Dedrick waits for Apollo takeoff
Performer records Broadway musical tunes with J.B. on hold
“I grew up on the Apollo. I know what it means to the Black community and Black entertainers.”
— Dedrick Weathersby
Some artists ignore the reviews. Not Dedrick Weathersby. Not when he’s trying to improve “Remembering James: The Life and Music of James Brown.”
So when a Los Angeles critic praised the stage presentation by the Vallejoan, but chastised a band member for wearing tennis shoes, Weathersby didn’t shrug it off.
Not by any means. “I couldn’t be mad. He was absolutely correct,” said Weathersby, explaining that “we pulled some band members from L.A. and they had their ‘LAism’ on and not thinking of the uniformity and whom the show was about. I took it to heart.”
Weathersby brought it to his music director, emphasizing that polished dress shoes are part of the production “and that tennis shoes will not touch the stage.”
“He agreed,” Weathersby said.
It’s all about integrity and the performer steadfastly maintains his even as 25 “Remembering James” presentations were canceled or postponed because of COVID-19.
Some postponements are easier to handle than others, acknowledged Weathersby by phone.
Take the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y. Basically, as the saying goes, if you make it there you can make it everywhere. And because of the pandemic, “Remembering James” has been postponed five times.
Yes, five times — a possible Apollo record, Weathersby mused.
“The great thing about it — the key — is not the postponement. It’s who’s doing the postponement. I’m just glad they’re talking to me,” Weathersby said. “This is the Apollo and I don’t take this lightly. They could be dealing with so many things, but they’ve kept me and ‘Remembering James’ in the conversation.”
Getting his pompadour into the Apollo door is a lesson in patience. Weathersby emailed a press kit and other information and got the call 14 months later. Seems there’s a board to impress, then a higher level board, then a committee, then an executive committee, and finally the booking coordinator.
Still, he wasn’t discouraged.
“I grew up on the Apollo. I know what it means to the Black community and Black entertainers,” Weathersby said.
Hopefully, “Remembering James” plays the iconic venue and if Weathersby does well, “it sends you to legendary stratosphere,” he said. “You say you’ve played the Apollo and everyone says ‘Wow.’ It means something.”
James Brown recorded three live albums at the Apollo — released in 1963, 1968 and 1971 — making the pending appearance of the tribute show more spectacular, said Weathersby said.
While on “Remember James” hiatus, Weathersby returned to his musical theatre roots, recording “5
Minutes to Places,” a downloadable “Make Them Hear You,” “Ain’t Misbehavin'” and “Try to Remember.”
“That was just me reminiscing on a lot of shows,” he said. “I was missing theater so much.”
Each of the tunes “has a story — a personal story,” said Weathersby, satisfied with his three-week labor of love.
“I feel really good about it,” he said. “I wanted more songs but it would have been over-doing it. I put something out to my listeners and to the community and for myself. These songs are most in line with who I am as an artist and as a person.”
Classically-trained, “for me to dive back into Broadway standards and get into my baritone and my tenor range means a lot,” Weathersby said.
Looking at the photographs of some of his past stage roles “brought back memories,” Weathersby says.
Unfortunately, performing the highly-acclaimed “Remembering James” is becoming nostalgic. The last show Weathersby did was Nov. 21 in Meridian, Miss., at 50 percent room capacity.
His next “Remembering” confirmed date is July 24 at the East Bank Theatre in Bossier City, La.
Of course, anything can happen between now and then.
“It is the year of reinvention,” Weathersby said.
“We’re doing things to make sure we stay sharp and be ready for a full schedule in 2022.”
Fortunately, through all the postponements “all the relationships are intact,” Weathersby says.
While not opposing a possible residency in Las Vegas, “the main thing is getting it to Broadway,” said Weathersby.
After a year of the pandemic, Weathersby said “there are have some trying days, but my mental and physical health is very good. There’s been a lot of ‘personal therapy,’ making sure I’m mentally ready and prepared for what’s coming.”
While “Remembering James” awaits COVID-19 clearance, Weathersby is producing a children’s play with summer auditions and an accompanying audiobook.
“I’m really excited about that,” he said.
That’s not to say he’s stopped working on improving “Remember James.” That’s ongoing.
“The wheels are always turning,” Weathersby said.
For information about “Remembering James” and “5 Minutes to Places,” visit dedrickweathersby.com or rememberingjamesonemanshow.com.
March 13: Los Mocosos in A live-streAmed concert from the Downtown TheAtre in FAirfield, 6:30 p.m. Forinfo,ftpresents.com. March 21: Porchfest UAllejo, 3 to 7 p.m., livestreAmed, porchfestvAllejo. online.
March 14-20: The UAcAville Performing Arts TheAtre in pArtnership with The NAtionAl DAnce CompAny of IrelAnd presents “Rhythm of the DAnce,” virtuAl performAnce thAt’s recorded in front of A live Audience. A portion of eAch ticket purchAsed will directly Benefit the UPAT. Tickets Are $20.50 thAt includes A $3 service chArge per household. For more, visit vpAt.net.
March 14: LuccA’s Beer GArden presents The PAtrick VinninghAm Duo, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Requires AdvAnce reservAtion. yelp.com/reservAtions/ luccA-BAr-And-grillBeniciA?from_rserve_now1
March 27: LuccA’s
Beer GArden EAmonn
Flynn Solo, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Requires AdvAnce reservAtion. yelp.com/ reservAtions/luccA-BArAnd-grill-BeniciA?from_ rserve_now-1
March 28: LuccA’s Beer GArden presents The Two FrAntics, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Requires AdvAnce reservAtion. yelp.com/reservAtions/luccA-BAr-Andgrill-BeniciA?from_rserve_ now-1
March 20: Kyle MArtin performs “Joel the BAnd,” the music of
Elton John And Billy Joel, live-streAmed from the Empress TheAtre in UAllejo, 7:30 p.m., $20 ticket. Uisit empresstheAtre.org. March 21: POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH, 2022. A ConversAtion with Amy TAn, 2 p.m., UAcAville Performing Arts TheAtre, 1010UlAtis Ave., UAcAville, vpAt.net.
April 1: “Concert for KAren,” A Benefit for young musicAls in A triBute to KAren RichArds feAturing Alvon Johnson, Tommy CAstro, Tony LindsAy, StABe Vilson, Terry OdABi, And,Byvideo,KeBMo,Empress TheAtre. EmpresstheAtre.org.
May 21: The SelenA Experience — Los Chicos del 512, UAcAville Performing Arts TheAtre, 1010 UlAtis Ave., UAcAville, vpAt.net.
“Once everything closed down, we had a big talk. We pretty much retooled to do everything online.”
— Joseph Paganucci, band spokesman and percussionist for Blame the Whiskey
So, two plumbers and two teachers walk into a bar.
OK, they don’t walk into a bar. They do, however, walk on stage. Or, in the case of the annual showcase hosted by “Blame the Whiskey,” a porch.
Yes, it’s Porchfest Vallejo time again. And the Celtic rock/bluegrass quartet presenting its unique brand of music is thrilled to follow last year’s debut at 615 Napa Street with the same event plus — and a bow and curtsy to COVID-19 — live stream.
“Once everything closed down, we had a big talk. We pretty much retooled to do everything online,” said Joseph Paganucci, band spokesman and percussionist.
The 45-minute performances transitioned from Facebook to YouTube and quickly grew from 0 to 106 subscribers, Paganucci said.
“We kept putting out videos and keeping our faces out there so people remember who we were,” he added.
It was a technologically learning experience, said the 42-year-old musician.
“I had started my blearyeyed dive into YouTube learning how to mix, master, editor and film all of that,” he said.
Fortunately, each musician is considered “essential” in this wild world of COVID-19: Paganucci and
Bob McGowan are plumbers and guitarist Meghan Arthur and fiddle player Randy Carnahan are teachers.
With nobody unemployed, “it does take some of the stress off and makes it a fun thing for us,” Paganucci said.
However, while “it made it a little bit easier” to do the music without a financial burden, Paganucci hopes the shows “will be a little bit lucrative and cover the electric bill for running the equipment.”
Blame the Whiskey is booked weekends in March thanks to private events and the new Renaissance Days at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, where the same quartet plays under a different name.
Paganucci said music isn’t merely a hobby for him and Arthur, emphasizing that it accounts for up to half their income in any typical year.
Between his plumber’s job and the music, “I stay busy,” Paganucci said.
Not even a much-essential plumber worked when COVID-19 hit a year ago.
“I was out of work a couple of solid months,” Paganucci said.
When he and his peers were deemed “essential workers,” Paganucci picked up water heater work there, faucet work there.
“It was definitely not enough,” he said.
However, worked started revving up mid-February “and we actually started having steady work,” Paganucci said. “I could pay bills with it at that point.”
As a Ripon resident in Central California, Carnahan is the only non-Vallejoan of the band. All are expected at Porchfest.
Though the event was launched last August, “it fits better in March when the weather is better,” Paganucci said.
COVID-19 protocols of masks and social distancing are required for in-person viewing for the 3-7 p.m. festival, live-streamed on YouTube.
Though the event is free, contributions are appreciated.
“Strings don’t buy themselves,” Paganucci said. “And, unlike what they tell you at the zoo, please feed the musicians.”
Blame the Whiskey headlines Porchfest, with 5 Cent Coffee and Everything Nowadays also performing.
Though the Porchfest is pretty much in front of Paganucci and Arthur’s home, a return to COVID-19 just might inspire something bigger next year.
“A real block party eventually with a lot of permits,” chuckled Paganucci.
The Second Annual Porchfest Vallejo is Sunday, March 21, 3-7 p.m. For info, visit porchfestvallejo. online.