolling Stones | The Who | Wings | Bentwood Spectacular | Kinks
The Baby’s | CBS Convention | Bugs Henderson| Joel Gray | Joe Ely | US Festival
Leon Redbone | Jerry Seinfield | ZZTop
The Sparkplugs | New Orleans Festival | Beach Boys| Ray Charles | Kenny Loggins | James Taylor| Mardi Gras | Diana Ross | Waylon & Friends| Gatlin Brothers | Blues Brothers | Linda Ronstadt| Doug Kershaw | Kim Carnes | Van Halen| Saga | Jackson Browne| Bob Hope| SNL| Pink Floyd| Peter Gabriel

FILM & TELEVISION CREDITS

Roy worked sound on six film and television productions over the course of his career — a body of work that speaks to the range and reputation he built as a production professional.

RoboCop (1987)

Roy was a member of the 3-man sound crew on the landmark 1987 film RoboCop. The film went on to receive Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, as well as a Special Achievement Academy Award for sound effects editing — a recognition the entire crew shared in. His mom saved the newspaper clipping.

Roy loved the production — particularly the gas station explosion sequence, which held a personal significance (the station had once belonged to a family stepfather). He was less fond of wading through the muck of an old Detroit steel mill on location. He kept a sign from the set and his original script.

Honeysuckle Rose (1980)

Roy worked on the Willie Nelson film Honeysuckle Rose and loved every minute of it. He was particularly taken with Willie's bus — and if you look carefully, you might spot Roy in a brief cameo in the film itself.

Elvis and Me (1988)

When production began on the TV film Elvis and Me — based on Priscilla Presley's memoir — the crew needed to stage a live Las Vegas concert scene. There was one problem: nobody on that crew knew how to do live concert sound. Roy did. He stepped in and built the entire show from the ground up.

This was not unfamiliar territory. Roy had already worked with Elvis Presley on his final tour. When Elvis died before they were due to return to the road, Roy held only one regret: that he hadn't gotten one of Elvis's handkerchiefs for their mother, who was a devoted fan. That night, Roy and his sister Nita sat at their mom's kitchen table and talked about it.

Roy liked Priscilla. The family still holds the original production script, Priscilla's memoir, and a handwritten song list from the film.

To Heal a Nation (1988)

Roy worked on To Heal a Nation, the TV film about the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, starring Eric Roberts. Filmed in Hollywood. A rare gemstone — sourced through his sister Nita from Boulder, Colorado — found its way to Eric Roberts during the production. The family has the original script.

Poppa Was a Preacher (1984)

Roy worked on Poppa Was a Preacher, the Robert Duvall film. He liked Duvall and got along well with the cast and crew. The family holds a cast-and-crew photo and the original script.

Square Dance (1987)

Roy handled sound on Square Dance (1987). The family holds a cast-and-crew photo from the production.

FROM THE ROAD

Wings Over America — Denver

Roy's very first Showco tour was with Wings — so when Paul McCartney and Wings came back through Denver on the Wings Over America tour, it was more than just another gig. Roy brought most of the crew back to his sister Nita's place in Boulder, down by Boulder Creek. They threw an impromptu picnic and played softball in the backyard at Boulder High. That night, Nita's daughters Angel and Renay — visiting for summer vacation — attended their very first real concert: Paul McCartney and Wings at their best.

It started with Wings. It came back around to Wings. That was Roy.

Elvis Presley — Final Tour

Before Elvis and Me brought him back into Presley's orbit on screen, Roy had worked alongside Elvis on his final tour. It is a chapter of his career that carried weight — both professionally and personally.

Dwight Yoakam — Denver / Nederland, CO

Roy surprised his sister Nita by showing up unannounced at her mountain home outside Nederland, Colorado — he knew she was a Clint Black fan and that Yoakam and Black were playing Denver. Their brother Robert and his wife had also driven in from Texas; it turned into an impromptu family gathering. At the show, Clint Black had been pulled from the bill. No matter — Roy got the whole group a personal tour of Yoakam's bus. Roy managed to get himself fired over it. Yoakam had to rehire him immediately. There was no one else.

Years later, when a family party hired Yoakam to perform, Roy declined the invitation without hesitation. "No thanks," he said. "I've seen Dwight Yoakam."

Blossom Music Center — Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Roy served as manager of Blossom Music Center (commonly known as Blossom Amphitheater) located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and by all accounts, he loved that job. When his sister Nita and her husband John flew out to visit and catch a Jimmy Buffett show, Roy treated them to a steak BBQ and loaned them a custom Harley for an afternoon ride through the Ohio countryside.

The weekend also included an uninvited guest — Roy's girlfriend Roxi — whose decision to approach Jimmy Buffett at dinner and ask for an autograph cost Roy his job. Roy was, as always, a gentleman about it.

EARLY WORK

"VD is for Everybody" — Public Service Announcement (c. 1969–70)

While in college, Roy produced a public service announcement that won a national award. The subject matter was bold for the era. The title was bolder: VD is for Everybody. Nita still has a copy. It is also on YouTube. She notes that you can tell they were having a good time making it.

A NOTE ON THESE STORIES

The memories on this page were shared by Roy's sister, Nita. They are presented here as she shared them — warm, candid, and full of the kind of detail that only a sister would know to hold onto.

Do you have memories, photos, or stories of Roy to add to this page? Please reach out — the archive belongs to all of us.

indigo@showcoarchives.com