by Lola Rossi-Meza
Producer and musician Alvin Taylor & The Joey Covington All-Star Band take the stage on Saturday, August 31, from 8 until 11:30 p.m. to celebrate the life of Joey Covington at The Hood Bar and Pizza located at 73-850 Highway 111 in Palm Desert. (760) 636-5220. Tickets are $20 in advance by calling Show Presenter and Promoter David Ross at (760) 766-6733 or stop by Musicians Outlet or The Hood. Only 300 tickets are available. The good news, Live Streaming Video is being provided by Michaelz Media and QV Live Streaming for $6 done special for his fans all over the world. Go to www.CovingtonTribute.MichaelzMedia.com.
“This will be a a night for all of us to remember Joey Covington,” said Alvin Taylor. “Family, musicians, friends, surprise celebrity guests and fans will be in attendance along with reading letters from friends from all around the country and abroad, who can’t attend.” Members of the Joey Covington All-Star Band include: Alvin Taylor on drums; percussionist Oliver C. Brown; guitarist Kevin Quinn; guitarist Steve Beckmeier; guitarist and vocalist Riki Hendrix; guitarist and vocalist Roni Lee; and Mark Fry on bass with backs-up vocalists Calista Carradine, Jeannette Turner and Scott Strader.
Bishop Robert Taylor will be there along with additional guests: Jay Gordon and Blues Venom; California; The Roni Lee Group; The Gypsy Express; Shirley Evaro; Jai the Gospel Artist; Ukulele Ray; Sara Groban featuring Adon Icon; Janelle Sadler; Peter Albin; Sam Andrews; Larry Fuzzy Knight, Larry Woodside, and many more.
“I’ve known Joey about three years since he moved here. I met him socially and we started talking and because he spent a lot of time in England, back in the day doing shows there, he knew all the English Rockers that I knew, so we became close friends,” said Keith McCormick. “If we can fast forward to June the first this year, we were producing a free concert under the Marilyn Statue that we do for the City every year. I asked Joey if he would do a celebrity drum appearance for me and he agreed to do it, so we billed it that way. Over a thousand people showed up and gave him a standing ovation.
“He played with an Elton John Tribute Band and did “Benny and the Jets” and “Honky Tonk” and as soon as he got off the stage, he was surrounded by people wanting him to sign autographs. The following morning, he came up to me and gave me a big hug and said, ‘Keith, you made me a Rock Star again!’ On Monday he was out on Palm Canyon Drive having coffee and telling people about doing the concert and getting picked up in a limo, just like the old days. He was really a nice guy. I think it is great they are doing the tribute concert, he would love the attention.”
“Joey was funny, kind and always wanted to be a part of anything going on,” said David Ross of Ross Management and Productions. “He tried to help me with a benefit concert for the Well in the Desert not long before he died. In which Joey ironically requested the band to be called The Joey Covington All-Star Band. I began the hard tedious task of getting a venue, tickets and advertising. It started with the great help of Brian Michaelz at Michaelz Media. He got us the live streaming, created the web-site, promo videos, etc.”
“I met Joey over 25 years ago and had an opportunity to work with him on several projects,” said Jay Gordon. “He was a great drummer and knew how to play to a song. He was a pocket player. Joey will be missed by everyone who ever knew him.” Then Gordon proceeded to tell me one of the many funny stories and experiences he had with his friend. Hopefully he will share a story or two during the show.
“The best thing I can say about Joey is that, at the time I met him back in 1990 is, every time he would come to see me, he always brought my son, Nigel, a little toy or something interesting for him to play with,” said Steve Beckmeier. “That kind of defined him as a person to me. He was the most warm hearted, laid back guy I knew; he always had a smile on his face and good things to say about people.”
“Joey was one of the most down to earth guys you would ever meet, even with all his fame, that was the last thing he would talk about,” said Roxanne Evaro. “You almost had to pry it out of him. But once he got started, he was a wonderful story teller.” She would often perform for Covington while he sat at his reserved table at Sammy G’s, one of his most favorite places. He would go there almost every Thursday, Friday and Saturday to enjoy the music of Jimmy and Jerry Evaro.
“Jimmy and I loved Joey like a brother. We always talked about music and enjoyed listening to his stories,” said Jerry Evaro. “To this day I still get choked up thinking about him, especially when we look at the table he sat at every weekend.”
“Joey was always writing music,” said Lauren Taines. “I will be carrying out all of the plans we had to release the project we were currently working on before the accident.” She is planning to release “The Best of Joey Covington” and intends to carry on with “his musical legacy.”
