Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Bassist David Santos Kills Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
I was so looking forward to catching up with bassist David Santos after almost 40 years. Insane in itself! The sit-down stunningly exceeded my expectations. What crazy fun! David regaled us with story after story… starting with gigging for me on Bleecker Street, doing weddings, The Ringo AllStar Band, sans Ringo, with Billy Preston, Lou Gramm, Mark Farner, Felix Cavaliere, Liberty DeVito, Mark Rivera, Randy Bachman, and a backup singer named Wendy Moten who would change and share his life. They’re a rare rock n’ roll romance success story, today, 30+ years later.
David took us through his 3ish years with Billy Joel, how he got the gig, and how he lost it, 13 years with John Fogerty, how he got it and then lost it, Melissa Etheridge, 7 years, how it got it and lost it, Fleetwood Mac, 1 day, how he got it, lost it, 5 yrs with Crosby, Stills, & Nash, getting it, losing it - does there seem to be a pattern here... yup, hysterically summed up each time. Sure, it’s funny now, in retrospect, as David has great perspective, self-awareness, good humor, and humility. He’s amassed wisdom to add to his formidable talent, perseverance, and ambition. And he always lands bass up! Unlike me, who literally did an unintended mic drop.
As was pointed out, this meaty conversation had comedy, drama, romance, intrigue, horror, heart, and life lessons galore. I could have talked to David all night and still have wanted more.
And more, I’ll get. We have a face-to-face reunion in the reals with Wendy and Snuffy in Nashville coming up. Can you imagine the music those three could make? Don’t know if that’s on the menu, but do know we’ll be seeing Wendy at the Grand Ole Opry, and sharing great local eats! What a way to ring in my next year!
David Santos Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 10/8/25, 5 PM PT/ 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube
Links in the Comments
Replay here:
http://bit.ly/46TQ3M4 and here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGNYDGbnpE4&t=3s
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Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Bassist David Santos Kills Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
I was so looking forward to catching up with bassist David Santos after almost 40 years. Insane in itself! The sit-down stunningly exceeded my expectations. What crazy fun! David regaled us with story after story… starting with gigging for me on Bleecker Street, doing weddings, The Ringo AllStar Band, sans Ringo, with Billy Preston, Lou Gramm, Mark Farner, Felix Cavaliere, Liberty DeVito, Mark Rivera, Randy Bachman, and a backup singer named Wendy Moten who would change and share his life. They’re a rare rock n’ roll romance success story, today, 30+ years later.
David took us through his 3ish years with Billy Joel, how he got the gig, and how he lost it, 13 years with John Fogerty, how he got it and then lost it, Melissa Etheridge, 7 years, how it got it and lost it, Fleetwood Mac, 1 day, how he got it, lost it, 5 yrs with Crosby, Stills, & Nash, getting it, losing it - does there seem to be a pattern here... yup, hysterically summed up each time. Sure, it’s funny now, in retrospect, as David has great perspective, self-awareness, good humor, and humility. He’s amassed wisdom to add to his formidable talent, perseverance, and ambition. And he always lands bass up! Unlike me, who literally did an unintended mic drop.
As was pointed out, this meaty conversation had comedy, drama, romance, intrigue, horror, heart, and life lessons galore. I could have talked to David all night and still have wanted more.
And more, I’ll get. We have a face-to-face reunion in the reals with Wendy and Snuffy in Nashville coming up. Can you imagine the music those three could make? Don’t know if that’s on the menu, but do know we’ll be seeing Wendy at the Grand Ole Opry, and sharing great local eats! What a way to ring in my next year!
David Santos Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 10/8/25, 5 PM PT/ 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube
Links in the Comments
Replay here:
http://bit.ly/46TQ3M4 and here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGNYDGbnpE4&t=3s
Bette Sussman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
1 hour 45 minutes 9 seconds
1 month ago
Bette Sussman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Bette Sussman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Keyboardist, composer, musical director, Emmy winner, Bette Sussman, is a dear friend, a Scorpio almost twin sista, crazy talented, grows her food, cooks delectably, rocks hard, leans left, which is right, cares about humans and other living things… what more could you want in a person?
What fun to talk about life, the day to day, how it’s changed, how we’ve changed, the passions that remain, new hobbies, new music… a gig next Tues, 9/16 doing the music of Burt Bacharat with loads of other brilliant musicians, and a just dropped yesterday doc about the vocalists and music behind Chaka Khan, you can catch Crafting The Sound on YouTube.
We dished the genius of Cissy Houston, Bette was her MD for five or so years, with a young backup singer named Whitney, who came into her own and took Bette with her in her heyday, for 11 plus years, before the fall, and segued with an intro from Marc Shaiman to 11 plus years with another Bette. Midler. Close with all of her musical collaborators, but especially this one, until a nasty fight in Vegas. Our Bette tells it, as well as the redemption and sweet closeness they again share, as recently as last week. Great story there. We hear about Cyndi, friends, but not so easy, and a really rough and awful end with Patti LuPone. We talked about sessions, industrials, touring, and mutual friends Will Lee, Steve Ferrone, and Keb Mo. Bette’s played with loads more. I have little doubt we could have talked for another 1:45 and not gotten to all of them.
Reminiscent of pre-pandemic days, I was so relaxed and cozy, it felt like we were sitting in Bette’s kitchen together. I could almost taste her perfect homegrown heirloom tomato and smell the sauce she cooked from its harvest. Next visit at Bette’s place, and we feast! Can’t wait!
Bette Sussman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 9/10/25, 5 PM PT/ 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube
http://bit.ly/3VIud93
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpXhSh3Ula8
Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Bassist David Santos Kills Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
I was so looking forward to catching up with bassist David Santos after almost 40 years. Insane in itself! The sit-down stunningly exceeded my expectations. What crazy fun! David regaled us with story after story… starting with gigging for me on Bleecker Street, doing weddings, The Ringo AllStar Band, sans Ringo, with Billy Preston, Lou Gramm, Mark Farner, Felix Cavaliere, Liberty DeVito, Mark Rivera, Randy Bachman, and a backup singer named Wendy Moten who would change and share his life. They’re a rare rock n’ roll romance success story, today, 30+ years later.
David took us through his 3ish years with Billy Joel, how he got the gig, and how he lost it, 13 years with John Fogerty, how he got it and then lost it, Melissa Etheridge, 7 years, how it got it and lost it, Fleetwood Mac, 1 day, how he got it, lost it, 5 yrs with Crosby, Stills, & Nash, getting it, losing it - does there seem to be a pattern here... yup, hysterically summed up each time. Sure, it’s funny now, in retrospect, as David has great perspective, self-awareness, good humor, and humility. He’s amassed wisdom to add to his formidable talent, perseverance, and ambition. And he always lands bass up! Unlike me, who literally did an unintended mic drop.
As was pointed out, this meaty conversation had comedy, drama, romance, intrigue, horror, heart, and life lessons galore. I could have talked to David all night and still have wanted more.
And more, I’ll get. We have a face-to-face reunion in the reals with Wendy and Snuffy in Nashville coming up. Can you imagine the music those three could make? Don’t know if that’s on the menu, but do know we’ll be seeing Wendy at the Grand Ole Opry, and sharing great local eats! What a way to ring in my next year!
David Santos Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 10/8/25, 5 PM PT/ 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube
Links in the Comments
Replay here:
http://bit.ly/46TQ3M4 and here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGNYDGbnpE4&t=3s
