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THE TUNERS

Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band, The Tuners is performing a FREE concert at Farnsworth Park Saturday August 27 at 7:00 pm.  Farnsworth Park located at the top of Lake Avenue at 568 E. Mount Curve Ave.

The Tuners are brothers of different mothers, (and fathers!). Rick Dunham, Rob Heard, and Gary Watson starting performing together in high school. Their passion is the same today as it was when they were young musical heroes performing for school dances and local concerts. They still can’t get enough of playing live music! 

Rick and Rob meet in Whittier, CA at age 15, young musicians with very different musical influences. Rick played bluegrass guitar and banjo. Rob was a hard rock guitarist. They began getting together to jam, became friends, but had little in common musically. Rob solved this problem by loaning Rick a Vox bass guitar and some records of bands like Mountain, Led Zeppelin, CCR, and The Who, suggesting they start a rock band. 

Gary Watson was a friend of Rick and Rob’s who played acoustic 12-string guitar, and loved long extended jams. In the summer between 11th and 12th grade, Gary also “went electric” with the purchase of a Gibson SG, and the band was born. They called it Circus.

With the addition of a drummer, Circus began performing professionally, starting at local school dances and backyard parties. When they were all of legal age (more or less!) they hit the booming nightclub circuit in Los Angeles and Orange County performing five and six nights a week. Every week. They changed the band name to Stoney Lonesome.

They became a tight, versatile, in-demand group, as well as a backing band for numerous Elvis impersonators and 50’s rock acts like Joe Houston, The Shirelles, and The Coasters.

When country music became popular in Southern California in the early 80’s, the band played OC country music clubs The Cowboy, The Silver Bullet, The Crazy Horse, and more, becoming one on the busiest bands on the circuit. 

In the mid-80s, after many years, many drummers, and many incarnations, Rick, Rob, and Gary renamed the band The Tuners, and continue to perform  great music together today.

With the addition of the very talented drummer, Steve Swartout (tonight is Steve’s sixth show at Farnsworth!), The Tuners will perform a special Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute. We welcome you to sit back, sing along, dance, or simply enjoy The Tuners nod to CCR tonight!