NEWS
Gospel Blues!
JANUARY 19, 2025 - My first event of 2025 (and first live performance in over five years) is in the books! After a couple weeks of rehearsal, I arrived at Green Valley Presbyterian Church (GVPC) in Henderson, NV to a very warm welcome! Thanks to the Elvis version of "Amazing Grace" and Mavis Staples' incredible recording of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" with slide guitar, I was able to build and perform a great set of traditional blues, spiritual, and folk songs, which also included a few of my own originals. I want to express my gratitude to close friend and fellow UW-Whitewater Alumnus Patty Duffey as well as GVPC Music Director Josh Herrington and his fellow church members for having me! Looking forward to many more visits to this beautiful place of worship that is so close to home!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
So Long 2024, Let’s Go 2025!
JANUARY 4, 2025 - What a year! My music was definitely blessed more than a few times in 2024! From the release of my first live blues album followed by international radio/podcast airplay and being selected for a greatest hits album to my personal growth in piano skills and starting a new journey to become a drummer! And for 2025, it is already shaping up to be one for the history books! All year long, my Wife and I will be celebrating 40 Amazing Years of Being Together! It will be incredible and I have some very nice things planned to make it really special! Happy New Year! Live Life to the Fullest Each and Every Day!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
"Rock Me (Baby) [Live]” - Regio90 Radio - Highstreet Jazz & Blues - The Netherlands!
DECEMBER 29, 2024 - More airplay in The Netherlands! Excited to learn my cover version of “Rock Me (Baby)” by Muddy Waters was featured by Jos du Floo of Regio90 Radio on the final 2024 episode (#1640 on 12/29/24) of his Highstreet Jazz & Blues radio show in Arnhem, Netherlands! Thanks Jos! Click here to listen to the program!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
"All Your Blues (Live)" - Play It Forward - Greatest Hits Album!
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 - Super excited to share that "All Your Blues (Live)" from my Strumcussion Blues project has been selected from music contributed by over 1,000 singer/songwriters to be part of Play It Forward's Greatest Hits album! It's an awesome collection featuring 24 tracks from a great group of talented artists, who, per the fundraising organization, were chosen for their exceptional songwriting, musicianship, and generosity, embodying the spirit of Play It Forward. I'm really inspired by what Play It Forward is doing. They're raising funds to support important causes through music. The album is more than just a collection of songs - it's a testament to the transformative power of music and community. It would mean a lot to me if you could support this effort. Not only will you be helping a great cause, but you'll also get to download my track along with 23 other amazing songs from the album. If you're up for it, check it out and donate here. For a preview of the album, listen here. Thank you so much for always supporting me and my music - it means the world!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
"Super Music Fan (Live)" - Crossroads Blues Radio - Barcelona, Spain!
AUGUST 9, 2024 - Strumcussion Blues in Barcelona, Spain! Big thanks to Salva Martinez of Crossroads Blues Radio (CBR) for featuring "Super Music Fan (Live)" on Episode #415 (Summer Blues 4) on the date above! This is the second time I've been honored with airplay on CBR alongside another great group of blues musicians from around the world! Originally, the same song above was also featured as part of a two-song spin on Episode #408 (Blues Novelties) broadcasted on June 21, 2024 with my live cover of Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitous!" Hosted weekly by Salva and all in Spanish, this show has been around for 8 years now bringing the best of blues to Barcelona! Click here to listen to the program!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
"Brothers First, Not Last (Live)" - Ujima Radio 98 FM - United Kingdom!
JUNE 3, 2024 - First foreign radio broadcasts of my music! Big thanks to John Banks of Ujima Radio 98 FM in Bristol, United Kingdom for featuring "Brothers First, Not Last (Live)" today in addition to him also playing it back on May 20th with both being in the second hour of his weekly "Shades of the Blues" program, the longest-running blues and classic soul show in the West! Ujima Radio 98 FM , "The Heart of Bristol - Keep on Movin!," has been around since 2008! Click here to listen to the program!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
Strumcussion Blues - Bandana Blues Podcast - The Netherlands!
MAY 6, 2024 - Happy to announce my first podcast! Just learned that my song, "Brothers First, Not Last (Live)" from Strumcussion Blues was featured on "Bandana Blues," one of Europe's longest-running podcasts. The podcast from Tilburg, Netherlands was founded in 1999 by Beardo and is hosted by Spinner, who slotted my song as #2 out of a total of 26 tracks he featured in Episode #1048 on May 5, 2024. Thanks Spinner! Click here to listen to the podcast!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
New Live Blues Album Released!
APRIL 19, 2024 - It's official! My new Live Album release, "Strumcussion Blues," is Now Available on all streaming platforms! It can also be downloaded at PlayItForward.com - Music for a Cause with 100% of donations collected going to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a great organization assisting Veterans, First Responders, and their families.
During my last two years (2017-19) living Southern California, I had the dream opportunity to perform solo as an opening act on a few big stages that I had only previously seen as a concertgoer and each time, I made arrangements for my set to be recorded. This live album includes the "best of" song performaces from those live recordings, 11 of which are originals and 3 that are fully licensed cover versions of Classic Chicago Blues from Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. Lots of harmonica on all the tracks plus some slide guitar here and there! Credit and song notes are available here on the home page of this website as well as a short promo video we put together for it! My appreciation in advance if you would give it a listen and share with others if you like!
Rock Your Blues!
JC
Goodbye 2023, Hello 2024!
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 return trip 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
Hello Again! It's Been a While!
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
Music Jingle Released! "Eating Live with Sly!"
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
First Las Vegas Gig Since Returning!
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
Radford News Journal Interview!
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
Suddenly Next Spring, I'm Opening for The Motels!
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
Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)!!!
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
Acoustic Blues on Sunset Strip!
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
$1,000 Raised for Monrovia Boys & Girls Club!
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
"In a Gadda da Vida" at The Whisky!
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
Honored to Support Co-Founder of Poco on March 17th
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