Remembering the Glory Days of the County’s Rock Scene

Following is how three of the Musicians’ Reunion performers remember the good ol’ days of local rock.

Howard Deere was a keyboard player in those days, but these days is the bass player for blues man Guitar Shorty. His band, Howard Deere & the Videls, began as the Stingrays in San Luis Obispo, but he changed the name when they moved to Oxnard in 1965.

“It was great. There was a lot of work, and a lot of clubs. We played mostly covers, anything from surf to R&B; music. T.C. a-Go-Go was the happening joint in Oxnard--it was located on Saviers Road. They had go-go girls. It was really nice. We played there exclusively four or five nights a week. Even the cops were cool then. A lot of them would come in and watch the bands.”

Fred Kushon was a solo crooner who played all the local clubs in the ‘60s. Later, at a gig in the Valley, he met Donald O’Connor, who got him an audition in Las Vegas, where Kushon performed for years.

“I was a solo artist, but sometimes I’d have a band. I’d sing the traditional songs, you know, the standards from the ‘40s. It was like the stuff you’d see in Vegas. There’s not anything around now like it used to be. There was a very good relationship between the musicians and the club owners. There was never any quibbling over pay, and the friendships that were made then have lasted all these years.”

Ray Morales was one of the sax players for Buddy Gibson & the Customs, all of whom will attend the reunion. The band started playing in the mid-’50s when they were students at Ventura High School. The band will not only perform at the reunion, but also have future gigs lined up.

“Back then, most bands had a lot of guitars because surf music was starting, but we had a strong brass section. We stayed busy because of our versatile style of music including rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, oldies, Latin music, and Tex-Mex. To be able to do this with the original Customs is like a dream come true.”