Colors of Mexico This is a country of heart And it has been since the start
With bright colors everywhere you look Like crayons in a coloring book
Jaime Bejarano Martínez, a much loved institution at the Playa Bonita RV Park for 26 years lost his battle with lung cancer, succumbing to the disease on Good Friday, April 6, 2012 at the age of 60. Jaime is survived by his wife, barely ambulatory herself, and his namesake, Jaime, Jr., who must now fill Jaime’s shoes to support the family.
Shortly after the Mariachi band began playing, young Eliana Ramirez, just 7 years old, strolled over in front of the Mariachi group, raised a wireless mic to her lips, and with the confidence of a consummate professional, welcomed the small crowd of 50 or so early arrivals and announced the first song she was going to sing for us, ending it with “…and I hope you will like it!”
Beginning, as all the headlining musicians on the stage tonight have, with an early exposure to a musical instrument, since toddlerhood in Steve McCarty’s case, followed up with proper and timely formal training to enhance his natural aptitude, and his own early passion to become a part of the overall creative process through which the music industry was passing, Steve was able to reach the highest level attainable in the industry—and at a comparatively young age.
For someone who had just walked 12 hours a day for 12 days and covered 189 miles, Steve looked amazingly well. There are two main reasons for that. One, he stays in decent shape year around, although he did say that he’s a little slower than when he first made the trek in 10 days at 29 years of age. And probably the main reason is because he is an ex Airborne Ranger. If you’ve ever served in the military, any branch, that’s enough said!
Before he was 20 years old, Curly had played with local bands throughout Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma until he was discovered by an Asylum Records-signed rock band newly forming by the name of Jo Jo Gunne. Two of the members had just come over from the recently dissolved rock band Spirit. From their eponymous debut album, a #10 hit in England, “Run, Run, Run” was spawned. That record peaked #27 in the U.S. Jo Jo Gunne toured the U.S. and Europe several times and released three more albums before breaking up in 1974.
Tequila Peñasco, one of the major sponsors of our Sonoran Resorts “Why I Love Rocky Point” Photo Contest, and the major sponsor of this year’s Sta. Patricia’s Day Peñasco Palooza 2012 concert this coming weekend. Their generous donation of tickets to this historic concert will be enjoyed by the contest winners from 1st through 3rd Place and the winner of the Special Voters Drawing. The Palooza will feature legendary multi-platinum recording artists formerly with such famous bands as The Steve Miller Band (Steve McCarty); Boston (Curly Smith); Aerosmith (Jimmy Crespo); Three Dog Night (Gary Moon); Eddie Money and Sammy Hagar (David Lewark); Billy Preston (Terry Anderson); Moody Blues (Paul McDermand); and Anita Baker (Leon Bisquera).
It wasn’t until he was 14 that Jimmy Crespo began to develop his heretofore hidden musical talents. He had loved the Beatles and all kinds of rock and roll music. Once after hearing a moving riff by the Rolling Stones, he said to himself, “I can do that.” And the rest is rock and roll history.
What one gets early on in an interview with Jimmy Crespo is that when he makes up his mind to do something, it gets done—no matter what. When he decided he wanted to play rock and roll music, he had no money and knew nothing about playing the guitar other than he loved the music it produced. He was soon to learn about his natural aptitude for playing the guitar.
Paul McDermand began his fascination with exotic percussion instruments when his Father presented him with a Vibraphone at the age of 14. This sparked his interest in pursuing the more exotic side of melodic percussion, like the Marimba, Steel Drums, and Xylophone—just about anything that keeps a beat.
We’re not only lucky to have rock and roll legends willing and wanting to come play for us they also spread the good word about how safe it is in Rocky Point for the Peñasco Palooza 2012 Sta. Patricia’s Day Concert on Saturday March 17.