A nostalgic weekend warrior trip with Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band leader
“Don’t pass me by, I’m a sailor on a darker sea, can you shine a light on me?” Denny Sarokin, whose stage name was Dennis Larden, furnished the second lineup of Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band with lead guitar, uncredited production, eight compositions including half of the neglected jewel Windfall, and harmonies from 1973–1978. Their creative partnership flourished perhaps because the street-savvy Jewish songwriter from New York contrasted so markedly with the smoldering, nonchalant boy-next-door whose pioneering Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet rock ‘n’ roll videos captured hearts in the Golden State and beyond. In an exclusive interview commemorating the lamentable airplane death of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alum while journeying to a New Year’s Eve gig in Dallas, Sarokin summons the miraculous, life-altering phone call he received in the aftermath of Nelson’s “Garden Party” showcase on Johnny Carson.
Sarokin co-founded sunshine pop quintet Every Mother’s Son with brother Larry [Larden is a combination of the duo’s forenames]. Debut A-side “Come on Down to My Boat, Baby” exceeded MGM’s expectations in the Summer of Love and shuttled all the way into the Billboard Top Ten. At loose ends when Every Mother’s Son imploded, Sarokin headed to Hollywood and nabbed a part in The Phynx, one of those must see to…
