FREE SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, Tfolk, gospel, and bluegrass music news June 2003 Vol. 2, No. 9 what’s inside Welcome Mat………3 Mail Box Mission Statement Contributors Full Circle..…………4 Bart Mendoza Lou Curtiss Front Porch…………6 Owen Burke Los Alacranes Deborah Liv Johnson Cotton Patch Gospel Parlor Showcase...…8 Dead Rock West Ramblin’ …………10 Bluegrass Corner Radio Daze José Sinatra Paul Abbott Of Note.……………12 Dan Connor Crystal Yoakum Sven-Erik Seaholm Kentucky Mountain Music Clarence White AD ‘Round About .......…13 DE Ranthouse The Firehouse K June Music Calendar ROC The Local Seen……15 Photo Page T WES Happy Father’s Day! Phil Harmonic Sez: new quote to come You grow up the day you have the first real laugh . at yourself. — Ethel Barrymore San Diego Troubadour • June 2003 welcomewelcome matmat SAN DIEGO ROUBADOUR Alternative country, Americana, roots, MAILBOX Tfolk, gospel, and bluegrass music news Dear Troubadour, going to play guitar I needed to MISSION CONTRIBUTORS Thank you for the article on be able to sing. When I showed To promote, encourage, and Indian Joe Stewart. It was great some interest in writing my own provide an alternative voice for PUBLISHER to see him get a little credit for songs, he helped me take my the great local music that is Lyle Duplessie all he has done in and for the jumbled high school thoughts generally overlooked by the mass media; namely the genres EDITOR local music scene. When I was in and turn them into something of folk, country, roots, Ellen Duplessie high school, I took guitar worth listening to. Today, This book is dedicated to Americana, gospel, and blue- singing and writing songs are “Indian Joe” Stewart. You lessons from Joe. Somehow, it grass. To entertain, educate, and GRAPHIC DESIGN taught me to play, insisted doesn’t seem right to call them such a huge part of my life that I bring together players, writers, Liz Abbott that I sing, and encouraged just “guitar” lessons though can’t imagine what I’d be doing and lovers of these forms; to because he taught me much if I hadn’t had Joe’s encourage- me to write. you gave me explore their foundations; and to PHOTOGRAPHY more than that: he taught me to ment. the tools for a life in music expand the audience for these Mildred Moreno and I am forever grateful. be a musician and he helped me I’m not the only one that ben- types of music. DISTRIBUTION keep my head screwed on efitted from Joe’s instruction. In Thanks again for sharing Joe’s To receive advertising rates and Kent Johnson high school, most of my music- straight during some turbulent stories with your readers. Keep information, call 619/298-8488 or playing friends took Ellen Duplessie years. up the good work! e-mail [email protected]. Every week Joe would arrive at lessons from Joe. Some of them ADVERTISING my house right on time, dressed got into songwriting like I did, Sincerely, San Diego Troubadour P.O. Box 164 Kent Johnson and others took off on different Steve Denyes from head to toe in leather, with La Jolla, CA 92038 Ellen Duplessie hair down to his waist and his musical tangents. A few years E-mail: [email protected]. eyes still watering from the back, I was included on a Belly WRITERS E motorcycle ride from Ramona. Up local music compilation Paul Abbott For the next hour (or longer, if album. Talking with the other Lou Curtiss WRITE TO US! SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR, the we got into something really musicians at the release party, local source for alternative Ellen Duplessie good) we’d work on we figured out that about half of We want to hear from you! country, Americana, roots, folk, Lyle Duplessie us had taken lessons from Joe at guitar, bass, singing, or song- Send your comments, gospel, and bluegrass music Phil Harmonic one point or another. feedback, and suggestions to: news, is published monthly and writing. Joe would also give me Paul Hormick hints on how to get gigs, deal Today, it has all come full [email protected] is free of charge. Letters to the Dave Ish with flaky band members, and circle. I have some young or to San Diego Troubadour, editor must be signed and may Frederick Leonard how the music business worked. students of my own. We work P.O. Box 164, La Jolla, CA be edited for content. It is not, No matter how lazy I’d been or on the basics of playing guitar, 92038-0164. however, guaranteed that they Jim McInnes will appear. burned out I was before my singing, and songwriting. José Sinatra lesson, I was always fired up by Whenever I can, I try to pass on All opinions expressed in SAN Gus Williker the time our hour was up. those pearls of wisdom that I DIEGO TROUBADOUR, unless Robert Woerheide One of the things that I can’t got from Indian Joe. otherwise stated, are solely the D. Dwight Worden opinion of the writer and do not thank Joe enough for is the I recently wrote a book about John Philip Wyllie represent the opinions of the encouragement to sing and the lives of working musicians. staff or management. All rights In fact, it is at the printer as I am write songs. He told me from reserved. our first lesson that if I was writing this letter. The dedica- tion page reads as follows: ©2003 San Diego Troubadour. DARK THIRTY PRODUCTIONS IS PROUD TO PRESENT 3 June 2003 • San Diego Troubadour fullfull circlecircle o l l i P t s h a o t C o : a S r a d n n d a r S a : o C t o a h s t P i l l Bart Mendoza: o Keeper of the Sound by Lyle Duplessie there he learned guitar. But his Bangles, Jellyfish, and other interest in music goes as far back as glitterati of the day would make it art Mendoza is a local boy his memory will take him. As their business to be a part of the and mighty proud of it. He Mendoza recollects, he has always action. These concerts became a loves this town and is driven been surrounded by music. The much anticipated yearly event right B radio or record player was up through1998. He too was to tell its musical stories. His knowledge of San Diego music, constantly on in his boyhood home. the integral person behind the both past and present, not to His parents were quite fond of Staring at the Sun compilation mention rock/pop history in Bobby Darin, Sinatra (that’s Frank, albums and annually works general is encyclopedic. He’s been not José), Dean Martin, and all the with Kevin Hellman on the writing about our local music for pop classics of the ’40s and ’50s. San Diego Music Awards. more than 20 years. If you’ve been Coming from a Spanish-speaking He is currently involved in following S.D. music for that long home and raised bilingual, he had an ambitious project to you’re sure to have read his reviews, the added benefit of listening to and compile and catalog all, Every square inch of Mendoza’s apartment is stuffed with music commentaries, observations, and learning from Latino music. repeat all, music artists who memorabilia, photos, CDs, books, 45s, and music posters. recommendations in the Union Having read his articles and ever came out of San Diego! Tribune, Kicks, Slamm, or countless heard his music I wanted to spend Touring has played a other English and even Spanish some time with the man. I corralled major part in Mendoza’s life since publications. Mendoza has an him in his hip Hillcrest flat one entering the music fray. He proudly amazing grasp of facts and details dreary Friday afternoon. Out front states that he’s been a road warrior on all eras of rock/pop history. was parked his very cool Vespa, a from Tijuana to London and Though barely two years old when bold statement to one and all that beyond. His bands have shared the Ed Sullivan introduced the Beatles his sympathies still lie with the bill with such notables as the to America on February 9, 1964, he Mods. His place is adorned with Bangles, General Public, the is a bona fide authority on the Fab musical trophies of all varieties — Romantics, and the Untouchables. Four and the countless groups, both records, posters, pins, pictures, His performance highlights even American and foreign, that followed clothing items, toys, momentos. include a gig at London’s premiere in their wake. One giant bookcase We’re not talking clutter — rather, Marquee Club. Mendoza currently in his living room is devoted solely his home is a veritable museum of plays guitar, sings, and writes music to the Beatles. He confesses, documented, catalogued, rock and with the Shambles. If you haven’t however, that he only first saw A pop historical artifacts. Moreover, had the opportunity to experience Hard Day’s Night in 1972. But being he can relate a colorful rock ‘n’ roll the Shambles live or on disc they’re introduced to the group at this rela- story about each item in his a must, particularly if you’re into tively late date has only given him a collection. classic Beatlesque sounds. But true greater desire to go back in time Mendoza began writing in to the old adage that prophets aren’t Manual Scan in 1983 (l to r): Mendoza, Brad Wilkins, Kevin Donaker, Tony Saurez.