The Steel Guitar Forum

Cache Creek Casino, northern California.

Desert Rose Band

Friday, May 28 | Club 88

Formed in 1985, the Desert Rose Band’s self-titled debut album immediately established them as a group who were fiercely loyal to country music but not afraid to make it their own with a fusion of bluegrass and California country rock. Helmed by Chris Hillman (The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers) all the original members continue to tour, including vocalist/banjoist/guitarist Herb Pedersen, guitarist John Jorgensen, pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness, bassist Bill Bryson and drummer, Steve Duncan.

From the outset, The Desert Rose Band stayed at the top of the country charts with a string of hit songs beginning with the Johnnie & Jack cover “Ashes of Love.” With collaborator Steve Hill, Chris Hillman penned the group’s smash hits, “Love Reunited,” Summer Wind,” “One Step Forward, “I Still Believe in You,” and “Start All Over Again.” Other hits included “He’s Back and I’m Blue (written by Michael Woody) and the John Hiatt cover, “She Don’t Love Nobody.” This is a great opportunity to see all of the original band members in an intimate state of the art venue.

$29 General Admission

9 p.m

They will be playing in the North Bay at McNear's Mystic Theater in Petaluma on May 29. As the kids say: "I am SO there!"

When we saw them at Hardly Stictly Bluegrass in San Francisco two years ago we agreed it might have been the best music of the entire weekend, and we were bummed out that at the time, it was supposed to be the official "swan song."

I'm sure glad that it "didn't take" and the boys are back out there.

I can hardly wait!

{corrected}
They are also booked at the Crystal Palace (Bakersfield) on the 27th I believe.

Danny, Bakersfield will be on the 27th.
http://chrishillman.com/tour_dates.html

I'm unofficially officially taking up donations to send me to the closest venue to Oklahoma. I'd be willing to give something in return... LIKE MY RIGHT ARM!!! These guys played the best music of my formidable years, hands (and right arms) down.

David, I appreciate Rebecca posting the tour dates.

please bump it

Cool, I'm playing the Cache Creek Casino with Buck Ford and The Pure Country Band on 5/2....

I'm going to consider my gig a warm up act for JayDee!

please bump again for general info on JD

Killer...saw them at Copper Mountain last time and they sounded awesome...plus this year Richie Furay is on the bill, too...cya there....

I found out about their Crystal Palace show from Chris Hillman's website, got front-table seats for Kathy and I, she doesn't know yet, it's a surprise. I'm so looking forward to this show, been a fan for years!

I played the Club 88 venue at Cache Creek casino last night... and it is really a great place to see music acts. A first rate sound system/sound techs, very relaxed seating arrangement, and even a giant screen on each side of the stage (camera man was like ALWAYS zooming in on the PSG.... so that bodes well for a closeup view of Jay Dee's master's touch ). Anyone interested in staying overnight, the hotel rooms are very nice, and offers a beautiful outdoor pool and spa, surrounded by green open hills and oaks!

This ought to be a really great night of music for sure!

Two more days until the concert in Petaluma.

Yahoo!

Great show last night!!!8)

Don't have time to post my review now, will later. Have to get over to church for the band soundcheck before our service.

All I can say right now is that if you are within a semi-reasonable distance of the remaining shows, you don't want to miss these guys.

Shoot - you don't want to miss them even if it isn't reasonable. John Jorgenson gave kudos from the stage to a couple that flew out from Atlanta!

As I write this post, The Desert Rose Band is probably wrapping up their set as headliners this evening at the Strawberry Festival in the Sierras near Yosemite. John Jorgenson had his Quintet there earlier today, and their incredible interpretations of Gypsy Jazz.

I couldn't have been more pleased with the show last night in Petaluma at McNear's Mystic Theater. They went through all the hits, and there were a lot of smiles from the stage. Doing this reunion tour bit as a sometime thing seems to suit the boys.

This to me is pretty much as good as it gets. These guys are all such incredible talents. I saw them in San Francisco at Hardly Strictly bluegrass a couple years ago, and at the time that was supposed to be the final, final show. I never got to see them back in the day - our three kids were all born about 16 months apart form 1987-1990, and when Desert Rose was in their touring heyday, we just weren't going to concerts in those years with three rug rats. I am so happy they decided to get back out there for the occasional concert, and last night's was a 25 mile drive from my house.

They are all so outstanding, Chris is a great bandleader and I have been a fan of Herb forever.

And what can any of us say about Jay Dee? Words do not suffice. He put the black Emmons through its paces and then some.

But I have to say, last night Jorgenson stole the show. He is simply one of the finest guitar players on the planet, and a fine vocalist. It was just a jaw dropping exhibition on the Tele, a really cool double neck Danelectro - one neck a 12-string and the other a baritone, A Gretsch Chet Atkins of some kind, and a mandolin. His playing is mind boggling. And now my wife is in love with him!