JANUARY 4, 2024 - Live CD/Album Project Completed! Virginia Bluegrass Jam Debut! Music City, Muscle Shoals, and Memphis Visits! U2 Opens "The Sphere" in Las Vegas! Piano Journey Started!.....and much more in 2023! What a year!
Happy to announce that "Strumcussion Blues," my first live CD/Album project showcasing the best of all my Southern California performances from 2017-2019, is now complete. Next is getting the copyrights all registered and uploading soon to iTunes! During our summer trip to beautiful Southwest Virginia, I purchased my first Mandolin and two weeks later, I was taking my turn in a bluegrass jam circle! So much fun! Then, on our way back across the country, we stopped at the historic Muscle Shoals recording studio in Alabama as well as all the famous music locations in Nashville followed by the incredible tour of Memphis (Elvis and then some!). Not long after we returned home to Las Vegas, "The Sphere" venue opened with the amazing U2 show! It was like nothing we'd ever seen and an incredible experience indeed! Finally, I've now added piano to my growing inventory of instruments and I'm simply having a blast learning all the classics! I'm working hand muscles I never knew I had! So long 2023, and greetings to 2024! Let's make it another great one!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
MAY 8, 2022 - In March 2020, all of our lives changed forever as the Pandemic became reality! We were all directly impacted and would continue to be for nearly two years. It forced all of us to reconsider what is truly important in our lives. For me and I know for many others, family continues to be the biggest priority!
In the past year, my Mother and Brother in Virginia moved into a new home and I traveled back to assist. In 2020, I also returned to my last company and now have the benefit of working 100% from home, which makes for unlimited quality time with my loving Wife and a very comfortable final job-transition to my retirement. In 2021, I continued to visit Guitar Center and made two different purchase dreams come true by walking out of the store with a 75th Anniversary Fender Stratocaster and a reissued 1950s Gibson Les Paul! I also developed a new obsession for guitar effects pedals and collected quite a few over the last year! In addition, I went into the recording studio to start production on my first Live CD/Album ("Stumcussion Blues"}, which includes all of my Southern California-recorded performances from 2017 to 2019. It will hopefully be ready for distribution in the near future!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
DECEMBER 2, 2019 - I'm honored to contribute to the soundtrack of Sly Jones' most recent episode of his food show, "Eating Live with Sly," featuring his visit to the very popular Evie Mae's BBQ in Lubbock, TX! Sly asked me last year if I could put a little music jingle together for one of his future episodes featuring one of the many BBQ restaurants he visits. To see the completed episode, click here or on the photo. You can catch my blues jingle (features 12-string slide guitar and harmonica) at around the 5:16 time mark! Enjoy! Thanks again, Sly! It was a lot of fun!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
NOVEMBER 19, 2019 - Wow! I've been ready to finally get back on stage here locally and this was the perfect setting with the Grand Opening of Sixx Gun Music! Thanks to Owner Daniel Margasa for giving me the opportunity to perform in front of a group of invited guests that included some of the best musicians on the Las Vegas Strip from shows like "Tenors of Rock" and "Raiding the Rock Vault." I also ran into Talbot Snow of Sound Masters Las Vegas, who was there taking some great photos during the event. Sixx Gun Music is a great custom guitar business where you can also participate in their World Famous "Build Your Own" Guitar Workshop. Check them out by clicking here.
Rock Your Blues!
JC
JUNE 8, 2019 - My interview with Marty Gordon was published today in the print and online versions of my hometown paper, the Radford News Journal. Click here to view the article. We talked about the recent release of "Beauty Dances," a tribute song I wrote and recorded last month, which was inspired by the life of Gina Renee Hall, as shared in Ron Peterson, Jr.'s best-selling book, Under The Trestle. The article reflects how the song originated and the meaning behind the lyrics I wrote. It was truly an honor to have had the opportunity to compose and record this song. Marty also reached out to Dlana Hall Bodmer (Gina's Sister) to talk about her new book, The Miraculous Journey: A Day Made in Heaven, due to be released early next month. To help launch the new book, a Candlelight Vigil, "Dance for Gina," will be held in Radford, VA at Bisset Park on June 29th at 7:30PM. I'm honored to learn that Dlana plans on playing my song at the event, which will be presented as the background music to a video featuring photos selected by her. I'm looking forward to traveling from Henderson, NV to visit my family in Radford and attend this special event.
God Bless Gina!
JC
MAY 20, 2019 - It's official! My new tribute song, "Beauty Dances," was released today ! The song is available for download at PlayItForward.com for a minimum $2 donation. 100% of all donations will go to the Help Save The Next Girl Foundation. I recently wrote and recorded the song after being inspired by the life of Gina Renee Hall as detailed in Ron Peterson, Jr.'s best-selling book, Under The Trestle, about her 1980 disappearance and Virginia's First "No Body" Murder Trial. This case occurred during my teenage years growing up in Radford, VA and like many others from this beautiful small town, the emotional connection has never gone away. It was truly my honor to write this song to remember and pay tribute to a beautiful and kind soul who will forever remain in our hearts! Photo by Talbot Snow of him and I after recording "Beauty Dances" at Sound Masters Studio in Las Vegas, NV.
God Bless Gina!
JC
JANUARY 31, 2019 - What started as just a few drinks to say goodbye to some friends as I prepared to leave Monrovia, CA (near Pasadena) to return home to the Las Vegas/Henderson area ended up being a very nice surprise send-off party for me at Basin 141! Secretly organized by my dear friend, Christina Hunt-Fuhr, everyone also pitched in to gift me with the KLOS carbon-built Acoustic Mini! I was speechless, but so happy and honored to be recognized by my friends in such a special way! Thanks so much to all of them! I've always made it a habit to build the best relationships I possibly can and I truly believe success and things like this just wouldn't happen without it!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
JANUARY 26, 2019 - Just returned from my fourth year of attending the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA and once again, it was beyond incredible! Gibson made a great comeback to NAMM with probably the best booth in the entire show! I was thrilled to meet JC Curleigh, their new CEO and had the chance to ask him about my "Big Sky Blue" Gibson Hummingbird - Limited Edition model! He confirmed for me that the model was definitely a Limited Edition with only 50 actual guitars produced! So excited to be a Gibson owner! Other highlights included the amazing Fender booth, which showcased their new Acoustasonic guitars and the Jimmy Page Custom Telecaster! Also, I had the pleasure of meeting and greeting Robby Krieger (Doors); Peter Frampton; Blue Oyster Cult (Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom); Lita Ford (Runaways); Phil Collen (Def Leppard); Michael Anthony (Van Halen); Jared James Nichols; and Paul Reed Smith (Guitar Maker)! Looking forward to another great show next year!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
OCTOBER 27, 2018 - The Rock n' Roll Fantasy continues on May 4, 2019 after securing the opening set for The Motels! Martha Davis is one of my all-time favorite voices from the 80's! I met Martha back in the Spring at the Buffalo Springfield tribute in Glendale, CA! What a sweetheart! This will be another night to remember! I love all their music, but "Shame" is probably my favorite! Please join me for what will probably be another sold-out show at The Whisky! Click here to purchase your tickets! See ya there!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
OCTOBER 14, 2018 - Just received confirmation of my opportunity to open for Orleans, one of my favorite bands from the 70's! So exciting and to top it off, it will be at The Rose, which produced some incredible live sound during my last performance there when I opened for Jim Messina! Orleans is celebrating their 40th year of creating musical history together from their earliest days as a favorite at colleges and clubs in Northeast US...to studio and live collaborations with industry greats Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Little Feat and others...to Top 10 success with bona-fide classics such as "Still the One," "Dance with Me," and "Love Takes Time!" This will be a good one! Don't miss it! Click here for tickets!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
OCTOBER 4, 2018 - For a high school kid in small town Radford, Virginia, nothing rocked harder than when Pat Travers' famous live version of "Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)" came on the radio! Written by Stan Lewis, this song was a big success for Pat and continues to rank right up there with all the classic, ass-kickin' songs, including his other big hit, "Snortin' Whisky!" So excited to have the opportunity to open for this legend on November 28th! Thanks to JP at The Whisky for allowing me to continue my Rock n' Roll Fantasy! Click here for tickets!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
AUGUST 17, 2018 - Before my second performance at the Famous Whisky a Go Go, I was keeping my fingers crossed that the historic venue would display their logo banner behind the stage, unlike my first performance when they had covered it with a white screen for the Strawberry Alarm Clock liquid light show. They came through! This photo, along with all the others by Daniel Escamilla, turned out exactly as I hoped! What a night to open for Iron Butterfly and having both my new Gibson Hummingbird and D'Angelico 12-String in hand made for an extra-fun event! The Whisky is a special place and I will always look forward to playing there whenever I'm given the opportunity! Click here to checkout the video and photos!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
APRIL 6, 2018 - The very first story in this News section, published in 2017, announced my pledge to raise a minimum of $1,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills with monies received from tips and CD sales while performing acoustic blues in Monrovia, CA! After twelve months, I'm happy to report that we met the goal and I was honored to present a check to the Club today for that amount! The welcome I received from the staff and kids was so heart-warming! In addition, Amanda Navar, Director of Fund Development, was kind enough to give me a tour of the Club and the kids presented me with a homemade Thank You card they had put together! What a wonderful experience! I would like to thank all of those who donated to this effort as well as the Myrtle Tree Garden Café & Market and The Diplomat, food establishments in Monrovia, for providing me the venues for my performances in order to make this happen! I hope to do this again soon!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
MARCH 18, 2018 - I am happy to announce that on August 17th, I will have the opportunity to open for Iron Butterfly as part of another great show at the World Famous Whisky a Go Go! Original drummer Ron Bushy continues to keep Iron Butterfly and "In a Gadda da Vida" alive as this legendary classic rock name returns to the Sunset Strip! Maybe original Lead Singer and Keyboardist Doug Ingle will reunite with him for just one night! Click here to purchase tickets! See ya there!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
FEBRUARY 2, 2018 - So excited to be the Opening Act for the Legendary Jim Messina on March 17th at The Rose in Pasadena, CA! As one half of Loggins & Messina, co-founder of the country-rock band Poco, member and key contributor to Buffalo Springfield, Jim Messina has left an indelible footprint on popular music. Jim produced, engineered, and composed much of the Loggins & Messina, Poco, and Buffalo Springfield albums. Loggins & Messina produced many hits (Angry Eyes, Your Mama Don't Dance, Danny's Song, Vahevala, and House at Pooh Corner) and sold over 20 million albums domestically. Click here to purchase tickets! Hope to see you there!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
JANUARY 28, 2018 - Wow! I still can't believe it! For nearly 24 hours, my name was on this World Famous Marquee on Sunset Blvd!! What a night to remember! With friends and family in attendance, I felt so special and honored to be performing on that historic stage! Click here to checkout the video and photos! Looks like I will have another opportunity to do this again at the Whisky a Go Go on August 17th! Although the headliner has yet to be announced, the venue has already uploaded my photo on their website!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
OCTOBER 12, 2017 - No, I'm not kidding! It's true! On January 27, 2018, I will walk onto the World Famous Whisky a Go Go stage at 6:15PM as the first opener for Strawberry Alarm Clock ("Incense and Peppermints")! Not only will I have the opportunity to open for one of the all-time greatest 60's band, but I will also be standing and performing on the same stage that nearly all legendary classic rock acts have conquered, including Johnny Rivers, The Doors, Love, Led Zeppelin, and many, many more. Plus, get this, my name will also be on their famous marquee on Sunset Boulevard for at least 24 hours! And one more thing, this will all be happening during the same weekend as NAMM, which is only the largest convention of its kind for the music industry! I'm looking forward to rocking that stage with all I have and delivering an acoustic blues set like no other!
Join me by clicking here to secure your tickets now! Only $20 for General Admission to not only see yours truly, but all the other openers as well and of course, psychedelic royalty in the flesh, Strawberry Alarm Clock!!! For more info about the venue, click on the concert poster.
Rock Your Blues!
JC
OCTOBER 6, 2017 - Exciting news!! So happy to announce my first "Opening Act" slot for a major headliner on Nov 9th!! The show was originally slated for The Canyon at Santa Clarita, but has since changed to The Canyon at Agoura Hills due to the new venue not yet being ready to open. I will be opening for Grammy Nominee Will Hoge. You probably recognize his "Strong" song from the popular Chevy Truck commercial. He also wrote "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" for the Eli Young Band, who took it to #1 on the country charts! Rolling Stone has compared him to Bob Seger and John Mellencamp! In addition, Dan Layus, former frontman of Augustana ("Boston"), will be on stage! Check out both of these fine songwriters at www.willhoge.com and www.danlayus.com.
Rock Your Blues!
JC
JUNE 4, 2017 - My first festival in Southern California! So grateful to the Monrovia Music Fest Team for finding me a slot at 12:45PM! Honored to be part of this talented group of musicians and the largest outdoor music festival in the San Gabriel Valley! The price is really nice too! It's FREE! Come out to the Library Park in Monrovia for a fund day of music! For more info, check out www.monroviamusicfest.com.
Rock Your Blues!
JC
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