Category: Music

By Michele Murphy The gift of music, and a legacy of legendary performances, that’s what SLV local Tom Miller says the Santa Cruz community has given to him over the past four decades, during which he has lovingly curated an astonishing array of musical acts at some of the area’s most beloved music venues.   Currently booking musical talent at Michael’s… Read More

By Michele Murphy Beloved local singer-songwriter Ginny Mitchell said, “I think I was always singing, but when I was three my mother put me in the church choir.” Her brother Bill was her idol. He played drums in the school band, so she did too. Then he took up guitar, so she had to do that as well. She took… Read More

By Michele Murphy Born and raised in Ben Lomond, Jessie Daniel had a full tour planned with country and western greats like Colter Wall and Shooter Jennings, when the pandemic hit and then everything came to a grinding halt. Daniel said, “We were on the road when we were notified, everything is shutting down.” Shows were being canceled left and… Read More

By Michele Murphy The magic happens on stages and dance floors where Santa Cruz’s favorite Grateful Dead tribute band plays to reveling, twirling, cavorting fans.  What makes these cats different? For starters, they seem to have more than the usual allotted nine lives. This improvisational partnership between the same five members has been delighting “deadicated” dancers and toe-tappers alike for… Read More

By Dan Mazer with Julie Horner The 27th Annual Brookdale Bluegrass Festival was scheduled for the weekend of April 17th-19th, 2020, but it was one of the first events to be cancelled due to the pandemic. As one of the scheduled performers, it hurt my heart to miss one of my favorite events, which used to take place at the… Read More

By Julie Horner The Goat Hill Girls are five longtime friends who have been making music together for over 40 years. They started out as Side Saddle, born in the Bay Area and breaking from the all-male bluegrass tradition. Back in the day some of their guys were in an outfit called The Bear Creek Boys. The girls said, “You… Read More