Soda Crackers bringing Pioneers to Fox this weekend

Jul. 5—On the eve of their third Pioneers of the Bakersfield Sound concert, The Soda Crackers are ready to gather everyone together.

"These Pioneers shows have almost become like one big Bakersfield Sound family reunion," Zane Adamo, band leader, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, wrote in an email. "Personally, I'm looking forward to sharing the Fox Theater's stage with Sonny (Anglin), Norm (Hamlet), Jimmy (Phillips), and Eugene (Moles). It's not every day you get to put on a show with such legends at such a beautiful and historic venue.

"Also looking forward to seeing all our friends, family, and fans under one roof."

Adamo's brother Cooper will bring his fiddle from Oklahoma, where he's enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, to join fellow Crackers — pedal steel guitarist Nick Green, Jesus "Chuy" Holguin on stand-up bass and lead guitarist Ramon Espinosa and guest drummer Cesareo Garasa — for Saturday's show.

Also sharing the stage will be featured artists pedal steel guitarist Norm Hamlet, drummer Jimmy Phillips and guitarist Eugene Moles, who play the entire set.

Fellow Bakersfield Sound pioneer and guitarist Sonny Anglin who join the musicians later in the evening.

The group will also pay tribute to guitarist and singer Tommy Hays, who died May 13 at age 93.

Adamo credits Hays and his wife, Kim, with inspiring these Pioneer concerts. (Hays performed in the first two Pioneer concerts and was on the bill for this third show.)

"In many ways, Tommy was the main reason why I thought about starting this series of shows. When I first met Kim and Tommy, Kim mentioned to me how great it would be to get a show lined up with Tommy and it's just grown from there."

Adamo said the setlist will include a number of fan favorites.

"For sure Cooper's version of Hank Snow's hit 'I've Been Everywhere' gets the biggest reaction. When Coop gets goin' on that song, it's like nothing you've ever seen or heard before.

"Also the big Buck and Merle hits get reactions, but I always tend to get people telling me how much they like that we play Bob Wills tunes. Hardly anyone plays Bob Wills Western swing songs anymore and he was such a huge influence on Bakersfield Sound artists."

Opening the show will be American roots musician Deke Dickerson, for whom The Soda Crackers opened a multi-act show in Pasadena.

Adamo said the Southern California guitar legend celebrates exactly what The Soda Crackers believe in: preserving the history of country and western music and keeping it alive through performances.

"Deke is the perfect person to have onboard for Pioneers 3," Adamo wrote. "It's also been far too long since Deke has played Bakersfield!"

And if the show is truly a family reunion, Adamo is grateful to the tribe who helps bring it all together behind the scenes: dad Felix, who has lent his photography and promotion skills since the beginning; mom Teresa and girlfriend Haley Martin, who he said offered vital creative input.

Fellow musician Lauren Appleton helped connect Adamo with Matt Spindler, executive director of the Fox Theater Foundation, to bring this show to the downtown venue.

"I never thought it was remotely possible number-wise to put on this show at the Fox but with everyone's help, we've made it work," Adamo wrote.

The concert will also raise funds for the local nonprofit Citizens Preserving History. Adamo said he values having the group's co-founder, Di Sharman, and her husband, Mark, in their community,

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.