EVERY TIME I THINK I’M OUT OF SHOW BUSINESS THEY PULL ME BACK IN

Posted onAuthorGary Stockdale

 

Well, truth is, I’ve been “between engagements” many times, but I’ve never been out of showbiz. When I first went to college, my Dad told me I should have something to “fall back on.” But if I had, I’m sure I would have fallen back by now. I list myself on Facebook as a “Musical Jack-Of-Some-Trades.” Like the lyric in That’s Life, I’ve been a singer, a player, a writer, an actor, a lyricist, a pawn and a king. But it’s always nice when a cool gig comes out of the blue. I used to write music for commercials way back when, mostly for a company called Killer Music owned by Ron Hicklin, a longtime pro who sang the background vocals on countless records in the 60s and 70s, including “This Diamond Ring,” and “Get Happy,” as well as TV shows like “Happy Days,” and “Batman.” Then he started one of the most successful ad music houses in LA. Nearly all the people who worked with him went off to start their own jingle companies. So it’s through that connection that Jeff Koz (Dave’s brother), who owns Hum Music, hired me to write a jingle – with vocals and horns and everything – for Nature’s Way Alive Vitamins. Keep your eye (ear) out for it, it’s called “It’s A Great Big Beautiful Day,” and has a “killer” vocal by Stacey Levine.

And, though I’ve been laying low on playing a lot of gigs lately, I do have some cool ones to announce:

My dear friend Sally Stevens (talk about “20 Feet from Stardom,” Sally has been one of the most successful session singers since the ‘60s and is still going strong), asked me to be a part of a benefit performance for The Society of Singers on Sept. 22nd. Its mission is maintaining and restoring the personal dignity, health, and welfare of professional vocalists nationwide. I’ll be appearing with 4 stellar songwriters, who are also friends of mine: Dan Navarro, Ken Stacey, Lisbeth Scott, and Dick Wells. I’ve worked around a microphone with each of them at one time or another, and they are all successful working songwriters. It’s a bit pricey – $40 a seat, but it’s at the beautiful Café Cordiale in Sherman Oaks (they serve great food), and it’s for a very good cause. Please make a reservation here, and do a good deed for the warblers.

Then, that same week, on Friday night, Sept. 26th, I’ll be playing the Coffee Gallery in Altadena with two other songwriter friends, Cynthia Carle, and Brian Woodbury. I’ve sung the praises of Cynthia here before, she is hilarious. Brian is a veteran writer of songs for TV and theater, and actually studied with the great Tom Lehrer. As usual, I will try to hold my own in the midst of all that excellence.

Then, as if that’s weren’t enough, I’ll be doing a special performance and recording at Theta Sound Studio in Burbank, as part of the 37th anniversary of Randall Tobin’s studio. So many people have worked there on countless projects over the years. I’ll be appearing along with my pal Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements.

So, here I am, still in show business, which, as we all know, is like no other business. Some have said showbiz is “high school with money.”