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
Mark Metcalf on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
As if sitting down twice with Animal House’s Mark Metcalf was not enough (it wasn’t), thrice was the charm. And, I suspect, just the beginning of many more conversations to come… and that’s exactly what this was… a conversation.
Sparked by Mark’s just-dropped memoir, Tim Tim Timmy, which is at once gut-wrenching, heart-stopping, terrifying, life-affirming, informative, entertaining, and inspiring, we talked about suicide, family dysfunction, addiction, mental illness, the differences… Asperger’s, ADD, depression, neurodiverse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar, being on the spectrum, and how one size doesn’t fit all. How a proper early diagnosis can change the course of a life, prematurely ending Tim’s and giving space for Mark’s son Julius to thrive way beyond expectations.
We talked about Mark’s life choices, and how they impacted his brother, his marriage, his son, and his career. How a misstep may have led to a seasoning, a reasoning, his ultimate redemption.
The beach in Gaza was not lost on us, the scary insanity crept in more than once. We touched on the current state of the business too, self-tapes, and the horror of it all. With a quick streaming recommendation.
In the end, it came down to love, responsibility, willingness, and action. That works at home, with our work, and with our nation.
I’m hopeful. I’m inspired. I’m better informed. And I adore, even more, Mr. Metcalf.
Treat yourself to Tim Tim Timmy. In this dumbed-down mess of times, it’s a smart, sophisticated, thought-provoking, yet accessible and non-putdownable enticing read. https://www.amazon.com/Tim-Timmy-Mark-Metcalf/dp/B0DQ6M7XTV?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Mark Metcalf Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 2/5/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/4aV1vJ2
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
