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
Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
1 hour 26 minutes 2 seconds
4 months ago
Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Decades later, as if no time had passed, bassist Kevin Jenkins came to call. I met Kevin in 1986ish, when he was playing with Cyndi Lauper at the height of her fame. He had stopped in to the Rock ’N Roll Cafe, sat in, and graced our small stage. Big man on campus, he was pop-rock royalty. Girl just wanted to have fun, so with my Cafe cohort, Steve Principe, we headed to The Stone Pony to catch Kevin with Cyndi. About a decade later, I’d meet up with Cyndi as Upper Westside mommies… but I digress. Kevin continued to come around and sit in, most notably with my beloved Phoebe Snow and Matt Sorum from Guns & Roses, at the Cafe Wha.
From Tokyo’s Budokan to London’s famous Albert Hall to NYC’s Madison Square Garden - Kevin’s played them all, with the aforementioned Cyndi Lauper, and Enrique Iglesias, Taylor Dayne, Vicki Sue Robinson, Graham Parker, Lamya, Tom Rush, Maxwell, Roberta Flack, Debbie GIbson and, most recently, Grammy® nominated blues queen Shemekia Copeland, who he’s been with 2005. We talked about them all, as well as the music that influenced him, how he got started, how one meeting led to one gig, which led to another. When imbibing started to interfere, Kevin got sober 38 years ago. We discussed that journey, too. We discussed his highlights, opening for Clapton and Michael Jackson, as well as loss, and love.
Kevin filled us in on his solo efforts, Step Inside and True Groove, as well as his latest, She: A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, which will be released in November.
Humble and unpretentious to a fault, it was a delightful stroll down memory lane with loads of new info and great stories along the way. Kevin is just as I remember him, except even better. Wisdom, experience, and a clear mind have added to the mix. Adore the man, love his playing, respect his humanity.
Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB
Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB
http://bit.ly/4kG0LeK
And YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eup_wy0SJlM&t=2985s
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
