Not long ago, Buck Owens died and mainstream country music was in mourning. His passing was along the lines of Johnny Cash's death. I remember attending a country music gala at the Crystal Palace Dinner Theatre in Bakersfield when Buck unveiled a statue of Johnny Cash. He walked up to it and touched it as if fondly remembering a friend.

In the underground country scene, Bakersfield has few remnants, and few living legends. One started out in punk rock years ago, eventually drifting into country music. His name is Slim the Drifter. His music haunted Bakersfield and LA bars for years.

Recently I reviewed his last album. I was going to do an interview, but he passed a few days ago.

I often wonder about Fresno and what kinds of music legends have been tearing up the bars in the past and present...

I discovered a violinist from Fresno named Patrick Contreras. His violin playing looks like it's about to tear into a huge tour of Latin, rock, and fusion...