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
Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
1 hour 17 minutes 20 seconds
7 months ago
Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
What do you get when you Zoom with three amigos from Texas who go back over 50 years? A whole lot of fun, rock stories galore, and a ton of love. The Grammy, Emmy, BMI, and Blues Award Winning trio of Snuffy Walden, Tony Braunagel, and Terry Wilson took us back to the 60s in Houston, playing at the Cellar, a strip club in Houston, Tony and Terry off with Johnny Nash and Snuffy off with Stray Dog to open for Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They all ended up in London, there was Rabbit, Paul Kossoff, Free, Back Street Crawler, Pete Townshend, and Eric Burdon for all of them, at least twice. Some great war stories along the way… there was Michael Ruff, some crashed cars and trashed hotel rooms.
Tony took us through his time with Rickie Lee Jones, Bonnie Raitt, and The Blues Brothers backup band, leading to be an actor and musician on According to Jim. Snuffy getting Chaka Khan, Donna Summers and then segueing to TV, Thirty Something and The Wonder Years, his first foray in––both Emmy-winning shows that year, leading to the West Wing and his own Emmy. Terry partnering with Teresa James in music and in life, their Grammy nod, his song-writing, producing through his latest for Back Street Crawler’s Terry Slesser which reunited him with Tony and Terry.
They’ve shared many stages and sessions over the years, but it’s their rock-solid friendship borne in decades-long history that sweetens their song. What a joy to be in their joy. A great time was had by all. Lucky me and you to be a fly on that wall.
Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 3/19/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streaming Live on my YouTube & my Facebook
Replay YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ArHgeUrToc&t=194s
Replay FB here:
https://bit.ly/4bNq8b2
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
