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Published by AJ Rodriguez
All the music you never knew about in Bakersfield, California and the surrounding valley. Decade and genre hopping interviews about important people, venues, and events in Bakersfield Music History.
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The Gate held shows for 19 years, overseen by Rob Allison. Rob grew up in Bakersfield. He was the bassist in the Christian Hair Metal band Traxter. They won the Bakersfield Battle of the Bands in 1989 and 1990. Rob started The Gate in 1997. They hosted all kinds of music and supported the local scene. They held benefit shows to raise the money for bands to record their own albums. The Gate became a home for many different local bands throughout the years. Listen to Episode 22 of the San Joaquin Sound Podcast to hear an interview with Rob Allison about the history of The Gate - Part 1.
Kris Tiner is a world class trumpet player. He has had longtime collaborations with Mike Baggetta in Tin/Bag and also pianist Cathlene Pineda. He has played in hundreds of groups including the Empty Cage Quartet, Wooden People, Psychic Temple, Evil/Live, Garden of Souls, and Vinny Golia’s Jazz for Models. Like his mentor Doug Davis, who built up the Jazz Program at CSUB (see episode 14), Kris Tiner oversees the DownBeat award-winning Jazz Program at BC. He has worked tirelessly for decades to build up the Jazz scene in Bakersfield.
It was the first Women's Music Festival in Bakersfield. The year was 1984. Performers included Buck Owens protege Susan Raye, Festival Organizer and Emcee Colette Shewcraft, Tracy Waddell and Sylvia Simms. For two years this was a benefit concert organized by the group Bakersfield Women and raised money for organizations that helped women in need. I interviewed Colette, Sylvia, and Gloria Dumler who were all instrumental in the Bakersfield Women’s Music Festival and who were activists for Gay Rights and Women's Rights. Listen to this episode of the San Joaquin Sound Podcast to hear their story and share this with your friends.
The Montereys released the 45 single Darlin (Send Me a Letter)/ Darlin (I Love You So) in 1962. It was released on the label Trans-American which was owned by movie star Aki Aleong. The lead singer was Manuel Cañez along with Tom Rey, Tom Lopez, and Santos Cepeda. The record is not extremely rare and sought after. I interviewed Santos Cepeda about his time in the band and recording this record.
The most underrated band of the 2000s is Loser Life. It's fitting because they were an underdog band, in an underdog town in the middle of the desert in California. Back in 2005, they were the flagship band of the Munoz Boxing Gym home to other legendary Bakersfield bands like The Pine and The Contaminators. They take the feeling of growing up in Bakersfield in the early 2000s and distill it into 2 minutes of punk-infused Melodic hardcore. The lineup for most of the records was Steven, Bill, Bobby and Reuben. For Episode 18 of the San Joaquin Sound Podcast I interviewed drummer and vocalist Steven Koontz. In addition to Loser Life, Steven was the drummer for The Pine and Human Mess. In addition to Loser Life, he was the drummer for The Pine and vocalist for Human Mess. Don't miss this episode.
Bakersfield California is home to the greatest country music that ever was. Everyone knows Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. But in 1972, Sonny Anglin debuted his first record: Mrs. Olsen with Today’s Tomorrows Yesterday on the B side. He’s played all the classic spots like the Blackboard, Tex’s Barrel House, Trouts and even toured the US and headlined a show at the Sahara in Las Vegas. His most iconic song would have to be I’m a Truck Drivin Pool Shootin Son-Of-A-Gun. It’s been covered by Devyn Brinsfield, The Soda Crackers and the B-Side Sing Born To Lose has been covered by Shontice Marie. Sonny Anglin is a local legend and at age 87 he is still singing multiple nights a week around town. Listen to episode 17 of the San Joaquin Sound podcast to listen to a great interview with Sonny Anglin.
Ed Sanner who is 88 years old and still working on guitars and making pedals. He worked at Mosrite, a legendary guitar company based in Bakersfield, California. For rock and roll, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Fred Sonic Smith from MC5, and Johnny Ramone of the Ramones played mosrite guitars. Mosrites were ubiquitous in surf music, most famously played the Ventures. They even had their own model. Mosrites were originally used in country music with Joe Maphis, Buck Owens, and Roy Nichols all having played Mosrite guitars at one time or another. At the peak of production in 1968, Mosrite was making an estimated 600-1000 guitars every month. Mosrite didn't just make guitars, they made amplifiers and pedals too. The main designer of those electronics was Ed Sanner. He was one of the pioneers of early solid state amps and created the Mosrite Fuzzrite fuzz pedal back in 1966. This pedal was made famous on iron butterflies Inna gadda da vida. and Don Rich even used it on Buck Owens song Whose Gonna Mow Your Grass? In this episode, we talk about a lot of different people involved with Mosrite, so let me give you a short explanation. Semie Moseley is the founder of Mosrite. He was a great guitarist and a master guitar builder that pushed boundaries with his designs. His brother Andy Moseley also worked in the factory. The branch manager who was in charge of running the factory and ordering all the parts was Ken Gilstrap. Ed sometimes refers to him as Bilstrap. I also want to give a special thanks to Chris Goodsell who you may remember from episode 9. He has been friends with Ed for years and without him this interview could have never happened.
Prohibition is a Powerviolence band from Bakersfield, California with ties to Oildale. They have released an incredible EP: PROHIBITION'S Greatest Hits Vol. 1 that injects a country influence into Powerviolence. This interview features Liam, lead vocalist and Cannon, Lead Bassist and Backing Vocals.
Did you ever go to the Bakersfield Jazz Festival in the 30 plus years it was running? If so, you have Doug Davis to thank. He ran the festival, booking artists like Dizzie Gillespie and Larry Carlton. And Local legends Mary Osborne and Mento Buru. In addition to running the festival, he was also a professor in charge of the Jazz Program at CSUB. Doug Davis is an incredible professor, amazing pianist, saxophone player, and award winning composer of classical music, Jazz, and even radio jingles. He has played hundreds if not thousands of concerts in Bakersfield and has even played in Paris, France and New York. Listen to Episode 14 of the San Joaquin Sound podcast to hear an interview with Doug Davis.
Matt Riot played guitar and drums in multiple Bakersfield bands. He played drums in a reggae band called The Soulsteppers. He also played in Death Valley driver, a wrestling themed powerviolence band that had the band members fighting each other mid-concert. They often played in the Munoz Boxing Gym (see Episode 1.) Matt also played in bands The Prolapse Nation, and The Kill. This interview is filled with wild stories from the Bakersfield music scene from the late 90s and early to mid 2000s.
This is Part 3 of a 3 Part series of interviews with Willie Cantu, the Buckaroo. This episode covers his time after he left Buck Owens and the Buckaroos and went on to pursue other musical adventures. He spent time in Toronto as a studio musician, then moved to San Francisco and pursued Jazz while becoming a part of the Avant-Guarde movement. Then he moved to Nashville and continued drumming including starting 2 different Scottish Pipe Bands. Listen to the final chapter of the Willie Cantu story on the San Joaquin Sound podcast.
This is Part 2 of a 3 Part series of interviews with Willie Cantu, the Buckaroo. This episode covers his time with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. Icons of Country music, they took Bakersfield Sound on the road, toured the world, and recorded hit after hit. Stay tuned for Part 3!
This is Part 1 of a 3 Part series of interviews with Willie Cantu, the Buckaroo. This episode covers his time growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas and working the clubs as a drummer while still a teenager. It also talks about him joining Buck Owens and the Buckaroos and moving to Bakersfield and his first experiences there. Stay tuned for part two!
Chris Goodsell has been performing music since he was a child. He got into punk music in the 80s and learned guitar and bass. He was in bands like Big Jed, The Mutilators, Cradle of Thorns, and The Wichitas. He has played shows for decades all over Bakersfield and has gone on multiple worldwide tours. He has opened for Dee Dee Ramone, Willie Nelson, and even Korn.
Norm Hamlet was the Pedal Steel guitarist for 49.5 years with Merle Haggard and The Strangers. He was a pioneer of The Bakersfield Sound. He played on 9 Gold and Platinum albums. He has toured all over the United States and internationally. This interviews covers his beginnings with as a musician, touring with Merle, and his current tours.
Marc DeLeon promoted many concerts throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He played guitar, bass, and drums in many bands including Hossbruten, Adema, Premonition, American Standard, Cholo Biafra, and the Mentors. He has owned Mad Dog Tattoo for over 30 years. He has played our local American Legion, Gilman, CBGBs, and even the Eindhoven Metal Meeting. This conversation covers Bakersfield scene, San Francisco, and some touring stories.
Billy Haynes has played Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, and even a Cambodian Orphanage. A talented Bassist and Vocalist, Billy has been the bassist for Tina Turner, Lou Rawls, and Paulie Cerra. He started out in East Bakersfield playing The Cotton Club, and The Elks Club, even winning Battle of the Bands at Lake Ming. He has had an incredible career spanning 60+ years and I was honored to interview him.
Burning Image is a Deathrock band from Bakersfield, California. By combining diverse influences, Burning Image created a unique sound. Even though protesters picketed their shows, it didn't stop crowds from coming to see them perform. An interview with Moe Adame, guitarist, singer, and songwriter for Burning Image.
The Soda Crackers are Bakersfield's premier Country & Western band. They tour all over the United States as ambassadors for authentic Bakersfield Sound, complete with fiddles and a lap steel guitar. This interview is with Zane Adamo, fiddle player, vocalist, and one of songwriters for The Soda Crackers. We talk about his band and dive into the interesting history of The Bakersfield Sound that inspires him.
Hardcore Punk band GOLD has been touring all throughout California representing Bakersfield. We talk about what it's like living in an economic sacrifice zone and what to do about it. An interview with all 5 members, who came up going to shows at the Munoz Gym. BAKERSFIELD RULES. OK?
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Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 20, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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