It’s been quite some time since Jerry Stickel left the Army, but even in the 1970s while he was still in the service, he was picking and strumming his guitar.
Stickel settled in Lompoc in 1989 to raise his kids, he told the Sun, and hasn’t stopped playing since. He’s now known throughout Lompoc, Buellton, and the Santa Ynez Valley for his peppery voice, precise guitar work, and vast song list.
“This is a great area to play,” Stickel said. “I’ve been around a while, and it’s something I love to do and look forward to doing it as long as I can.”
Stickel is truly a child of the 1970s. Some of his major influences include Jim Croce, James Taylor, and Cat Stevens, all artists who sought an acoustic beauty following the explosive 1960s.
It should come as no surprise that Stickel performs with an acoustic guitar, but that doesn’t mean he shies away from the electrified music of the 1960s. He just sets it in an acoustic tone, he explained. That’s the kind of music plenty of his regular audiences like to hear, Stickel said.
“It’s the ‘Proud Mary’ generation, as I like to call it,” he said. “And I like to play the classic tunes from bands like The Zombies and The Doors, or the most recognizable stuff from CCR for them.”
The D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro is Stickel’s regular haunt. He performs there every Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m. He’s performed there since the popular Lompoc nightlife spot opened, Stickel explained, and it’s become a beloved local hangout for those in search of live music and good food in a chill atmosphere.
“It’s mellow. It’s not one of those clubs where you walk in and your ears are bleeding; it’s good for people who are enjoying a glass of wine and trying to relax,” he said. “That’s really where I’m going with my music, I like to make people feel relaxed and feel good, and sometimes I get them to jump and dance.”
Stickel mentioned a number of other local venues that he enjoys, from the Alisal Guest Ranch to the Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez.
But the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro is special for Stickel, who performed there recently to a standing-room-only audience, he said. He likes to chat with the audience, getting to know them and their tastes, crafting a unique concert in real time.
“If they want softer, more relaxing music, we will have that,” he said. “I take requests sometimes and I try to make people feel comfortable, and the music I play, I try to do a variety of things with it.”
The regular performances and appearances at events like the Lompoc Flower Festival, where he will again perform next year, bring him a steady stream of new fans, he said. But Stickel also performs for private parties and other functions.
“I think it’s worked out pretty good so far,” he said. “I’ve been getting calls for private parties, and it’s a good time of year, especially for songs like ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and those holiday tunes.”
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 17-24, 2015.
