Cadillac Angels

The Cadillac Angels' Tony Balbinot is a road dog who won't slow down
Cadillac Angels will drive music fans wild Aug. 27

By Bill Locey
Posted August 26, 2011 at 12:05 a.m.
PrintAAAShare this on FacebookTweet this Email this to a friend
Contributed photo<br />
Tony Balbinot (center) is the leader of the Cadillac Angels. The group's latest album is the bluesy "Kicks Like a Mule."
Contributed photo
Tony Balbinot (center) is the leader of the Cadillac Angels. The group's latest album is the bluesy "Kicks Like a Mule."

Music news and views, Aug. 26
Locey wants you to see Brian Wilson ...
"To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is the hardest battle you are ever going to fight."

— e.e. cummings

The Cadillac Angels, the hardest-working cheap date in show biz, named for a car we can neither afford nor afford to put gas in, will play some Americana on Saturday afternoon during a free show at Peninsula Park in Oxnard. As always, the band will be fronted by the sober and funny Tony Balbinot.

The Santa Barbarian road dog has been at this a long time. Before the Angels, he was in the Roadhouse Rockers. Like "Raging Bull" Jake LaMotta or the IRS, Balbinot just won't give up. In fact, he isn't even slowing down: He has two new records, making 17 total. Some bands don't have 17 songs.

The Angels have carved out their own little niche, doing the DIY thing long before it was fashionable, and these days, necessary.

Balbinot has met and played with several of his idols, including Link Wray and Wanda Jackson, and once again has proven what musicians are already hip to: You never know who may be in the audience. Balbinot has a Robert Plant story this time around among the usual true confessions and funny stories.

So how long for the Cadillac Angels and the Roadhouse Rockers and whatever came before that?

I only did two albums as the Roadhouse Rockers and a couple of cassettes, but I've done 17 total.

Wow. What's the newest one?

The newest ones are "Lonesome Traveler" and "Kicks Like a Mule."

How often do you guys play around these parts?

Remember a few years back when I asked if there was anywhere to play in Ventura and you said, "No"?

Well, there's a few places now — Yolie's, the Hub, Zoey's, Jester, Red Cove, Big Buddha Lounge, the Sans Souci and maybe a few more that I forgot. Times change.

Yeah, things have changed, and now, Ventura has a pretty nice music scene, especially compared to Santa Barbara, which has none. We actually played Rookees in Ventura a few months ago and did really well.

I missed that one. Those people don't communicate with me at all. I wish they would. Who's in the band these days?

Believe it or not, Micky Rae still plays with me when I play out of state. She lives in Arizona. Then I have Lumper Lebowski on drums — he and I go back a ways.

CADILLAC ANGELS
The Santa Barbara band will play 4-6 p.m. Saturday to conclude the Concerts by the Sea series at Peninsula Park in Channel Islands Harbor, 3701 Peninsula Road, Oxnard. Admission is free. For more information, visit channelislandsharbor.org. The band's website is cadillacangels.com.

How many ex-Angels are there?

Well, not as many as ex-Wal-Mart employees. I really don't like to call them exes because as one of my drummers once said, "Once you join the Angels, you can never leave — it's sort of like 'Hotel California' because you're always going to end up coming back."

And you play as much as ever?

Yeah, I'm still out there 270 to 300 gigs a year. I also do things on the side when I have to. When this whole economy thing hit the bottom of the ocean, it made it kind of tough. As musicians, people still want us to work — they just don't want to pay us.

At '70s rates.

When we first started touring Texas, we found gasoline in Fort Worth for 87 cents a gallon and we were making about $400 a night. And now when you go to Texas, it's $250 and gas is three-something.

Would (Texas Gov.) Rick Perry wear a Cadillac Angels shirt?

I dunno, would he? Robert Plant would. Robert came to one of our shows. We were playing Pappy & Harriet's, and he saw the ad in the paper and came up with his manager. I didn't know he was there because the stage is real bright and the audience is real dark.

You never know who's going to be in the crowd.

After the show, my drummer comes running up to me and said, "Dude, dude, dude — Robert Plant's here and he wants to talk to you. He told me to tell you, 'Don't go until you talk to me.' " So I look over, and there he is cornered by all these chicks. He waves at me to stay, and we ended up talking for two hours.

Wow. Did you break out your Led Zeppelin set?

No. In fact, I t - VCStar.com

The Cadillac Angels' Tony Balbinot is a road dog who won't slow down
Cadillac Angels will drive music fans wild Aug. 27

By Bill Locey
Posted August 26, 2011 at 12:05 a.m.
PrintAAAShare this on FacebookTweet this Email this to a friend
Contributed photo<br />
Tony Balbinot (center) is the leader of the Cadillac Angels. The group's latest album is the bluesy "Kicks Like a Mule."
Contributed photo
Tony Balbinot (center) is the leader of the Cadillac Angels. The group's latest album is the bluesy "Kicks Like a Mule."

Music news and views, Aug. 26
Locey wants you to see Brian Wilson ...
"To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is the hardest battle you are ever going to fight."

— e.e. cummings

The Cadillac Angels, the hardest-working cheap date in show biz, named for a car we can neither afford nor afford to put gas in, will play some Americana on Saturday afternoon during a free show at Peninsula Park in Oxnard. As always, the band will be fronted by the sober and funny Tony Balbinot.

The Santa Barbarian road dog has been at this a long time. Before the Angels, he was in the Roadhouse Rockers. Like "Raging Bull" Jake LaMotta or the IRS, Balbinot just won't give up. In fact, he isn't even slowing down: He has two new records, making 17 total. Some bands don't have 17 songs.

The Angels have carved out their own little niche, doing the DIY thing long before it was fashionable, and these days, necessary.

Balbinot has met and played with several of his idols, including Link Wray and Wanda Jackson, and once again has proven what musicians are already hip to: You never know who may be in the audience. Balbinot has a Robert Plant story this time around among the usual true confessions and funny stories.

So how long for the Cadillac Angels and the Roadhouse Rockers and whatever came before that?

I only did two albums as the Roadhouse Rockers and a couple of cassettes, but I've done 17 total.

Wow. What's the newest one?

The newest ones are "Lonesome Traveler" and "Kicks Like a Mule."

How often do you guys play around these parts?

Remember a few years back when I asked if there was anywhere to play in Ventura and you said, "No"?

Well, there's a few places now — Yolie's, the Hub, Zoey's, Jester, Red Cove, Big Buddha Lounge, the Sans Souci and maybe a few more that I forgot. Times change.

Yeah, things have changed, and now, Ventura has a pretty nice music scene, especially compared to Santa Barbara, which has none. We actually played Rookees in Ventura a few months ago and did really well.

I missed that one. Those people don't communicate with me at all. I wish they would. Who's in the band these days?

Believe it or not, Micky Rae still plays with me when I play out of state. She lives in Arizona. Then I have Lumper Lebowski on drums — he and I go back a ways.

CADILLAC ANGELS
The Santa Barbara band will play 4-6 p.m. Saturday to conclude the Concerts by the Sea series at Peninsula Park in Channel Islands Harbor, 3701 Peninsula Road, Oxnard. Admission is free. For more information, visit channelislandsharbor.org. The band's website is cadillacangels.com.

How many ex-Angels are there?

Well, not as many as ex-Wal-Mart employees. I really don't like to call them exes because as one of my drummers once said, "Once you join the Angels, you can never leave — it's sort of like 'Hotel California' because you're always going to end up coming back."

And you play as much as ever?

Yeah, I'm still out there 270 to 300 gigs a year. I also do things on the side when I have to. When this whole economy thing hit the bottom of the ocean, it made it kind of tough. As musicians, people still want us to work — they just don't want to pay us.

At '70s rates.

When we first started touring Texas, we found gasoline in Fort Worth for 87 cents a gallon and we were making about $400 a night. And now when you go to Texas, it's $250 and gas is three-something.

Would (Texas Gov.) Rick Perry wear a Cadillac Angels shirt?

I dunno, would he? Robert Plant would. Robert came to one of our shows. We were playing Pappy & Harriet's, and he saw the ad in the paper and came up with his manager. I didn't know he was there because the stage is real bright and the audience is real dark.

You never know who's going to be in the crowd.

After the show, my drummer comes running up to me and said, "Dude, dude, dude — Robert Plant's here and he wants to talk to you. He told me to tell you, 'Don't go until you talk to me.' " So I look over, and there he is cornered by all these chicks. He waves at me to stay, and we ended up talking for two hours.

Wow. Did you break out your Led Zeppelin set?

No. In fact, I t - VCStar.com

Tony Balbinot rocks the Cadillac Angels
Tony Balbinot and the Cadillac Angels will perform Friday at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona.
Tony Balbinot and the Cadillac Angels will perform Friday at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona.

Micky Rae is an integral part of the Cadillac Angels.
Micky Rae is an integral part of the Cadillac Angels.

This guy can rock! You haven't seen great until you've seen Tony Balbinot who is the founder of the Cadillac Angels. Tony is one of a kind, and his reputation of being one of the hardest working musicians in the business is exactly right on. Don't miss a chance to see him perform with his band "The Cadillac Angels."

If you like to dance you don't want to miss their performance in the Sound Bites Show Lounge on Friday, Oct. 18, 8-11 p.m. This group has a great story. Can you imagine growing up in the heartland of America with no TV, no computer, no Internet, no cell phone, and about one hundred miles from a theater or concert venue of any size?

Band leader Tony Balbinot who is the founder of the Cadillac Angels got his musical inspiration from WLS Radio out of Chicago through a two-inch transistor radio speaker, or from scratchy 45 rpm jukebox records discarded by the only tavern in his tiny town? Not exactly what you would call fertile ground for a musical career, but apparently rich enough for him.

Tony Balbinot is the epicenter of The Cadillac Angels. Tony brings it every single performance with his incredible lead guitar and lead vocals. The other irreplaceable parts that make up the band are Micky Rae on stand-up bass and bass guitar and Bob Blasi on drums. Both Micky and Bob bring incredible vocal harmony in their own styles to compliment Tony. Then Micky will simply blow you away as she brings the bass tempo and starts slappin' that enormous stand-up bass! PBS's show "Welcome to the Club" has said, "I am inspired by Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn and no one could ever quite overshadow them, and then I watched Micky-Rae take the stage and rock the room!"

Bob was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of fame for a reason, and when you hear him perform you'll know why! The Cadillac Angels have continued to evolve and reinvent themselves and their music. They were voted No. 1 by Bay area alternative DJ Big Myke Destiny, who described the band's music as Pure Americana Roots Rock with a gritty edge. That sounds about right and proves once again, that you don't have to be from Austin or Seattle or Los Angeles to conjure up something worth listening to.

With over 17 full-length, self-released CDs, in as many years, the Cadillac Angels have certainly bucked the odds for survival in a tough artistic arena. This is no lightweight contender playing a forty-minute set to a select group in a coffee house. No, the Cadillac Angels are roadhouse rockers, with the extremely rare talent and ability to entertain even the most hardened bar room types with four hours of original material. The Angels are an anomaly in the world of unsigned, self-supported, international touring artists. - kudosAZ.com

Tony Balbinot rocks the Cadillac Angels
Tony Balbinot and the Cadillac Angels will perform Friday at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona.
Tony Balbinot and the Cadillac Angels will perform Friday at Sound Bites Grill in Sedona.

Micky Rae is an integral part of the Cadillac Angels.
Micky Rae is an integral part of the Cadillac Angels.

This guy can rock! You haven't seen great until you've seen Tony Balbinot who is the founder of the Cadillac Angels. Tony is one of a kind, and his reputation of being one of the hardest working musicians in the business is exactly right on. Don't miss a chance to see him perform with his band "The Cadillac Angels."

If you like to dance you don't want to miss their performance in the Sound Bites Show Lounge on Friday, Oct. 18, 8-11 p.m. This group has a great story. Can you imagine growing up in the heartland of America with no TV, no computer, no Internet, no cell phone, and about one hundred miles from a theater or concert venue of any size?

Band leader Tony Balbinot who is the founder of the Cadillac Angels got his musical inspiration from WLS Radio out of Chicago through a two-inch transistor radio speaker, or from scratchy 45 rpm jukebox records discarded by the only tavern in his tiny town? Not exactly what you would call fertile ground for a musical career, but apparently rich enough for him.

Tony Balbinot is the epicenter of The Cadillac Angels. Tony brings it every single performance with his incredible lead guitar and lead vocals. The other irreplaceable parts that make up the band are Micky Rae on stand-up bass and bass guitar and Bob Blasi on drums. Both Micky and Bob bring incredible vocal harmony in their own styles to compliment Tony. Then Micky will simply blow you away as she brings the bass tempo and starts slappin' that enormous stand-up bass! PBS's show "Welcome to the Club" has said, "I am inspired by Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn and no one could ever quite overshadow them, and then I watched Micky-Rae take the stage and rock the room!"

Bob was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of fame for a reason, and when you hear him perform you'll know why! The Cadillac Angels have continued to evolve and reinvent themselves and their music. They were voted No. 1 by Bay area alternative DJ Big Myke Destiny, who described the band's music as Pure Americana Roots Rock with a gritty edge. That sounds about right and proves once again, that you don't have to be from Austin or Seattle or Los Angeles to conjure up something worth listening to.

With over 17 full-length, self-released CDs, in as many years, the Cadillac Angels have certainly bucked the odds for survival in a tough artistic arena. This is no lightweight contender playing a forty-minute set to a select group in a coffee house. No, the Cadillac Angels are roadhouse rockers, with the extremely rare talent and ability to entertain even the most hardened bar room types with four hours of original material. The Angels are an anomaly in the world of unsigned, self-supported, international touring artists. - kudosAZ.com

Guitarist Tony Balbinot of Cadillac Angels talks about his experiences with the pioneers of rock & roll

Posted by Michalis Limnios BLUES @ GREECE on October 27, 2013 at 11:22pm
View Blog
"Rockabilly, blues, country, these are the foundation of American music and everybody knows you can’t have a house without a good foundation."

Tony Balbinot: Angelically Visions

Tony Balbinot is the epicenter of The Cadillac Angels. Tony Balbinot’s no stranger to the realities of the music business. Having cut his teeth playing guitar for Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Dawson, Jerry lee Lewis, Link Wray and countless other “Pioneers of rock & roll”, he is currently endorsed by Gretsch guitars and was thier official “Poster Boy” in 2007. Tony brings it every single performance with his incredible lead guitar and lead vocals. Cadillac Angels front man Tony Balbinot started the band more than 20 years ago. While Balbinot is based out of Santa Barbara, Cadillac Angels has roots in Arizona. Since then they've released over 19 albums in CD, vinyl, cassette and more.



The band has been involved in movies and appeared in two films. They've thrilled audiences in more than 35 states and in seven countries. The other irreplaceable parts that make up the band are Micky Rae on stand-up bass and bass and Bob Blasi on drums. Tony started playing guitar professionally about 27 years ago. He had the good fortune to play with Carl Perkins, Dick Dale, Ronnie Dawson, Jimmy Vaughn, Billy Gibbons and Link Wray. Tony is one of a kind, and his reputation of being one of the hardest working musicians in the business is exactly right on.

The Angels latest album "Deluxe Accommodations" was recorded in Jerome at Ghost Town Studios and in cover features an old neon sign of a Cadillac Motel, which Balbinot said was altered to read the name of the band. The album itself was recorded in Jerome at Ghost Town Studios.

Interview by Michael Limnios

What experiences in life make a good Blues n’ Roll musician?

Having the good fortune to know and experience true love, to have it, to lose and to be willing to search it out again. To know that kind of passion will make anyone a better artist.

How do you describe Balbinot’s philosophy?

The backbone of my philosophy is to never give in or give up, have a dream, a vision and honor and protect it. Don’t give into fads or commercial pressure. It takes years to know who you are and what you want as an artist. Once you find that you are half way home.

"People keep music connected. Artists and music lovers are the conduit between different music styles. People create it, and people love it or they don’t, but it keeps it alive and healthy."

What characterizes the Cadillac Angels progress and sound? How did you choose the name of Cadillac Angels?

I don’t let other people’s ideas and values creep into mine too much. I don’t do drugs. I don’t get drunk, and I don’t do lazy. I have a very strong work ethic and most people can’t keep up with me for very long. We never got a record deal and I think that’s why we’ve lasted so long and why our sound has developed on its own without a corporate entity dictating our sound, our songs, and our image, they were allowed to evolve on their own. All of the record companies that I pursued years back are out of business and we’re still selling records. The band name was born from an encounter with a little old lady with a great big Cadillac. I was on my bike and she ran me off the road. I landed on my back in someone’s yard looking up just in time to see several little Angel bobble heads in the back window of that ’62 Coupe Deville.

Which is the most interesting period in your life? Which was the best and worst moment of your career?

The most interesting period in my life is always the present, what I’m doing today, and what I want out of tomorrow. The best moments were sitting alone with Link Wray and talking about guitars and life. The worst moment was being forced to wait for over an hour for our money at the end of a gig while these drunken and high club owners insulted me, calling me names, trying to intimidate me so I would leave without collecting the money. I stuck it out and got the money for my band mates. That club burned down two days later. Isn’t that interesting?

Why did you think that the Rockabilly and Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

Rockabilly, blues, country, these are the foundation of American music and everybody knows you can’t have a house without a good foundation.

"Having the good fortune to know and experience true love, to have it, to lose and to be willing to search it out again. To know that kind of passion will make anyone a better artist."

Do you remember anything funny from the recording and show time with Cadillac Angels?

I remember doing this great improv guitar solo on one of our songs during a recording session. - Blues GR - Athens, Greece

Guitarist Tony Balbinot of Cadillac Angels talks about his experiences with the pioneers of rock & roll

Posted by Michalis Limnios BLUES @ GREECE on October 27, 2013 at 11:22pm
View Blog
"Rockabilly, blues, country, these are the foundation of American music and everybody knows you can’t have a house without a good foundation."

Tony Balbinot: Angelically Visions

Tony Balbinot is the epicenter of The Cadillac Angels. Tony Balbinot’s no stranger to the realities of the music business. Having cut his teeth playing guitar for Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Dawson, Jerry lee Lewis, Link Wray and countless other “Pioneers of rock & roll”, he is currently endorsed by Gretsch guitars and was thier official “Poster Boy” in 2007. Tony brings it every single performance with his incredible lead guitar and lead vocals. Cadillac Angels front man Tony Balbinot started the band more than 20 years ago. While Balbinot is based out of Santa Barbara, Cadillac Angels has roots in Arizona. Since then they've released over 19 albums in CD, vinyl, cassette and more.



The band has been involved in movies and appeared in two films. They've thrilled audiences in more than 35 states and in seven countries. The other irreplaceable parts that make up the band are Micky Rae on stand-up bass and bass and Bob Blasi on drums. Tony started playing guitar professionally about 27 years ago. He had the good fortune to play with Carl Perkins, Dick Dale, Ronnie Dawson, Jimmy Vaughn, Billy Gibbons and Link Wray. Tony is one of a kind, and his reputation of being one of the hardest working musicians in the business is exactly right on.

The Angels latest album "Deluxe Accommodations" was recorded in Jerome at Ghost Town Studios and in cover features an old neon sign of a Cadillac Motel, which Balbinot said was altered to read the name of the band. The album itself was recorded in Jerome at Ghost Town Studios.

Interview by Michael Limnios

What experiences in life make a good Blues n’ Roll musician?

Having the good fortune to know and experience true love, to have it, to lose and to be willing to search it out again. To know that kind of passion will make anyone a better artist.

How do you describe Balbinot’s philosophy?

The backbone of my philosophy is to never give in or give up, have a dream, a vision and honor and protect it. Don’t give into fads or commercial pressure. It takes years to know who you are and what you want as an artist. Once you find that you are half way home.

"People keep music connected. Artists and music lovers are the conduit between different music styles. People create it, and people love it or they don’t, but it keeps it alive and healthy."

What characterizes the Cadillac Angels progress and sound? How did you choose the name of Cadillac Angels?

I don’t let other people’s ideas and values creep into mine too much. I don’t do drugs. I don’t get drunk, and I don’t do lazy. I have a very strong work ethic and most people can’t keep up with me for very long. We never got a record deal and I think that’s why we’ve lasted so long and why our sound has developed on its own without a corporate entity dictating our sound, our songs, and our image, they were allowed to evolve on their own. All of the record companies that I pursued years back are out of business and we’re still selling records. The band name was born from an encounter with a little old lady with a great big Cadillac. I was on my bike and she ran me off the road. I landed on my back in someone’s yard looking up just in time to see several little Angel bobble heads in the back window of that ’62 Coupe Deville.

Which is the most interesting period in your life? Which was the best and worst moment of your career?

The most interesting period in my life is always the present, what I’m doing today, and what I want out of tomorrow. The best moments were sitting alone with Link Wray and talking about guitars and life. The worst moment was being forced to wait for over an hour for our money at the end of a gig while these drunken and high club owners insulted me, calling me names, trying to intimidate me so I would leave without collecting the money. I stuck it out and got the money for my band mates. That club burned down two days later. Isn’t that interesting?

Why did you think that the Rockabilly and Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

Rockabilly, blues, country, these are the foundation of American music and everybody knows you can’t have a house without a good foundation.

"Having the good fortune to know and experience true love, to have it, to lose and to be willing to search it out again. To know that kind of passion will make anyone a better artist."

Do you remember anything funny from the recording and show time with Cadillac Angels?

I remember doing this great improv guitar solo on one of our songs during a recording session. - Blues GR - Athens, Greece