Alan's 60th Birthday Party

panorama made out of a bunch of photos taken by Bonnie Allen

Last Sunday, September the 9th, I was privileged to participate in a party for most of the Friends of California Zephyr. Above you can see, left to right, me, Warren Haack, Steve Ewert, Paul Farakis, Alan Arnopole, Russ Gauthier, Brian Swander, and Alan's son, Seth Arnopole. Behind Seth is his friend Kate. Brian and Paul and Warren are from Modesto, as are Alan and Steve Ewert. I'm from Napa, a hundred miles away. How did I get mixed up with this group of disreputable musicans?

Long ago, Alan's band (California Zephyr) had stopped touring and he'd been doing duo gigs with astounding mandolinist Evan Marshall, but Evan moved to Los Angeles. One day in (I think) 1991 Alan walked into the Real Estate Reader office where I was working, and said he was told some guy there played the accordion. Yes, I said, that's me. Alan recruited me to form a duo, him on guitar or banjo and me on accordion or guitar. We played lots of gigs in the area, and occasionally he'd squeeze me into one of his now-rare Zephyr gigs. I was the "new guy."

Alan got a job as a wine salesman and event coordinator at the up-and-coming Peju Winery in the Napa Valley, and did well enough to put both his kids through college (and remodel his house.) Just Saturday night Zephyr played the Peju 25th anniversary party.


dinner out back for the lineup for the Peju gig: Kevin Dillon drums, Russ everything, Michael Schnoebelen bass, Steve Ewert guitar and vocals, Seth Arnopole guitar and vocals and washboard. I took the photo. Alan was still selling wine up until gig time.

After 17 years playing with Zephyr, I still feel like the new guy. Russ joined up about 6 years ago, and Seth started singing and playing with us just last year, so technically they are both "newer" at this than I am. But in checking the above links today I see I'm not even listed on the official California Zephyr webpage , and Russ is, (as is Sean Barry, who quit a couple of years ago) so maybe Seth and I are both the "new guys."