Debbie Grisham: It all started with Spaghetti.

It was 1966, in the small town of Brunswick, Maine. As images of the Vietnam War flickered across the tv screen and protests raged on college campuses across the country, friends and family would gather at the Alexander home for a spaghetti dinner. But, the focal point of the evening wasn't the pasta. It was the after dinner entertainment. As soon as the dishes were cleared, any one in attendance who could play an instrument would break it out, and the rest of the guests would sing along. It happened every Saturday night and, on more than one occasion, among the musicians in attendance that year was a 21 year old pedal steel player from Nashville named Doyle Grisham, on active duty with the Navy and stationed at the nearby base. "I come from a musical family. My parents sang, I played guitar a little - and sang. We looked forward to those 'Spaghetti Feeds' in our home," says then thirteen year old Debbie. "My uncle had a band at the time and Doyle was in it, so he would come by some times and sit in. I had a big crush on him, but he barely even noticed me."

Forty plus years later, Parrot Heads will recognize Doyle Grisham as a long-time member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band... And the young teenager in puppy love with the steel playing sailor back in 1966? She is now Debbie Grisham - wife of Doyle - and head of Deb Grisham Entertainment, the Nashville based artist management and booking group that includes among their clients Nadirah Shakoor, and top trop rock artists John Frinzi and John Patti.

I'll let Debbie take it from here...

"When Doyle finished his active duty in Maine, he moved back to Nashville. In the meanwhile, I got married, kept singing and playing guitar - for fun, mostly, although, my husband at the time kept saying I should do it professionally. One day, a drummer with a local band - Ralph Lashua and the Four Coachmen - walked into the place where my husband worked and told him they were looking for a female singer. I auditioned and got the job. I wound up singing with them for the next ten years!"

 

So, how did you and Doyle reconnect?

"Around 1979, Doyle came back up to Maine, to visit my uncle. He heard me sing and, between the two of them, they convinced me I should go to Nashville to record some songs. The next year, I went down and recorded an album ("I'm My Own Woman" on Doyle's label). We finished the whole thing in two weeks, then I went back home to Maine. By 1983, I was ready for a change and moved full time to Nashville. I started working with Doyle, singing back up in the studio and doing demos for songwriters. I also recorded two more albums between 1983-1986. I had gotten divorced by then, Doyle asked me to marry him - and here we are!"    

Sounds like you had a nice singing career going. What made you get into managing bands?

"I liked singing - I still do it now, whenever the opportunity comes up. But, by around 2004 I had decided that after almost twenty years and three albums, I wasn't going to be a big star making music. I figured my best contribution would be helping others with their careers. One day, I met Kevin Max of the Christian Rock band DC Talk. I knew alot of people in Nashville by then, so started helping him get gigs. And it grew from there."

How did you start working with Nadirah?

 "I knew Nadirah, of course, through Doyle. We were down at Meeting of the Minds one year - 'Nod To The Story Teller' had just come out. I asked her, 'Who is booking you?' She said, 'nobody' and I immediately said, "I'd love to work with you!' By January of the next year, I had her first booking."

And you built your roster from there?

"Yes. It wasn't long before I had other artists come to me and ask if I could work with them, too. The funniest thing was that, after I started working with and getting gigs for people like John Patti and John Frinzi, Doyle and I were sitting together one day when suddenly he asked, 'How come you don't book me?' It hadn't dawned on me!"

So, what is a typical day for you?

"If I'm not on the road, with Doyle on a Buffett tour or with one of my artists, you will generally find me in my home office on the phone and computer. If I'm not contacting venues to try to get my artists gigs, then I'm following up on dates we have already set up - sending out contracts and riders, doing press releases, working on social media to get the word out. I spend about fifteen to eighteen hours a day doing that. I also pitch songs to record labels in Nashville"

I want to get back to that, but first - how do you find the venues for your artists to play?

"I have built up a full list of clubs over the years. Alot of it is repeat business, places we have played before. But, new places open all the time. And, often, I will have an artist tell me they have heard of a place that might be good. In those cases, I will do some research, contact whoever is in charge of booking and we go from there. Some times it's a phone call, sometimes an email. It depends on the club."

Now, tell me more about pitching songs...  

"Through connections I have made over the years, people like Jim Glaser, I have been able to get on the 'approved list' at the major labels in Nashville. That means I have permission to pitch songs to their A&R people or producers. First, I find out which artists are looking for new material - I get a thing called a 'pitch sheet' - and then take them songs from music publishing companies that hire me, as well as the artists I work with, when it fits. It used to be that you would go by and play the songs for the folks at the labels. These days, they mostly want you to drop off a cd or send the song via MP3. But, without that previous permission, I'd never get through the door." 

Let's talk about some of the artists you work with... We already talked a little about Nadirah...

"As I said, that started at Meeting of the Minds and our relationship has grown from there. I work with her solo and with her band, Outside Art. I really love her sweet spirit. She's giving, respectful, kind - very easy to work with. Just a good person. And the fact that she's one hell of a talent doesn't hurt anything!"

How about John Frinzi and John Patti?

"John Frinzi started hiring Doyle to play on his records in the early 2000's, and he also came up and recorded in our studio. So, I knew him but hadn't started working with artists then. One day, a few years later, at Meeting of the Minds we got to talking about booking him. The same thing with John Patti, it was at MOTM in 2008, he asked me if I'd be interested and I said 'yes'. Seems like alot of things happen in Key West!"

What about Jim Mayer?  

"I have been working with Jim - 'Uncle Jim' - on his kids' shows, getting out his anti-bullying message, which I think is great. I call schools all over the coungtry, talk to Principals and Superintendents. We're just getting started with that, have done maybe a dozen shows in the last six months."

And Coral Reefer Soul?

"That's also something new. Nadirah came up with the idea of doing some shows with members of the Coral Reefer Band, around Jimmy's tour dates. We did one in Las Vegas with Nadirah, Mac, Robert and Ralph. It went so well, we said, 'why don't we try to do these before EVERY show?' So, we are. The line up will depend on who is available - in Atlanta it's Nadirah, Peter and Ilo Ferreira. We have another big show booked on June 24 in Wisconsin. Doyle, Nadirah, Mike Utley - along with John Patti, and JD Spradlin from Radio Margaritaville as the host!""

I haven't forgotten about your husband, Doyle, who you also work with. But, I have a whole interview with him to post here soon, so I'll leave that for another time. How do you choose who to work with?

 "I do alot based on instinct. I have to be passionate about the artist, really believe in them."

Do you have any plans to add to your roster any time soon?

"I don't feel I could right now, no. There are a hundred very talented people out there, but I want to be able to give the people I'm working with my FULL attention. If I had too many people, I couldn't do that."

For more on Debbie and the artists she represents, check out her website at:

http://www.debgrishamentertainment.com/index.php

Brent Burns: From Ahab The Arab to Going Ugly Early.

 

"You've got to have some folks that hate your songs for them to be funny. Those are the people I'm writing about!" That's singer/songwriter Brent Burns talking about the biting humor in much of his material in general, in particular his ode to temporary transplants from up North, "If It's Snowbird Season, Why Don't We Shoot 'Em?" "I live in a town that gets a lot of Snowbirds and I love 'em. They support me, I play golf with them...But I hear all the time, 'I LOVE your stuff, but I've got a buddy...'  So, I know the song is hitting it's target!" 

Burn's traces his comedic songwriting skills back to hearing Ray Stevens' "Ahab The Arab" in the sixth grade. "It made everybody in the class laugh! I was hooked." Many years later, Stevens' influence can still be heard on much of the Trop Rocker's stuff, with titles like "Double Wide In The Sky", "Nurse Rambo", "Big Boat, Little Johnson" and "I Think I'm Going Blonde". "Ray has always been a hero of mine. I was thrilled when I got to record with him (for a track on Burns' 2008 cd, "Beach In My Backyard"). I called Brent at his home in Gulf Shores, Alabama and asked him - among many other things - about writing songs...

You're probably best known for writing some very funny songs...

"Comedy is one of my strong suits, I have embraced it. I like to make people laugh".

But, they often have a point - you have to LISTEN to the lyrics to get it. Like in "Going Ugly Early Tonight" (from the cd, 'Tropical Nuts'). The whole song is a set up for the punch line at the end. If you're not listening, you could miss the whole joke. How does that work in a bar environment, where people might not be paying as much attention?

"Yeah, bars can be tough. I'm a storyteller and, sometimes, the stories don't go over as well if people are just casually listening. With 'Going Ugly' women will shoot darts at me with their eyes during the verses. But, then, if they've been paying attention, they get a big kick out of it at the end" (If you have heard the song, you know what the twist is. If you haven't heard it yet, I won't spoil it for you - Fred). It's really about the venue. It's another reason why, like a lot of people, I'm trying to do more 'listening venues' and House Concerts. That's where I can give people the background on why I wrote something and they can actually HEAR the songs. I'll still do bars, it's just a different kind of thing."

Does the environment affect what kind of show you do?

"Not really. When I was about 16, I saw the Everly Brothers in concert. This was well after they had their big hits. But, they still put on a GREAT show. They were true entertainers. That was a big influence on me. Also, one of my philosophies is 'You make one friend at a time.' I've done great shows where there were just fifteen people. It's really about being a professional. You're being paid to do a job. I keep playing, keep telling my stories, whether I think people are paying attention or not. It's funny, sometimes I'll think people aren't listening, then they will come up after the show and buy some cds, say 'I loved your stuff! So, I always try to put on a great show no matter what."

Tell me about your songwriting process.

""I'm not a fast writer. I have to work at it. And I can't write on the road, I have to have three or four days off in a row at home. Since 2003, I have been working with Bill Whyte, a comedian, musician, and radio dj in Nashville. We'll talk on the phone and throw ideas back and forth, or he'll come down and we'll write together. I have a songwriting room here in my house, with a piano, a couple of guitars...and a tv for football season! When I'm home and working on a new project, I try to spend at least an hour and a half to two hours each day really concentrating on it. It's tough sometimes - you're sitting there staring at a piece of blank paper and nothing is coming out. Other times the ideas fly out. That's what happened with the first cd.

'Livin' The Life'?

"Yeah. I moved to Nashville and things just weren't working out - this was in the 80's. I had written a few songs, had a couple of Top 40 hits earlier. I was playing bars, doing mostly covers, hadn't written a song in a long time. I just hit a dry spell. There was a moment where I thought I was never going to write again. I decided to move back to the beach in 1991. Then, in 1998, I saw an interview with Jimmy Buffett on (the tv show) 60 Minutes. I wrote the song "Livin' The Life (Jimmy Buffett Only Wrote About)" and that was it. The flood gates opened. Before I knew it, I had a fuIl cd. I followed that with a second cd, Perpetual Vacation in 2000"

Had you met Jimmy?

"I knew his music, had some of his cds, but I wouldn't say I was a big fan. I didn't even know about the whole 'Parrot Head' thing. About the time I was releasing 'Livin' The Life', I got a call about putting my song on a copulation cd - Wow! I meant COMPILATION! Gotta be careful mixing up those two words! (laughs). The cd was called "Thongs In The Key Of Life". On it were people like John Reno, Jim Morris, "Sunny Jim" White; guys that were writing about some of the same things I was. The person who put it together, Jim Hoehn, also told me about this gathering called "Meeting Of The Minds' in Key West. I had never heard of it!"

Was it an automatic connection to the Parrot Head world?

"I was introduced to it after 'Livin' The life', but it wasn't until my third cd, 'Tropical Nuts', in 2003 that I actually went down to Meeting of the Minds. I put a copy of the cd in each goodie bag, so that helped me get alot of exposure. By 'Margarita Smile' in 2005, a lot of the Trop Rock world had discovered me and then, in 2008 I put out 'Ragtops and Flip Flops', which won Trop Rock Album of the Year."

Your 2010 CD, "Beach In My Backyard' has an interesting cover. It's a guy with a Corona, but he definitely doesn't look like he's at the beach - he's got a scarf and gloves on.

"That's my salute to the people I have met and played for in colder climates - places up North. They create their own little tropical world in their homes and backyards, even if it's just with inflatable palm trees. It's me saying 'you can have a beach anywhere, as long as you have the attitude'."

So, do YOU actually have a beach in your backyard?

"Hah! Not anymore! Hurricane Ivan tore up my beach house in 2004. I live about two or three miles from the beach now, which I kind of like. It's close enough to go down there when I have the time, but far enough away to avoid the tourist traffic."

What's a typical "day off" for you?

I don't have many of those right now! Especially in May and June... I did just take eight days off, went to the Czech Republic on vacation..."

The Czech Republic? Doesn't sound very Tropical!

laughs.."Yeah, living at the beach is great, but not necessarily where you want to spend your vacations. You kind of want a break from time to time. It's like living next to Disney World. My son married a Czech girl so we went to see her family. Had a great time, spent a couple days in a small town, a couple days in Prague. Man, they definitely know how to party there! They don't do it often, but when they do... One party we went to, they started bringing out food and booze. Then there was coffee, then another round of food and booze. It started at 1 in the afternoon and went until 2 in the morning." 

What about back in Gulf Shores, what do you do on your days off when you are home?

"I like to read, if I'm in the mood I'll write for a little while, go to the gym. Just relax and wait for Happy Hour!".

Cruise around in that pretty convertible Mustang you have, the one on the cover of 'Ragtops and Flip Flops'?

"That's back in the shop right now! It's been a three and a half year project - a long story that included it being locked in a body shop's garage when they went out of business. I could see it through the window but couldn't get to it! Finally, I found somebody who would let me get in and rescue it. Right now it's just getting some final detailing, then it should finally be done. It's a '66 that I've had for about 16 years. The original color was "Ember Glow" but I had it painted Candy Apple Red after I got into a fender bender."

You mentioned Happy Hour. Where are your favorite spots to go?

"Lulu's (owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy) is my anchor. I have been playing Monday nights there for, like, seven years. Also, Doc's Seafood. It's a locals hangout, only about ten seats at the bar. And, if we're going to be hanging out later at night, we usually end up at a place called the Cubano Cigar Bar. It's just a few minutes from our house."

Let's get back to your music. I don't want to give too much away - that's what people go to House Concerts for, to hear about the stories behind the songs...But, I did want to ask you about a few tracks. Let's start with "Cheaper Crude". That got you some interesting airplay!

"A buddy of mine sent that song in to Paul Harvey. Paul liked the song so much he played it THREE TIMES on the air. Most people remember Paul, he has passed on now but he was HUGE at the time. And he NEVER played any music. So, for him to play the song was a major indorsement. From that, we were on the Mike Douglass Show, Hee Haw, got a deal with a label in Nashville...although, the label ended up going bankrupt - with alot of my money - but that's another story..."

That sucks...

"Yeah. They sold 400,000 copies of the record and I didn't see a dime. I learned from it, though. I hang on to my material now. It's better to have some smaller success but own your own stuff than to go for the home run and, maybe, lose everything. The internet has changed things a lot, too, for independent artists. Used to be you needed a label to get your music out. People would hear you play somewhere - or hear your song on the radio - but, if the local record stores didn't carry it, they couldn't buy it. Now, they can go to Amazon, or CD baby, or my website and buy whatever they want. The internet has leveled the playing field considerably."

How about 'Hot Beer, Cold Women'?

"I was sitting around with a friend, Jim Allison - at the time we were both single - and talking about women, how you can score one day and the next it's like you have a huge wart on your forehead. As I like to say, 'sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you'. So, it came from that, a single guy's worst day..."

'Kenny Roger's Face'

I guess I saw Kenny Rogers (the singer, not the pitcher - Fred) somewhere, all the plastic surgery he had. I'll leave it at that. I started thinking about all the things that were no longer the same. I wrote that with Bill Whyte - we were laughing the whole time we were recording it."

'I Married My Stalker'

"That never actually happened to me, although I've had some near misses. I got the idea from a friend named Malcom Bond. He has a real deadpan sense of humor, always complaining about his wife. One day I said something about stalkers and he said, with a straight face, 'I married mine'. Turns out he had been in a rock and roll band, had a girl that used to follow him to shows, turn up back at his hotel room, even if he was there with another woman. I told him I was going to write a song about that and I did, gave him credit for the inspiration on the liner notes of the cd."

That's funny, You never know where inspiration is going to come from.

We have talked about the comedy aspects of your music, but you also do a lot of serious work - playing for the troops and helping charities like Habitat For Humanity...

"You have to give back. I learned that from my parents. There are a lot of people who struggle, I've been blessed. I don't want to get too philosophical, but - call it what you want - I really believe that the more you give out, the more comes back. As I like to say, 'You can't out give God."

For more on Brent, including where he will be performing next, or to order his cds, check out his website http://www.brentburns.com/

http://www.billwhytecomedy.com/index.htm

http://lulusathomeport.com/index-live.php

http://www.docsseafoodshack.com/

Music from the Mailbox

I’m a Trop Rock fan. Big surprise. If the song is about beaches, bars, or boats, chances are I will like it. Lucky for me, there are literally HUNDREDS of artists out there these days singing about my three favorite subjects – and I’m discovering new ones every week.  As a fan, I listen to this kind of music most of my waking hours anyway. But, I’m also a mobile dj – the only one that I know of in my part of the country that features Beach Music and Trop Rock as a regular part of my playlist, from weddings to pool parties. So, I also get a regular chance to play these tunes for other people - not just Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Bob Marley, and the Beach Boys – but independent singer/songwriters and bands. My wife and I also have a business – Bahama Llama – that brings “great food and a tropical vibe” to festivals around the Atlanta area. Our booths are always beach themed and, of course, the music we play all day is Buffett and Trop Rock. At some festivals, that could mean tens of thousands of people passing by our booth (hopefully, at least some stopping) and hearing what we’re playing. On top of all that, I have this blog. One of the main reasons I started it was to help expose people around the world to Trop Rock and the folks who play it - hence the second word in the title. 

For all those reasons, hardly a week goes by that I don't walk out to my mailbox and find a package full of cds from somewhere around the country. Some are new releases from artists and bands I have known about for some time, others are from people I've only recently been introduced to. Either way, I'm like a kid in a candy store - I can't wait to get back inside and hear what the mailman has brought me.

Here are some of the more recent releases I have gotten in the last few weeks... 

 Paul Roush "Today's The Day" - Paul is a veteran music maker from Missouri with a storied history. He was a founding member of the band Phins, 2008 winners of the Trop Rock Horizon Award, and also fronted the 12 Volt Band. He decided to go solo last year and the result is this cd. Recorded at Orca Sound Studios in Maryland, it was produced by Captain Quint's Kevin Johnson, who also plays keyboards, bass and drums on the disc. The ten tracks include a few notable covers; "Layin' My Life On The Line" comes courtesy of Jerry Jeff Walker, "Daddy Was A Sailor" is a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band composition, "I Wanna Be A Pirate" was originally found on the Captain Quint cd, "Unsinkable Still", and it doesn't take a die hard Springsteen fan to immediately identify "Thunder Road". The rest of the material is all original, including "Bad Day On Vacation" - a glass-half-full look at a bike ride on the beach, "Today's The Day" - a feel good ditty about discovering a love you already had, and the retrospective "Just To See If I Could". Two of the more melancholy songs, "Three Sailors" and  "Fools, Drunks, And Children", are updated versions of Paul's tunes originally penned for Phins projects (the former can be found on "Welcome To The Beach", the latter is the title track to their 2002 cd). Howard Livingston fans will also appreciate Paul's hilarious ode to the multi-award winning Florida Keys' musician, "I Wanna Be Howie" (with a nod to Brent Burns).  http://www.paulroush.com/ 

Captain Josh "Whitecaps & Nitecaps" - Josh Ramsteck, aka "Captain Josh", hails from the Orlando, Florida area and is a true Parrot Head - member of the Parrotheads of Central Florida. "Whitecaps & Nitecaps" is his third cd - following up on 2008's "If I Had A Hammock" and "Music In The Lower Keys" from 2007. Like the first two, it consists of original material with some carefully chosen covers, most notably on this one Ricky Nelson's 1972 hit "Garden Party" and the Motown Classic (later re-recorded by Linda Ronstadt) "Ooh Baby Baby". Josh's original tracks often take a humorous look at the Parrot Head lifestyle, and this cd is no exception:  "Parrotheads in Paradise" boogies along on a bed of Buffett references, the double entendre filled "Deep Vee Bottom" is a tongue firmly in cheek look at boats, "Room Key" tells the (true?) story of an amorous fan at a festival date Josh played in Panama City, Florida, and "I'm Into Leather But I Could Be Suede" speaks for itself. Of the "serious songs", "Ship To Shore" would be a great one to listen to as the sun sets and the title track is a nautical ditty with squeeze box accompaniment. Guests on the cd include Trop Rocker Jimi Pappas and guitarist Rob Seay. http://capt-josh.com/

John Patti "Cabana Breeze" - From appearances on various Trop Rock records, to a tropical take on the Folger's Coffee theme with John Reno (top ten finalist in a national contest), to the recent Coral Reefer Soul show in Tampa, and upcoming dates in Costa Rica with Jim Morris, John Patti is a busy guy these days. Playing the steel drum from an early age, Patti cites a chance encounter with the Coral Reefers in Key West back in 1998 as a turning point in his musical career. "Cabana Breeze" is his second cd and features Buffett band members Peter Mayer, Doyle Grisham, and Nadirah Shakoor, who adds vocals to the soulful and sexy "Steamer". The other ten tracks are all-instrumentals. Songs like "Start The Party", "Catamaran Race", "Tiki Groove", and "Tauranga" make you want to run, not walk, to stick a lime into a long neck and your toes in the nearest sand, and "Wonderful Tonight" is his reggae-fied (and slightly more upbeat) take on the Clapton classic. John is a member of the Deb Grisham Music group of artists, which also includes Nadirah Shakoor, and both Peter and "Uncle" Jim Mayer. http://www.johnpatti.com/

Scott Kirby "Row Me Home" - As an unabashed Scott Kirby fan, I was thrilled to connect with him via telephone recently to conduct an extended interview (found elsewhere on this very blog) and talk about some of his music, including tracks on this - his sixth cd, released last year. Produced by world renowned drummer Russ Kunkel (Jackson Browne, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Dan Fogelberg and countless others) and featuring an all star cast of musicians like Leland Sklar, Dean Parks, and Coral Reefers Jim and Peter Mayer and Roger Guth, "Row Me Home" is full of Kirby's trademark warmth and poet's eye for detail. Favorite tracks include "Blow Me Down To Cayo Hueso" - an ode to his own song line, which has taken him from New England to Key West, "Port Outbound Starboard Home" - a catchy Jackson Browne type rocker about not looking back, the pretty, country tinged "Out Here Near The Edge" and the cleverly titled acoustic ballad "Row Me Home To Juliet". Kirby recently kicked off his Spring/Summer tour in New Hampshire and will be travelling South and West, with dates in Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Washington and more through July.  http://www.scottkirby.com/

 Hana & Satchwell "Chillaxin" - Another group featured in a full length interview on this blog, Ricky Hana and Alan Satchwell split their time between the California coast and Hawaii. Successful musicians in their own rights, 2010's Chillaxin is their second cd as a duo and the second to win a Hawaii Music Award as "Pop Album Of The Year". As the name implies, "Chillaxin"' is all about slowing down and taking things one day at a time. "Island Daze Island Nights" rides a lazy horn-driven groove, the beautiful and relaxing "My Sunset" features their trademark smooth vocal harmonies, "Duval Street" and "Cali Samba" are jazzy instrumentals, "Island Gurl" is the perfect soundtrack for a cruise along the North Shore, and "First Day Of Summer" and "Lighten The Load" are reggae tinged and danceable. Much Aloha!  http://hanasatchwell.com

Shurl Gates: Passionate Parrothead

When it comes to music, Shurl Gates is the first to tell you she can't play an instrument, isn't going to win any karaoke contests. But, she more than makes up for that lack of performing skills with a deep love - make that an unbridled PASSION - for music. "I'm not much of a tv person, but I have music playing in my house 24/7. I love listening to it, going out to hear it, being around it", says Gates. That passion has led her to become one of the most familiar faces in the Trop Rock world and most ardent supporters of the people who make the music.

Shurl Galiher Gates story begins in the small Oregon coastal town of North Bend, where she moved as a kid. She went to school, married, and raised a family there. But, as all great stories go, something happened that changed her life forever. In Shurl's case, that "sudden twist of fate" was divorce.

"It was 2001, I was single again and looking to make some major changes in my life. Two of my kids had moved to Florida so I decided to go there." "There" was just outside of Tampa, where she met and started dating a Parrothead. "I had always loved Jimmy Buffett's music, but had never been exposed to the whole lifestyle". Looking to make friends in her new home, she joined the Tampa Bay Parrot Head Club. A former Mormon, it didn't take long for the colorful, and gregarious Phlockers to get her life going in a new direction. "That was it. I found myself - the 'me' I didn't even know was missing. It was a celebration of a new beginning." Through the TBPHC, Shurl began attending events and hearing her first "Trop Rock" bands. "I LOVED it, became a huge fan. I've always been a very social person, so I would make a point of going up and introducing myself, telling them how much I enjoyed hearing them," explains Gates. "One of the great things about Trop Rock is that the people involved are so down to earth, so approachable." Before long, she counted among her friends hard working musicians like Jimi Pappas and John Frinzi, and started getting calls from artists that were looking to play in the area. "Guys would call and say, 'I'm coming down there on my way to Meeting of the Minds. Do you know anyplace to play around Tampa?' So I'd make some calls. I started getting to know the clubs and the people who ran them. It was just something I would do as a favor to friends. I also got to know the people at Radio Margaritaville, like JD Spradlin and Steve Huntington. Steve, it turned out was a big baseball fan, so we had that in common" (Gates' son in law is All Star Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Roy "Doc" Halladay - Fred). In 2007, she was introduced to Deb Grisham - wife of Coral Reefer Doyle Grisham and owner of Deb Grisham Entertainment, which represents a number of artists, including Nadirah Shakoor, The Mayer Brothers - Peter and "Uncle Jim", John Frinzi, and John Patti. "We became on line friends, trading emails and talking about music and places for artists to play in Florida." Her list of connections continued to grow until 2008, when Michelle Becker of the Margarita Mafia called Shurl to see if she might be able to help bring in some well known presenters for that year's Trop Rock Awards in Key West. "I called Doyle and asked him if he'd be interested and he said 'YES'! Then Nadirah and Tina Gullickson agreed to do it." Her efforts not only helped cement her reputation as a true mover and shaker in the Trop Rock world, but also won her the first ever "Fan Of The Year" award.

Things REALLY changed for Gates the next year. "I was having dinner with (trop rock artist) Rob Mehl. He mentioned to me that he was looking for a Manager and I replied, 'I need a job!'", although she says she wasn't being serious at the time. "The truth is I was looking for something constructive to do - alimony only goes so far!", she jokes. "But, I had never thought that what I had been doing for all those years just to help my friends might turn into a business. Later, I was talking to Steve Huntington and he encouraged me, said it would be perfect for me". Gates Music Management was born. "It really just came out of me trying to create a job for myself, doing something I loved to do."

Two years later, Gates Music Management boasts a close working relationship with a number of top Trop Rock acts, some she managers and some she helps and supports in whatever ways she can. "I feel it's important for them to find work however and wherever they can. So, in that regard I'm not exclusive with anyone. And I only work with artists I truly believe 100% in." 


"I don't expect to get rich from this. I do it because it makes me feel good and that makes it worthwhile"




I asked Shurl to give me the low down down of some of her favorite artists (note: Some of the bands mentioned can be found in previous posts in Beaches, Bands and Bars - Fred):


Homemade Wine - "They're from Knoxville, Tennesee. They started as a three piece, by brothers Ryan and Todd Sheley. Now, they're a full band and one of the most sought after acts in Trop Rock. They'll be playing on Thursday night at this year's Meeting Of The Minds."


Jimmy Parish & The Ocean Waves Band - "From Jacksonville, Florida. They stay extremely busy. He was just down here to play a pre-Buffett show party and will be back later this month to play at The Yard (more on The Yard later - Fred). Jimmy is the complete package. A great singer, songwriter and a true gentleman."

John Reno - "John is originally from New Orleans, so he has a definite jazz influence in his music. He lives in Fairhope, Alabama now but he spends alot of time here in Florida - especially in the Ft. Myers to Tampa area. He plays a wide variety of music, from soft, romatic ballads to over the top funny songs. The one everyone always wants to hear is 'Jello Shots'. He's an amazing songwriter and has a great feel for the audience when he's playing live."

Mike Aiken - "I've known Mike for many years. Back in the days of MySpace, I would look around for new music. I came across Mike's page and liked what I heard. But, I couldn't buy his cd - there was something wrong with the site. I'm not one to give up easily, so i looked around until I found a phone number, called and spoke to a woman. I asked her if Mike ever came down to Florida. The woman turned out to be Mike's wife, Amy, who put Mike on the phone. We developed a friendship and FINALLY, after six years, I was able to get him a gig down here at the Yard!"


Mike Miller - "Mike is from Illinois, a retired police man and founding member of the Boat Drunks. When he retired, he moved onto a sailboat and now spends his winters in Florida. We hosted a cd release party for him in September."


Freebo - "Bass player from California, has played with Bonnie Raitt, Neil Young, Dr, John - lots of great people. I met him at Meeting Of The Minds one year and loved his music. It's not traditional Trop Rock but it fits in with it. He played a gig here with John Frinzi."


Jim Hoehn - "From Wisconsin. I also met him at a MOTM and became a fan. He's an amazing storyteller and has been a big support to me."

Rob Mehl - "He's from Hawaii where they have a long history of 'talk stories'. He's a great storyteller."


AJ Swearingen - "Another local guy. He was hired to play my son's engagement party. There were lots of things going on but, in the middle of it all, I kept stopping to listen to him. I thought, 'I really love this guy!' He reminded me alot of John Frinzi. When it was over, I went up to talk to him and it turned out he knew John - had grown up in the same area! He's not really what you'd call Trop Rock, but close enough that Jeff Allen has started playing one of his songs on BeachFront Radio (Trop Rock internet radio station, featured previously in BB&B - Fred)."


Michael Weiss - "One night I walked into one of my favorite places in Tampa, the Hideaway Cafe, and Michael was playing. I became an instant fan. He's starting to make a big splash around here - played a Pre-Buffett party, has a song on BeachFront Radio."


Trop Rock Junkies - "They're from the Tampa area, do a Buffett tribute but also some originals. They played the B Stage before the recent Buffett show last month."


"Also, people like Paul Roush, John Friday, Bob Karwin. And another guy I have been talking to is Eric Stone, from the British Virgin Islands. Eric stays very busy there in the BVI, but I would love to work with him if the opportunity came up."


I also asked Shurl about her favorite spots - for live music, as well as food and drinks - in the Tampa area:


The Yard- It is literally a backyard of a home owned by a wonderful couple, Mark and Sharon Leveratte. About three years ago, they decided they wanted to host a House Concert. It was such a success that they decided to do more. As guys would come to me, I would suggest it as a place for them to play. Before you know it, they had built a palapa style stage with a tiki bar and were hosting shows once a month. Now they have a fire pit, bathrooms in the backyard, they're building a bunk house for travelling artists to crash in. It's amazing. They won "House Concert Venue Of The Year" at the Trop Rock Awards in 2010. And they don't make a dime. Every thing collected at the door goes directly to the artists and every dollar raised from raffles (of Sharon's handmade jewelry and Mark's carved wood signs) goes back into making the venue a better place for artists to play.  They do it all because they love the music!" (note: they are currently in need of a website and looking for a Trop Rock fan who might be willing to donate some time to make that happen - Fred)


Hideaway Cafe - "In St. Pete (St. Petersburg, FL), owned by Josh Kelly, who is an artist himself. It's a great listening room that hosts all indy artists, playing all original music."


The Palm Pavilion - "It's my favorite beach bar. Right on the beach in Clearwater, owned by a guy named Ken Hamilton. Great food, lots of room, a great place for artists."


Whiskey Joe's - "On the Causeway right as you come into Tampa. The Tampa Bay Parrothead Club meets there every week. They're building a brand new music venue right on the beach that will hold about 1500 people. I can't wait to do shows there!"


Skippers - "In Tampa. We just did the Coral Reefer Souls Show there, which was a huge success. Lots of possibilities for the future there."


Rapscallions - "In Land O Lakes, a suburb of Tampa. The bar there is named after Billy Peoples, a well known Florida Parrot Head. They host alot of Trop Rock."

"Also, two other places I love that are outside the Tampa area are Archies in Ft. Pierce - It's sort of a biker's bar, but with a Pirate theme - a great place, and The Nav-A-Gator near Arcadia, Florida- It's famous in Trop Rock circles."

http://www.facebook.com/people/Gates-MusicManagement/100001472834315

http://www.debgrishamentertainment.com/about.php

http://www.radiomargaritaville.com/

http://www.finsup.com/_/index.html

http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp

http://www.margaritamafia.com

http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm

 

http://www.johnfrinzi.com

http://www.gigmasters.com/Acoustic-Guitar/Jimi-Pappas/

http://doylegrisham.com/

http://www.nadirahshakoor.com/fr_home.cfm

http://www.petermayer.com

http://www.unclejimrocks.com

http://www.tinag.com/

http://www.johnpatti.com/

http://www.robmehl.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homemade-Wine-the-Band/117718255508

http://jimmyparrishonline.com/

http://johnreno.com/

http://www.mikeaikenmusic.com/index.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-R-Miller-Musician/113707452013105
http://freebomusic.com/
http://jimhoehn.com/http://ajswearingen.com/
http://michaeljweiss.com/fr_splash.cfm
http://www.troprockjunkies.com
http://www.phinsband.com/
http://www.johnfriday.com/ 
http://bobkarwin.com/
http://www.boatsongs.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/TheYard-Tampa/100001031214679

http://www.hideawaycafe.biz/

http://palmpavilion.com/

http://www.whiskeyjoestampa.com/whiskeyjoes/

http://skipperssmokehouse.com/

http://www.rapscallions.net/

http://archiesseabreeze.com/

http://www.nav-a-gator.com/

Hana & Satchwell: It's all about Ohana

 "Want to be with my Ohana. Want to ride in my canoe. 

We can all be friends and family...If your heart is true."

Those lines are taken from "Island Daze and Island Nights", one of sixteen tracks on Hana & Satchwell's  "Chillaxin'" cd, winner of the Hawaii Music Awards "Pop Album of The Year" in 2010 (their previous cd, "Love Of The Islands" took home the same honors the year before).

The theme of Ohana - along with the Hawaiian spirit of Aloha -  runs through all of Hana & Satchwell's music. Ohana means family in Hawaiian and, if you have spent any time on the Hawaiian islands, you know that they celebrate two families. There is the nuclear family - brothers, sisters, mother, father. But, there is also an extended family. You can stop and ask a complete stranger for directions and chances are the reply might include being called "cuz" or "brudda", for "cousin" or "brother". That's because Hawaiians have a deep seeded belief that all people are related. Bob Marley's "One Love/One World". Hawaiians are also extremely proud of their islands, the beauty and history. And that's another theme that runs through Hana & Satchwell's music. So, who are these two multi-award winning musicians who bring the traditions of the Hawaiian islands to the 21st century?

Hana is Ricky Hana. He grew up playing piano on California's Catalina Island, but moved to Santa Barbara in his mid teens and picked up the guitar. At the time, the early 70's, he was more into the rock bands of the day - Cream, Santana, Buffalo Springfield. "I got a job working at one of the music venues and got to see bands like Led Zep, Jethro Tull - guitar players like Page and Clapton." Convinced he wanted to make music his career, but still attending school for "something to fall back on", Ricky started playing guitar at local parties, bowling alleys, and bars, eventually joining a local group called DB Cooper, which landed a contract with Warner Brothers Records. "It was cool. We opened for bands like

Tom Petty, Judas Priest, Toto, The Pretenders and many times for the The Beach Boys, were paid weekly salaries, flew from town to town, had roadies. The whole rock and roll lifestyle!" But, eventually, that lifestyle caught up with him and he felt he needed to take a break. "I wanted to get away, raise my Ohana, my family. So, I packed up and moved to Hawaii."

Satchwell is Alan Satchwell. He also grew up near the coast of California - in Palos Verdes, but played the trumpet as a youngster, inspired by Herb Alpert. "I started writing songs on a little four track recorder when I was about 16 or 17." A music degree from UCLA followed, then some studio work as a singer, as well as time spent on the popular nationally televised music shows Solid Gold and Solid Gold Hits. "In the 80's I was in a band called North by Northwest that played the clubs in the L.A area and got a deal with Interscope Records, and I also wrote songs for other artists. Then, in 1993, I went to work for a church in the San Fernando Valley. I helped them build a gospel choir - which came in handy much later when it came time to do the vocal arranging on the Hana & Satchwell cds." Like Ricky, Alan soon got burnt out on the lifestyle, too. But, instead of heading to the Hawaiian islands, Alan sought his solace in Santa Barbara, in the picturesque St. Ynez Valley. "I raised four kids there, had a small vineyard..It was nice."

Two California musicians, with successful careers, moving in different directions. And, each ultimately fried on the business and lifestyle. How did their paths converge? And how did their rock/pop/jazz/new wave/gospel backgrounds evolve into to the island rhythms which ultimately led them to having the Top Pop Album in Hawaii two years running? I'm getting to that...As H&S might say, "Chillax, brudda!"

"We had grown up in the same area of California, actually played in a band together - a Christian band - years earlier. So, we were friends," says Alan. "But, then we lost track of each other for must have been 8-10 years. Ricky had moved to Hawaii and I was in Santa Barbara." 

Ricky picks it up: "I fell in love with Hawaii, the people and the natural beauty. I worked as a tour guide in Maui for a while, spent time with my Ohana. Was there for twenty years. But, eventually, I missed the music. I picked my guitar back up and started writing some new material, which was influenced by what I had been experiencing. In 2008, I released a cd on my own, "My Hawaii."

Alan: "I came across Ricky's new stuff on the internet, was really impressed with the songs he was writing - they had this great island feel to them. I had been to Hawaii during this time too, on a second honeymoon with my wife. I got to spend some time with the locals. You look into their eyes, see the depth of their spirituality and your blood pressure drops. Hawaii ministered to me. I really got a sense of Aloha. I started writing some new material and sent it to Ricky in Hawaii. That was it. We decided we needed to work together."   

Ricky: "Once we decided to work together, our first cd, "Love Of The Islands", came together really quickly. It was recorded and out in three months. A month later we won the Hawaii Music Award!"

So, you knew each other, had even worked together, but it was Hawaii that really was the common bond?

Alan: "Southern California and Hawaii have always had this relationship, there's alot of synergy between the two. When things get too crazy in California, people go to Hawaii to recharge. Musicians like Jack Johnson and Mick Fleetwood have homes in both places. Hawaii is like 'California West."

Ricky: "I love to come back to California, still keep a place in Santa Barbara. I come to see Alan, to play, and to work on new music. But, I still consider Hawaii home. The music scene there is great; open and refreshing. They respect their older musicians, but welcome new energy."

How did you write and record the second cd, "Chillaxin'?

Ricky: "Pretty much the same way as the first. We each came with our ideas. We'd trade files over the internet, I would carry a portable studio with me for whenever I came up with a new idea. And, when I came to California, we'd get together at Alan's studio."

Alan: "We played what we felt, that spirit of Aloha. It's hard to explain. It's not something you can force, it's more of a concept, like the term 'Trop Rock'. It's what's in your heart. I mean, Brian Wilson wrote about waves and cars, couldn't surf and didn't even have a driver's license!" The process was very fluid. Almost every sound on the cd is unedited, exactly as we played it the first time."

So what is next?

Ricky: "We're constantly writing. As soon as we finish one album, we start working on the next. We want to get out and play around California. And we have been discovering - starting to be embraced by - the Trop Rock community. We're looking to do more of the 'Parrot Head' type events around the country. Now that DJ Jeff Allen lives near us in California, we hope to be on BeachFront Radio soon."

Alan: "And we want to say 'Mahalo' to you for all your help in letting people know about us, spreading the Aloha."

I also asked Ricky and Alan about some of their favorite places to hang out when they're not working, in Hawaii and SoCal:

Ricky: I spend alot of time in Waikiki. There are a lot of great local spots but, believe it or not, I like the Cheesecake Factory (on Kalakaua - Fred)! Great food and great prices. When I want to get out of the city, there is a little surfing town called Hale'iwa on the North Shore (be sure to grab a shave ice at Matsumoto's - Fred). If you're in Kaua‘i, Bar Acuda in Hanalei has great food and great service.

Alan: In Santa Barbara, Brophy Brothers has some tasty food. It's right on the harbor. In Long Beach, Shoreline Village has lots of shops and restaurants - places like The Yard House, which has around 1000 different beers - and always has great entertainment.

http: //www.hanasatchwell.com

http://www.facebook.com/Hana.Satchwell

http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/
http://haleiwatownhawaii.com/

http://www.gonorthshore.org/

http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/

http://restaurantbaracuda.com/ 

http://brophybros.com/

http://shorelinevillage.com/

http://www.yardhouse.com/CA/Long_Beach/

Joel Oates: Suburban Swashbuckler. How YOU can turn your backyard into a Parrot Head Paradise!

Ever hear an artist perform a song and thought, "He (or she) is singing about me!"? Joel Oates has.  In fact, he thinks it every time he hears Jim Asbell's "Pirate In His Own Backyard", found on the Georgia Trop Rocker's "Man Overboard" cd. Only, in Joel's case, the song actually IS about him! "Tankard filled up to the brim, he walks out back to set sail again...Smooth sailing from his captain's chair, his friends and loved ones join him there. He's a pirate in his own backyard."

A true "Suburban Swashbuckler", Joel Oates is a founding member of the Atlanta Parrot Head Club - the original, and therefore oldest, such Club in the country. Like many of us, Joel and his wife, Susan, love the beach and the trop rockin' lifestyle. But, being five hours from the nearest salt water - in the town of Duluth, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta - means they have had to carve out their own little slice of tropical heaven. I spoke to Joel recently and asked him how he built his "harbor surrounded by the city".

What did this house look like when you and Susan first moved in?

We bought the place in 2002. It was your basic suburban backyard, with a cyclone fence around it. It had a pool, a nice garden and flowers, a small deck, but something was missing."


What made you choose it over others you looked it?

As we went around looking at different houses, we would give each one a name, to help us remember it. There is a house Susan and I would rent when we went down to Key West called Fish Gardens. It's right behind Pepe's. Oddly enough, there were no fish at the Key West Fish Gardens, but we liked the name. When we looked at this house, it had a fish pond - stocked with Goldfish. So, this house became 'Fish Gardens'. When we wound up buying it, the name stuck. It's a piece of Key West we were able to bring to Georgia."


So, you buy this house in Duluth, Georgia and it needs a Parrot Head make over. What did you do first?

"We knew we wanted an 'I'm Living on an Island' feel (With a nod to Howard Livingston - Fred). As it turned out, one of the wedding presents Susan and I received was a palm tree. So, that was really the first thing to go in. We now had a pool and a palm tree. That made a statement. We started adding inexpensive little touches like Christmas lights, tiki torches, and some lawn art - pink flamingos. ..


You and Susan like to travel to tropical places. How did that help with the decorating?

"We do like to travel - the Keys, Caribbean. Our honeymoon was in St. Lucia. Now that we had this backyard, wherever we would go, we'd start picking things up we thought would look good; fish, turtles, lizards. Susan got into collecting flat sculptures made out of old steel drums. Little by little, we started adding more and more."


What next?

"I mentioned that the yard had some nice gardens, but we wanted more of a tropical feel. So, Susan started replacing the plants and flowers with ones she saw down in the Keys - that we knew would survive Atlanta winters but would add some color."

How about the deck?

"That was probably the biggest project and we waited almost five years to do that. The house had a small 10' x 10' deck when we moved in. But, we like to throw parties, invite alot of people over, so we knew we needed to expand it.I enlisted a contractor friend - who also happened to be a Parrot Head - and we told him what we were going for, that we wanted to go all out on. He got to work and built us a 500 square foot deck, five times the size of the original."

And the "Tiki Hut"?

"I had an area where I kept my grill. I started thinking it would be nice to have a shelter over it, to keep the rain off.  I wanted it sturdy but also wanted more of an open feel, like a palapa. While the "pros" were building the deck, another couple of friends came over. We'd stand around drinking beer and talk about what we thought would work and what wouldn't."

Sounds like an episode of "King of The Hill", with Hank and his buddies...

"(Laughs) It was kind of like that. It took alot of trips to the hardware store - and alot of beer - but we got it done. Luckily, I live about a mile and a half from a Lowes! We put a cement slab under it, ran electricity to it, shingled the roof - it's actually built to code - but, to give it the island touch, covered it in thatch. Now, I've got my grill, a Big Green Egg smoker, and some other things under there. It's a real outdoor kitchen. I can cook a couple hundred pounds of meat at a time out there. "

Where did you find the thatch for the roof?

"On Ebay. It's real thatch -  came in a roll we could cut to whatever size we needed. Nowadays they also make it out of plastic. It's more expensive, but it's practically permanent. I still prefer the 'real' stuff, though."


Anything else?

"The thing that really 'converted' the yard was when we covered up the hurricane fence with some bamboo we found on the internet. The bamboo came in rolls, is 6 feet high, and we attached it to the old metal fence with 12 gauge wire, so it's sturdy but still allows air and light to come through. And it looks alot better.

We also added outdoor speakers on the deck and pool area, so we could pipe Trop Rock from the house to the backyard".


How much in total would you say you spent to make your Parrot Head Paradise"?

"It's hard to say exactly how much, because we did it little by little over the years, and we're still adding to it. For instance, not too long ago someone gave us a 3' tiki totem statue, then I went out and found another one at Lowes. They cost about $150 each. Overall, the art cost anywhere from a couple of bucks to hundreds of dollars for each piece. Another few hundred in plants. The original palm tree died, so we had to get a new one of those. The tiki hut was about $600 - plus beer for the guys who helped, and the bamboo fence was about $400. The deck was by far the biggest expense."


What about maintenance?

"Other than the usual care and upkeep of a yard and pool? The thatch on the tiki hut needs to be replaced about every three years. I pressure wash the bamboo fence once a year. And, of course, the deck needs to be water proofed and re-stained every few years. That's pretty much it. We do alot more enjoying it than working on it!"

I hope this post inspires some of you to become a "Pirate in your own backyard" (or, as the Brent Burns song goes, put a "Beach In My Back Yard"). As Joel mentioned, he and his wife Susan like to entertain. Among the many parties they host at Fish Gardens is a yearly Conch Republic Independence Day Celebration, which I am very much looking forward to attending.


http://fishgardens.net/

http://atlantaparrotheadclub.org/