First Thing’s First with Reverend Stickman

We’re getting excited for this week’s concert featuring Robin Henkel and Reverend Stickman at Templar’s Hall in Poway, CA! Last week, we learned about some of Robin Henkel’s musical influences. Today, we get a look at one of Reverend Stickman’s first songwriting memories:

IMG_0424

RS: “My first songwriting memory was when I was 11 years old. I had been playing guitar only a couple months. I was sitting up in my room and I started writing the lyrics, some of which I still remember today, and it remains one of my father’s favorite songs even though I really can’t perform the whole thing anymore. It was called ‘Sometimes.’ The chorus went like this:

I know and you know
Complaining does no good
I just wanted to tell you that I love you
Sometimes”

We love Reverend Stickman all the time, and we’re glad he continued to follow his passion for playing and songwriting! Check out this 2011 performance of “Let’s Do Wrong” at Claire de Lune with Jenene Lambert on background vocals:

We hope to see you Friday, August 7th in Poway, CA for what we know will be a wonderful evening of music from two very talented local acts. Click here for more information and tickets!

Under the Influence with Robin Henkel

Greetings, music lovers! Welcome to another edition of Under the Influence, where we discover some of our favorite artists’ favorite artists. Today we’re featuring Robin Henkel, a beloved staple of the San Diego music scene. The Los Angeles Times called Robin both a “futurist and a historian,” but we’d also add that his live performances are about as in-the-moment as you can get. Robin’s sound and style meanders down various musical avenues, so we were excited to learn about some of his influences:

Robin Henkel - photo by Dave McGhee
Robin Henkel – photo by Dave McGhee

RH: “When I was eight to ten I heard a fair amount of Pete Seeger as well as other folk singers of the late 50s early 60s. About 1962 I heard Josh White. He knocked my socks off. Josh was not only a great performer of blues and spirituals, he was also a force for social justice. Years later I found out about the earthy visceral sound of the country blues–artists such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Lightnin Hopkins, Skip James and Mississippi Fred McDowell. These bluesmen have had a strong influence on the way I sound today. Why? There is something moving and special about the primitive unrefined roughness of the rural blues of the Mississippi Delta. It reflects the harshness of the environment this music came from. It is a deep and influential root in American music.”

Interested in hearing more of these influential artists? Check out this playlist!

San Diego Folk Heritage is honored to host Robin Henkel with fellow local artist Reverend Stickman on Friday, August 7th. The all ages event will take place at Templar’s Hall in Old Poway Park (14134 Midland Rd. Poway, CA  92064). Admission is $15 for members and $18 standard – tickets are available at the door or online. See you there!