Kimrea’s Sunday Pro-Showcase on February 24th will feature JOHNNY Z AND THE CAMAROS, the former resident band at the original, world famous Gold Dust Lounge in San Francisco. Led by guitar master and multi-instrumentalist John (Johnny Z) Nichols, the band includes Richie Camaro (Rich Young) on drums and Regi Camaro (Regi Rockinelli) on keyboards. Join us for some fabulous old school fun!
Kimrea’s Sunday Pro-Showcase events are offered FREE to the community by Throckmorton Theatre. Donations are welcomed at the door and greatly appreciated.
LISTEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=mUAyoomoPDk
Musician Bios
JOHN R. NICHOLS was born in Virginia in 1949 to a musical family. His father was trombonist and vocalist Ralph “Rusty” Nichols with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and many other Swing Era bands. His mother, Willene, was a pianist who had a career with radio stations throughout the South. His sister Karen plays and teaches piano in Virginia. John played drums at age 5, played guitar and bass at age 9; at 13 John began work at hotels and resorts in and around Roanoke, Virginia, with his father and brother, Jim. After high school, John went to college in western Nebraska and played with bassist Randy Meisner, later a founding member of The Eagles. After college he worked in and around Denver and Boulder, Colorado leading his own band. John returned to Virginia in 1971 to start a club band, Mainstream, with his brother, drummer Bob Blankenship and sax man Ross Humphries. This band was a source of steady work in Roanoke and Richmond for 18 months, In 1972 John and Jim left for California, eventually settling in San Francisco. There John met and played with notable Bay Area jazz musicians including pianists Smith Dobson, Si Perkoff and George Muribus, drummer Vince Lateano, saxophonists Vince Wallace and John Handy. In 1977 John traveled to Chicago, and, with his wife, Jan Forrest, formed a successful dance band, Earth Street, eventually touring the US from New Mexico to Georgia. In 1979 John returned to California and saw the birth of his baby daughter, Renee. He rejoined Smith Dobson and played in the house band at Garden City in San Jose. While there he played behind guitarists Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, and Mundell Lowe, saxophonists Boots Randolph, Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Eddie Harris and Lew Tabackin, trombonist Bill Watrous, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, and many others. John continued to play with Smith until his untimely death in 2000. In 1998 John was invited to a member of the house band at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in Nashville, singing and playing his original music and backing up many well-known guitarists and other performers. Currently John leads his own highly successful trio, singing and playing guitar as Johnny Z and the Camaros. On nights off he is in demand as a freelance guitarist/bassist/vocalist.
RICH YOUNG started out as part of the Great American Accordion Scare of the 1950’s (ending up center stage at the San Jose Civic Auditorium, in a duet with Lawrence Welk’s accordion player Myron Florin). That led him to playing at the Italian Celler in San Jose as a kid. Rich learned the drums from Turk Murphy’s drummer, Thad Vanden, and soon found himself in the drum seat at the Red Garter. The Red Gartner and the Red Garter band were fixtures on the San Francisco music and entertainment scene for two decades, and they played for everyone including US Presidents, Governors, Senators, diplomats and foreign ambassadors. They were also the San Francisco Giants “official band” for many years at Candlestick Park, and the “Official” San Francisco 49’ers band for six years. In total, Rich was a member of the “official” San Francisco Band for 22 years, which included playing at Super Bowl XIX at Stanford and both Joe Montana and Steve Young’s public retirement ceremonies.
REGI ROCKINELLI came to California decades ago from Colorado…and he is a successful pianist (solo) for many venues around the South Bay. He also fronts duos of dueling pianos called the “Woogie Men,” whose repertoire includes many Boogie Woogie songs from the early 20th century. Regi has been the bandleader for the well-known classic rock-and-roll band, “Daddy-O.”. He had a successful stint as the piano player/vocalist at Lefty O’Doul’s on Geary Street in San Francisco. His repertoire is vast, and varied…a great addition to Johnny Z and the Camaros.
Sunday Pro Showcase Info
Throckmorton Theatre’s Sunday Pro Showcase series is spearheaded by the talented and beloved Kimrea, a prolifically active songwriter and performing musician. Kimrea and her band play regularly around the Bay Area, including every Monday at the historic No Name Bar in Sausalito, CA. Our Pro Showcase series invites some of the Bay Area’s unsung working musicians to showcase their talent. These musicians form the backbone of the local music scene. Performers are established Bay Area session players, sidemen and undiscovered talent.
Kimrea’s Sunday Pro Showcase are free to the public. These complimentary events are made possible by the generous donations of our patrons.
