Deuce Coupe

Deuce Coupe
1989-1991

Deuce Coupe was the first of my California bands. When I moved to Escondido to take a job as Program Director at KOWF-KOWA Radio, one of the first things I did was check out the local music scene. I found Deuce Coupe working at a club in San Marcos called The Mission Inn (more on that later) and sat in with them during a Thursday night jam session. I returned the following Thursday and was hired the same night.

Dave, Richie, Lynn, Brian, Ted and me @ The Mission Inn

Dave, Richie, Lynn, Brian, Ted and me @ The Mission Inn

Deuce Coupe was a revolving door band. The night I joined, the lineup was Ted Best (drums & leader), Brian Laurio (guitar & vocals), Glenn Scott (guitar & vocals), Jack Stiteler (bass & vocals), Andy Ramirez (sax) and me on keyboards. There was also a third guitarist, Randy Frye, who made his exit shortly after I joined. Within a month, the lineup changed. Jack left, and I moved to bass. Glenn left to tour with The Beach Boys. Andy was out, and David Heater was in on sax. Later, Glenn returned bringing Richie Beeth on keyboards with him, then left again while Richie stayed. We had two excellent girl singers, first Lynn Stieger, then Tokeli LeClaire. Near the end of Deuce Coupe, Brian left and Pete Harrison replaced him briefly on guitar. Getting confused? Imagine how we felt! Through all of this, The Mission Inn was patient with us (Big Al, the owner got along well with Ted and believed in the band under his leadership) and we kept the gig for a little over a year. We also backed The Coasters (the real ones, not the fakes), Rosie & The Originals, Jewel Akin and Bobby Daye in oldies shows there.

One more thing . . . for a while, Sunday was comedy night at The Misison Inn and Big Al brought in stand up. One of the lunatics he hired was Jim Carrey. Now THAT was an interesting night!

@ Rancho Bernardo Country Club

January of 1991, we landed a 5 night a week job at The Hanalei Hotel in Mission Valley (San Diego). It was a plum gig, but playing until the wee hours of the morning and managing a music store during the day was just too much for Ted, and he announced he was quitting. Without Ted's leadership, Deuce Coupe came to a quiet end.