No need to keep soul searching, the iconic Empress of Soul can be found at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez on Friday, Sept. 6, at 8 p.m.
Gladys Knight was only 7 years old when she started performing in 1952, forming her own musical group, The Pips, with her brother, sister, and cousins. What started as a childhood hobby became a professional touring act by 1961, although the band members had changed (except for Knight, of course).
The group signed on with Motown Records in 1966. Among their first major hit singles was “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (two years before Marvin Gaye’s rendition was released). In the late ’80s, Knight opted to pursue a solo career, a decision that culminated in the artist being chosen to perform the theme song for 1989’s License to Kill. What higher form of validation is there for a musical artist than getting to score a James Bond movie? Strike that, Prince proved differently the same year with Batman!
Admission to Knight’s upcoming show, held in the resort’s Samala Showroom, ranges from $49 to $79. The casino is an age 21-and-older venue and is located at 3400 E. Highway 246, Santa Ynez. Call (800) 248-6274 or visit chumashcasino.com to find out more.
Hopeful fundraiser
Presqu’ile Winery hosts A Concert for Hope, a benefit for Marian Regional Medical Center’s Mission Hope program, on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. Country artists Drew Baldridge and Dylan Ortega are set to perform during this fundraiser event. Although primarily known for playing country and roots, Baldridge cites influences as eclectic as Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind & Fire. Ortega first became known locally in 2014 for competing in Santa Barbara’s Teen Star competition at age 16. The Buellton-based singer-songwriter specializes in modern and classic country as well as soul.
Advance tickets to the fundraiser are $35 for club members and $40 for non-members. All tickets on the day of the show are $45. Food and wine will also be available for purchase on site. Presqu’ile Winery is located at 5391 Presqu’ile Drive, Santa Maria. Call (805) 937-8110 or visit presquilewine.com for tickets and more info.
Going south
What better way to fight the blues than with more blues? The Robert Thomas Blues Band performs at Cold Spring Tavern on Friday, Aug. 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. The tavern also hosts soft rock band Paradise Road, whose influences include The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Yardbirds, on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. The Tailgaters bring a splash of surf rock and classic country to the venue’s stage just an hour later, performing from 5 to 8 p.m.
Blues and rags duo Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan play their weekly gig at the tavern on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 1:15 to 4 p.m. Folk, rock, and surf act Hoodlum Friends follow the pair, performing from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The three-day weekend lineup concludes with classic rock cover band Tina Schlieske and the Graceland Exiles, who perform a special Labor Day show on Monday, Sept. 2, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Also in the Santa Ynez Valley, Red Fish performs at the Maverick Saloon on Friday, Aug. 30, from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. The saloon also hosts ’90s tribute band Flannel 101 on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m., and solo pop artist Bear Redell on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 1 to 2 p.m. Entry to each show is complimentary.
More music
Despite their name, The Monotones are anything but. The local act is performing at Moxie Cafe in Santa Maria on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The cafe continues its weekly live music series with pop/rock cover band The WaveBreakers on Friday, Aug. 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and solo artist Yael Gott on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Blast 825 Brewery in Orcutt presents local singer-songwriter Keith Cox on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7 p.m. Cox, best known for his collaborations with Different Strings, performs classic rock and country covers as well as originals. The brewery also hosts Lompoc-based folk artist Jacob Cole on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 6:30 p.m. The Gun Metal Gray Band follows Cole’s show, performing the same night at 10 p.m.
Acoustic duo About Time, featuring Aaron Salazar and Caitlyn Vassaur, performs at Vino et Amicis Wine Bar in Orcutt on Friday, Aug. 30, from 7 to 10 p.m. The bar also hosts solo pop artist Nataly Lola, best known locally for her work with Ghost/Monster, on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood wrote this week’s Local Notes. Contact him at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 29 – Sep 5, 2019.
