Fatt Katt invites Paul Cartwright, Catfish, and Sonny Langley to the Crystal Palace - By N.L. Belardes

I don’t think I have to go into detail that finding major events for kids’ lives to grab hold of and be inspired by are rare. Tonight was inspiring because Paul Cartwright was invited along with Catfish and Sonny Langely to come and perform at Bakersfield’s Crystal Palace.


Matildakay and Dirty Spanglish wait for Dude on the ice
to put his shoes on so we can go hang out
at Bakersfield's Crystal Palace

People who have met Dude on the Ice know he’s a violinist, a kid who plays in the BHS orchestra, but who has never had private lessons. He’s a kid who seems more comfortable skating on ice than he is in his own shoes. He had never seen Paul Cartwright perform, until now.


Paul Cartwright helps set up the stage area


The Beergrass Boys

How do you explain such inspiration? Such a fiddler and violinist as Paul Cartwright only happens in a city the size of Bakersfield once in a long blue moon. I can’t even describe Cartwright’s musical ability other than phenomenal. Restaurant goers stopped shoveling mashed potatoes to holler and whistle as Cartwright tore into solos that could melt your heart with the beauty of bow and strings. His command over his instrument I have rarely seen; and there are a lot of great musicians in Bakersfield.





I had only seen Catfish perform once, and only briefly. He and Cartwright have performed together for more than three years and tonight had arrived as the Beergrass Boys. His songwriting and storytelling ability is as much of a journey as the music that rides along the length of Cartwright’s magical bow. You listen, you’re carried away, and you almost forget that he’s strumming along and singing about life in Bakersfield and beyond while Cartwright is hitting notes on the violin that I thought weren’t possible.




Catfish sings the country blues

Catfish stories are meant to be listened to as country blues songs that are as inspiring as they are inspired in how they were written. “I bought a Johnny Cash CD, listened to one song, and was so inspired that I went and wrote this song before listening to the rest of the album,” Catfish said before launching in to a great storytelling piece of musical literature.

A big thanks to Fatt Katt from Fatt Katt and the Vonzippers for bringing a great night of music to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace that also included legend Sonny Langely. He’s a guitarist stage friend of Merle Haggard, ex-boxer from the navy back in the 50s, and a musician who seems to have known everyone in the country music industry.


Fatt Katt and the Vonzippers


Sonny Langely takes out his famous signature guitar


He straps it on...


The he sings to country high heaven...





Sonny came onstage with Fatt Katt to sing "Okie from Muskogee" and several other Merle Haggard songs that had the crowd stomping their feet along with chomping on the Dwight Yoakam biscuits in their baskets. I had the chicken fried steak and let me tell you it’s the biggest meal in Bakersfield.


After Sonny left, Les Paw started to boogie with the bass


Fatt Katt got into his kitty cat rhythms


And Les jumped onto his bass in a high defying act of thumpa whumpin

Another enjoyable night of Bakersfield music, complete with legends old and new, and inspiration for young folks that can make a parent proud.

Kids are our future. Don’t we want them to be motivated?

And the best part of the night: as we were leaving, Sonny Langely made his way back to the stage and grabbed his guitar. He bumped the case into Les Paw and waved to Fatt Katt. As he came down the stage stairs we happened to be passing by. I told Sonny how much I enjoyed his music. He was so appreciative he insisted on holding the door open for us even though he was carrying a guitar case and walking with his wife, Mildred.

What a nice man and great musician...

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Thursday, May 25, 2006. You can leave your response.