susan hornik
3 min readOct 8, 2023

Blues Performance Tonight and Next Month!

Bill Grisolia, founder of the Long Beach Blues Society is thrilled to have an array of musicians performing at tonight’s Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA)

“I have always dreamed of playing on the Museum stage in the sculpture garden, which has been host to such great groups as my buddies, Los Lobos. Just before the pandemic, we opened for them on New Year’s Eve at the Montclair Canyon Club.”

He added: “Partnering with a museum puts the music in an environment where it can be accessed fully and richly and even synergistically with a higher perspective — sometimes music in an art or other cultural venue hits me differently.”

Music and art have always been important to Grisolia. “The gallery at MoLAA has been an important part of my life in Long Beach for the last 30 years.”

Grisolia truly loves singing the blues.

Singing the blues is a part of my soul; it has been said that it is healing music. With the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, any healing in this world is of great value.”

Back in the early days (1987), when his record, Video King, was in rotation on KROQ — Grisolia wanted to make music that was fun but also speaks to progressive issues.

“The Blues can do that for sure!” he quipped.

Last year during the first Society event at MoLAA, Grisolia’s father died, and he was unable to perform. “So it means a lot this year to be able to perform and host a second successful event with the museum.”

Many years ago, for the Mayor of Los Angeles, Grisolia performed there as well.

“Also, for the last two years, the Arts Council of Long Beach and Leadership Long Beach invited us to perform for their workshops — we helped these leaders write a Blues song in a breakout session and perform it with a couple of world class performers who are doing this year’s MoLAA show!” he enthused.

Grisolia offered a tease about his set tonight.

“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue! We’ll perform an original we’ve never performed together, “Let Me Go,” and our drummer, Albert Trepagnier, will sing one too which we’ve not done with this group.”

The group just played the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills opening for Don MacLean of “American Pie” fame. “The guitarist is Charles Julian Fearing, who has 250+ Gold and Platinum albums to his credit on guitar, producer or writer. Bob Byrnes is a touring musician including international work in Japan, Europe and Canada. World class talent from all the performers.”

Grisolia will perform with another living legend, Lester Lands, at the Rock n Brews Bar Restaurant at Yaamava Casino. “We’ll be back there November 5 with the full band! We’ll be back at the Canyon Club with the Fabulous Thunderbirds on November 3 and the House of Blues November 12.”

susan hornik
susan hornik

Written by susan hornik

entertainment journalist, covering tv/film/music, celebrity homes, daytime TV, travel/lifestyle & MMA athletes!

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