Published in the May 13-26, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Mark Fenichel
Mark Fenichel
Tie-dye, bell bottoms, peace signs, love beads, and a psychedelic lightshow will be in place 7 p.m. May 30 at The Granada Theater when Chubby’s Allstars celebrate their 30th Anniversary and Chubby’s 60th birthday. Chubby’s Allstars is a seven-piece band of well-seasoned musicians who love to play the groovin’ music that takes you back to “the day.”
The whole thing began as a garage type jam party at keyboardist Chubby Roger’s (Roger Henson’s) house in New Almaden. The house was located right near the old Quicksilver mines and right next to a very old cemetery which was the resting place for many children who lived near the mines and died of mercury poisoning.
The practice room in the house was decorated with neon bar signs and included a portable bar in the corner. The guys were just a bunch of music-loving, closet-musicians who enjoyed getting together, partying and playing tunes they all seemingly knew.
The room was fondly referred to as Chubby’s and the group started calling themselves Chubby’s Allstars. The parties sometimes were wild and it was always a good free flowing place to hang out.
The more they played and partied the better they sounded. Someone asked them to play a benefit, then another, then a private party, then they got hired to play a media event for San Jose Women in Advertising. Don Potter, the lead singer, was a well-established morning drive radio disc jockey, Roger was a media rep at the beginning then started his own successful ad agency, the original guitar player Cliff was also in advertising and the harmonica player (a younger version of myself) was a sales rep in radio and TV. The gigs started coming and they were playing more than they wanted since all the members had day jobs and some had families. Soon they were playing street fairs, and festivals throughout the Bay Area. They even placed as finalists in KFOX radio’s Last Band Standing contest.
Thirty years later three of the original members are still holding down the fort and although many musicians have filtered through the ranks of Chubby’s, most of the current members have been in the band for numerous years. Chubby’s is no stranger to Morgan Hill, having played the Friday Night Music Series numerous times, Taste of Morgan Hill many years and The Mushroom Mardi Gras a few times as well.
You can see them before their big Granada Theater show on the main Downtown Amphitheater stage from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Mushroom Mardi Gras Sunday May 24. Tickets for the ‘60s Party and Birthday Bash at the Granada Theater are $10 and can be purchased at the door the night of the show. Remember, feel free to wear your favorite ‘60s outfit and tie-dye (optional) but all are invited.
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On another note … Relay For Life is planning a huge live music event from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 16 at Morgan Hill Community Park, 171 W. Edmundson Ave., with Sobrato High Jazz Band, Rapid Rewind (classic rock), Kelly McDonald Band (country), Fast Lane (blues & rock), VitalSign (southern rock) and the Hackjammers (‘80s & ‘90s & funk)…
Music On the Patio at Mama Mia’s is now in full swing every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. … and remember Memorial Day Weekend May 23 and 24 the Mushroom Mardi Gras returns with many stages of live music featuring the main stage at the Downtown Amphitheater with non-stop music both days. It’s free fun for the whole family.
If you have a music tip send it to me at [email protected].
