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Headliners will fill the festival’s stages

By Tricia Tomiyoshi
Lodi Living Editor

For the sounds of San Joaquin County, look no farther than the three stages at this year’s Grape Festival and Harvest Fair. The entertainment line-up includes blues from Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers, rock ‘n’ roll from the Jeff Tyler Band and Leon Russell, and Motown grooves from Nathan Owen’s Sounds from Motown. Throw in some covers of Jimmy Buffet, the Beatles, the Beach Boys and some country hits and you’ve got the perfect soundtrack for the fair.

Here is some background on the performers playing at the festival: Leon Russell

Leon Russell is perhaps best known for “This Masquerade,” the first song in music history to hit No. 1 on both the jazz, pop and R&B charts. George Benson’s cover of the song won the “Record of the Year” Grammy Award in 1976.

But this singer, songwriter and arranger has remained what one reviewer called “pop music’s most anonymous big shot.”

Russell began his career as a piano player in Oklahoma, backing touring musicians when they came to town. But he relocated to Los Angeles in the 1950s and became a member of the “Wrecking Crew,” an elite group of studio musicians which also included Glen Campbell and Hal Blaine. He played sessions for Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Ike and Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones and his keyboards can be heard on Jan & Dean’s “Surf City,” Bobby Boris’ “The Monster Mash,” and The Beach Boys’ “California Girls,” among others.

Russell also had a prominent role in Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and the accompanying film.

In the 1970s, Russell released three solo albums, “Leon Russell and The Shelter People,” “Carney,” which hit No. 2 on the pop album chart, and the three-album set “Leon Live,” which went gold.

Most recently, Russell has launched Leon Russell Records, a new record label, and has released a new album, “Moonlight and Love Songs,” which features Russell, accompanied by an orchestra.

Leon Russell performs Saturday at the Budweiser Amphitheater from 8:30-10 p.m.

Rain

Ever since the Beatles tribute band Rain was formed in 1975, the band has had many a hard day’s night. Not only do they approach every Beatles song with respect and the desire to do it like the Fab Four once did, but they take great attention to detail — paying attention to every harmony, every chord inversion.

Rain’s two goals have been to write their own original music and secure a recording contract and to become the best band in the world at duplicating the sound of all of the works of the Beatles.

The Fab Four is comprised of Joey Curatolo on vocals, bass, piano and guitar, who plays Paul McCartney; Steve Landes on vocals, rhythm guitar, piano and harmonica, who plays John Lennon; Joe Bithorn on vocals and lead guitar, who plays George Harrison; and Ralph Castelli on drums, percussion and vocals, playing Ringo Starr.

But the group doesn’t end there. Throughout the Beatles’ recording career, the group would often employ strings, horns, additional keyboards or an entire orchestra, and this is Mark Lewis’s role. Lewis is the founding member of Rain and he is also responsible for keyboards and percussion. In addition, Randy Kuehn, the audio technician, travels with the band to recreate sounds from the Beatles records.

Rain performs Thursday at the Budweiser Amphitheater at 7 and 9 p.m.

Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers

Six time winner of the award for Best West Coast Blues Band from Real Blues Magazine in Canada and one of only two blues bands in the SAMMIE Hall of Fame, Sacramento-based Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers are regulars to the Grape Festival scene.

Band leader, singer and songwriter Mick Martin has played in blues bands since the late 1960s, where he first received recognition for his vocals and his style on the blues harmonica. One of his career high points was performing on blues harmonica alongside jazz organ legend Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Witherspoon, Grover Washington, Jr., Carrie Smith and Mark Whitfield at Carnegie Hall. But Martin has also proven he is true blue to blues as host of “Mick Martin’s Blues Party” a radio show that airs on KXJZ, 88.9 FM every Saturday afternoon.

Martin and his band members have been performing together for the past 10 years and are veterans of three European tours and music festival appearances. Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers have released 10 CD’s — the latest, “In One Ear,” is a blues rock album with original material.

Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers performs Saturday at 6 and 8 p.m. at the Budweiser Amphitheater.

The Johnny Counterfit Show

Johnny Counterfit is sure to leave an impression.

This comedian and singing impressionist specializes in voice impressions of singers, actors and politicians in a show which mixes clean comedy with live music and political satire.

Counterfit got his start performing in cocktail lounges in Portland, Ore. But in 1986, he got his break by doing voice-over work for the Emmy award-winning special, “Claymation Christmas Celebration,” which was aired on CBS and the Disney Channel.

In 1990, he appeared on ABC’s “America’s Funniest People,” and has continued making people laugh at venues throughout the U.S. including the White House. This Nashville guy’s repertoire of voices includes celebrities like Rodney Dangerfield, George Burns, John Wayne, and Johnny Carson and politicians like George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon. But he also does convincing singing voice impressions of Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks and George Straight.

One thing is for certain about Counterfit: He is the real thing.

The Johnny Counterfit Show performs Friday at 7 and 9 p.m. at the Budweiser Amphitheater.

Parrotville

Even though San Joaquin County is a far cry from the islands, you can still grab a sunny margarita and get into the spirit with Parrotville, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.

With beach balls and “parrothead dress,” Parrotville has performed Jimmy Buffet hits like “Margaritaville,” “Cheese-burger in Paradise,” and “Fins” at fairs, festivals and corporate parties.

Led by Jerry Walker on acoustic guitar, Parrotville Walker is accompanied by Lonnie Lawless on bass, Dusty Slabaugh on drums, Mitch Ballard on lead guitar, and Miss Tina Marziglioni on percussion.

Parrotville performs Saturday from 1-5 p.m. at the Geweke Auto and RV Group Stage.

The Frankie C Band

Local music man Frankie C has always had the blues. He has spent the last 34 years sharing it with others and this year he’s bringing it to audiences at the Grape Festival.

The Lodi singer, songwriter and guitarist, better known as Frank Colli, has great energy on stage and routinely inspires audiences to get on their feet and groove to his tunes. The band will draw on some songs from their latest album, “Get off the Cross,” which showcases Colli’s soulful vocals and funky melodies.

The Frankie C Band performs Friday from 7-11 p.m. at the Geweke Auto and RV Group Stage.

The Jeff Tyler Band

Take an exhilarating ride through the rock of ages with the Jeff Tyler Band, as they relive dance hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

This Northern California-based band’s song list includes hits like “Wake Up Lil’ Suzy” by the Everly Brothers, “I Feel Good” by James Brown, “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer, and “Real World” by Matchbox 20. The Jeff Tyler Band features frontman Jeff Tyler on vocals and keyboards, band leader Fred Sampson on guitars and vocals, Michael Barrett on bass and vocals and Jim Carring-ton on drums and vocals.

The Jeff Tyler Band performs at the Bank of Lodi Stage on Thursday at 4, 6, and 8 p.m., Friday at 5, 7, and 9 p.m., and Saturday at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.

Nathan Owen’s Sounds of Motown

If you like soul artists including the Temptations, the Jackson Five, Sly and the Family Stone and Marvin Gaye, you will like Nathan Owen’s Sounds of Motown, a six-piece band from the Bay Area who perform many of Motown’s greatest hits.

The group consists of bandleader Nathan Owens on keyboards, guitar, lead vocals, Michael Clark on guitar and lead vocals, Mike Jingles on drums and background vocals, Duane Patton on lead vocals and Tony Chitman on bass and vocals.

The band has opened up for prominent artists including B.B. King, Kool & The Gang, Stevie Wonder, Jay Leno and others and they typically make the rounds at casinos in Reno, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas.

Nathan Owen’s Sounds of Motown performs Sunday from 6-10 p.m. at the Geweke Auto and RV Group Stage.

California Beach Party

Although we’re miles from the coast, it won’t feel so far away when California Beach Party performs. They bring the warm breezes and soft sands with them.

Straight from the beach town of Santa Cruz, California Beach Party performs all of those surfing California classics you know and love including “Surfin’ USA,” “California Girls,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “Wipe Out.”

The five band members will teach audiences the Hand Jive, how to wipe out, and they might even bring out the limbo bar for an impromptu game on stage.

California Beach Party performs Saturday at 6-6:30 p.m., 8-8:30 p.m., and 9:30-10 p.m. at the Geweke Auto and RV Group Stage.