March 9, 2025 • 22 mins
Music lovers rejoice! On this episode of Soul Strings, we dive deep with veteran musician Ed Callison who shares the remarkable story behind Pink Houses USA, his seven-piece John Mellencamp tribute band that's capturing the heartland rock experience across the Midwest.
Ed reveals the fascinating process of assembling the perfect lineup for Pink Houses USA, including the search for violinists that took them from symphony professionals to polka players before finding their sound. With sixteen shows lined up for 2024, including performances at the beautifully restored 1918 Miners Theater, Ed's excitement is contagious as he discusses how the band meticulously recreates Mellencamp's distinctive heartland rock atmosphere.
The conversation expands beyond just one tribute act, as Ed shares his musical journey from childhood drummer saving paper route money for his first kit to fronting multiple tribute bands. His passion spans decades and genres – from the yacht rock sounds of Captain Ed and the Catamarans to ABBA/Bee Gees tributes and a forthcoming Eagles project. What's particularly striking is Ed's disciplined approach to musicianship, emphasizing how consistent weekly rehearsals helped Pink Houses USA develop the tight sound essential for honoring beloved classics.
Whether you're a musician yourself or simply a lover of live music, Ed's stories from decades on stage – including playing to 5,000 fans at St. Charles Family Arena and some colorful moments at biker rallies – offer both entertainment and wisdom. His parting advice? "Practice, practice, practice" – a simple but powerful reminder that even tribute performances require serious dedication to the craft. Follow Pink Houses USA on Facebook to catch their upcoming performances across Missouri and Illinois.
You can see the Live Video To all of our shows at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcRJsM_js_n_aX6Vt-lV2lQ
https://www.facebook.com/inyourcityshow
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Well, welcome to Soul Strings.
This is an all-new podcast thatwe're doing and we're going to
be interviewing musicians andsingers, and I always liked
going to be interviewingmusicians and singers.
I always liked it when theysaid musicians and singers, are
we separate?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I think I know how to play a little bit, don't you?
There's jokes about leadsingers.
You've heard them all.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yes, we have.
Well, today I've got a specialguest, ed Callison.
I know a lot of you know who heis and he's been in the music
business for quite a long time.
So today we're going to talk alittle bit about one of your
upcoming shows that you have,and it's one of the many tribute
bands that you're in A couple,and it's called Pink Houses.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Pink Houses USA.
It's funny because Pink Housesthere was an East Coast band
tribute that was called PinkHouses, and so I looked around,
kept looking and I thought, well, Freebird USA, we had to make
that because it was otherFreebirds.
So we made it Pink Houses USA,so we weren't the same name.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, that's interesting yeah.
So, how many guys are in theband?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Seven-piece band.
Seven-piece.
We've got drums Ron Kraser,we've got George Vasquez on bass
, kyle Work on keyboard, darrenHank guitar, chris Naccarato
guitar, and we've got Ron Vinceon violin.
We've got a couple other subsas well, xavier Koenig on violin
.
So seven-piece band, and I'mjust a singer.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
You're just a singer, just a singer.
Well, I know you playinstruments as well.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I grew up playing drums.
I still do a lot of percussionin my duos on the weekends
congas, bongas.
I grew up a singing drummer.
Don Henley was always kind ofmy idol because he could sing
and play at the same time.
So I learned that and mybrother, rich, and we played
together for a long time and hestarted singing and playing bass
(02:05):
and he went his way, I wentmine, and now he's in LA and I'm
still here in St Louis.
But yeah, it was about twoyears ago I started talking to
Ron Kraser and Bo Darren aboutare you guys interested in doing
a John Cougar Mellencamp trip?
It's just something that Ialways enjoyed his music and
thought nobody else is doing itright.
(02:26):
And they were both in.
So we started the auditionprocess, which was not easy,
especially with violinists,accordion players.
We had a couple of polkaplayers come in and it just was
not a fit.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I would have loved to have seen that, oh yeah because
there's jokes about that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's guy got his car broke into.
They had an accordion in it.
It came back to the car wasbroken.
There was seven of them.
They left six more because it'ssuch a such a an instrument,
this kind of uh, they make jokesabout.
Yeah, but it's a instrument,right.
But we decided we can get thatsound on the keyboards, right.
(03:08):
So Kyle Work puts in a lot ofthe extra sounds that you would
generally get from an accordionand it's not like the
accordion's on every song, butthe violinist we found a great
violinist who had been for yearswith the symphony and the fox
and the muni, yeah, so it's abig part, even though it's not
on every song.
We make it on every songbecause it adds it's just the
(03:32):
sound of the violin.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Do you find that challenging when it's trying to
find these certain musicians?
How challenging is that?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
It is because here's two reasons why.
Number one, you want somebodythat's really good that can do
the material, and two, that'sreally good that can do the
material, and two, that'savailable Because so many of my
friends, like myself, are in alot of bands, and Freebird was
one.
I mean Freebird USA we've gotone show this year because
everybody's in so many bands.
Pink House we've got 16 shows.
(04:00):
So I found people that wereavailable Gordon, which was more
important than anything.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
And they're good yeah .
Speaker 2 (04:07):
But they're available .
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Gotta have them show up, it's pretty important, isn't
it?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's right.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So tell me a little bit about this Pink Houses
tribute band that you got a showcoming up.
You got one coming up first,the first one this year we have
15 shows last year, We've got 16right now this year.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
First one we had 15 shows last year, We've got 16
right now this year.
First one April 5th at theMiners Theater in Collinsville,
Illinois.
Beautiful theater.
Have you been there?
I?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
don't know, but I think we're being arrested.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh God.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Let's go.
They found us, Ed, Out of allthese years of hiding.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
they figured out where we were In a speakeasy.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
In a speakeasy, we are at the speakeasy right here
in Cottleville, missouri, brandnew speakeasy, which is awesome,
but it was challenging findingmusicians.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was.
And then, once we got the grouptogether last year again, we
did 15 shows this year.
Our first one, april 5th,miner's Theater in Collinsville.
My birthday, beautiful theater,happy birthday coming up.
You need to come to the show,then we'll get you a ticket.
Um so, 1918 is when it wasactually opened.
It's been restored.
(05:12):
I did a show with anothercouple of bands an abbott
tribute and a bg's tribute.
We did a show there about threemonths ago and I was blown away
because I've done shows at theLincoln Theater, which is nice,
grew up in that area, Okay, so Iknow Lincoln Theater well.
So to me Lincoln Theater isbeautiful, but this one is just.
(05:32):
It's so well put together andit's run so well by the husband
and wife that run it.
It seats about 460 people.
We're hoping to sell it out and, yeah, that's April 5th 730.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, we'll do a two-hour two-set show.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I love the old theaters.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You know there's one over in East St Louis that's
been tore down for years andyears and years, but every time
I drive by it I would have lovedto have seen it in its heyday.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
What was that called?
Do you remember?
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You know what told me about it.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I've never tried to look up old pictures and
everything but East St Louis inthe heyday was the place.
That's the Illinois side.
Our second show this year willbe April 26 at the Diamond Music
Hall for the Missouri folksright here in St Peter's.
We're looking forward to doingthat show as well.
We've got an opener.
It's a school of Rock kids band.
(06:25):
Oh that's cool.
They're really good and I'mafraid they may outplay us.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
They're that good, they should be the headliner huh
, they're that good Raised onradio.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
They'll open the show on April 26th at Diamond.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
What a great name Raised on radio.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
They're all between 18 and, I think, 21 years old,
wow.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah, so how many shows again do you have coming?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
up 16 this year, 16.
Besides those two in April,we've got right next door at
Frankie March.
We'll be there May 31st.
May 31st We'll be at the LegacyPark, right across the street.
They do the Tuesday nightconcert series during the summer
.
We've got a show coming upthere and I believe it's June
22nd, but the you can go on.
(07:06):
Pink Houses USA on Facebook.
I post everything.
Ed Callison Music on Facebook Ipost everything as well.
Awesome, best place to find ourfull schedule.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Well, I appreciate you coming in and talking about
pink houses.
Yeah, and we're going to wantto go see a couple of those
shows.
I'm going to have to try andmake the birthday one for sure.
Absolutely, I thank you forbeing here and talking about
pink houses.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
And we're going to talk a little bit more.
All right, we're back with EdCallison.
We were talking about pinkhouses just a few minutes ago
and we're going to get a littlein-depth and what inspired you,
what got you started in musicwhen you were young, ed?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
You know, I was seven , eight, I liked playing drums.
I didn't have a drum set, I hada little toy set.
(08:07):
And my dad says, listen, youknow you work and put a little
money into buying a set.
I had a newspaper route right.
So I started saving my moneyand I went to Nash Music in St
Charles which is no longer Mikeand Bob, along with Richie, who
you know.
Richie played guitar, mybrother Bobby played bass, my
brother Mike played keyboardsand our parents supported us to
be able to rehearse in thedining room of a small
1,500-square-foot home in StCharles which was loud, and we
(08:31):
played a few gigs around as abrother group.
And then after a couple ofyears my two older brothers went
in the Air Force.
And then Richie and I gottogether with John Gillespie and
started our own band.
But that's kind of how it allstarted.
Never took any vocal lessons asa singer but did start in a
marching band at Barmaleeo GradeSchool, which is where I went
(08:52):
to grade school.
Dushan High my freshman yearplayed in the marching band.
I was kind of a nerd and anathlete.
That's kind of weird, isn't it?
Weird combination.
So my sophomore year I quit theband and started playing
football and basketball but thencontinued the music with Richie
and John and they kind of wenttheir way and I went mine for
(09:13):
several years.
I quit my first marriage.
She didn't really like meplaying music, so I quit playing
music for about 12 years untilI met my wife, nanette, back in
92, and I started playing musicagain because she supported it,
just like my parents did.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Now you say, your parents supported it.
Were they musicians as well?
Did they have any music?
My father.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
No, they were great dancers.
My father played and I learnedthis later on the xylophone.
Of all things, he played thexylophone.
But they loved music,especially country.
So growing up I listened to alot of country music.
I mean Hank Senior and PorterWagner, conway, twitty and all
(09:58):
the great stuff.
Yeah, and there's good stufftoday.
But you know, I really like the90s, 80s and 90s country but
they weren't really that musical.
But they love music and theysupported you, they supported us
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So growing up you got into music.
Your family was into it.
Who was your biggest musicalinfluence?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Oh, wow, back in the day it was the Monkees.
I heard you say Don Henleyearlier.
Yeah, yeah, don Henley.
But early on the 60s we'retalking the Monkees, paul Revere
and the Raiders, stuff that youwould see on TV, on the video
shows.
But later on, yeah, eagles, rodStewart, bad Company, aerosmith
(10:40):
, led Zeppelin, naturallyRolling Stones, the Beatles, all
of the above, and then country,naturally, as I got into more
country, it was Mark Chestnutand Travis Tritt and just all
the great 80s and 90s country.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I never knew that about you.
I never knew you were intocountry.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I love country music In 92 is when I met my wife
Nanette.
We were spending three nights aweek at Nick Nixon's on
Lindbergh.
I remember that Country dancingand my wife, you know she was a
cheerleader with the Cardinalswhen they were here in St Louis
the football Cardinals.
She's a great dancer, quicklearner and we picked up country
(11:18):
music dancing and we're doingit three nights a week during, I
guess, our courtship, if youwill.
But to this day we still lovecountry music.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Nixon so.
Nick, nick nixon all right,you're getting ready to go on
stage.
Show is about ready to start.
Do you have any type of ritualsor anything that's like
superstitious that you've got todo all the time?
Speaker 2 (11:42):
a little vocal things little vocal things, kind of
like you always probably did,but uh, no, really just trying
to, you know, not be nervous forone, but I think everybody gets
a little bit of butterfliesright before it all starts.
But once you get out there, itgoes away.
(12:03):
It goes away.
It goes away.
The energy just kind of takesyou.
It's a high, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
You did it for years, man.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So you've performed quite a lot.
We talked about all thedifferent tribute bands that are
you doing.
Tell me a little bit about someof the different tribute bands
you're doing besides Pink Houses.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Sure, absolutely.
We've got a yacht rock bandcalled Captain Ed my favorite
music and the Catamarans.
We've got six shows this year.
We just did a show at theWestport Social weekend.
Before last it was our firstbig show this year.
We did a show at Diamond MusicHall last year.
(12:39):
It's an eight-piece band, fullband.
It's not just a four-pieceyacht rock band like you see
around the nation.
This is a full-blown saxophone,guitar keyboards, female singer
Stacy Rios, great singer JohnShanahan, kevin Lehman on guitar
(13:00):
, joe Gilbert on bass, mikePowers on saxophone and our
drummer, zoe.
It's just a great band and it'sall that great stuff that
people love and they know everyword to every song.
So as singers we've got to knowevery word, otherwise people
are like hey, that wasn't theright lyric.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I remember I had to fill in with Contagious when Bob
Fox was still alive with us.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
And I couldn't memorize anything.
It took me forever, so I didthe whole, like you know, and
then even the stars are doingthat now oh yeah, no, no, they
got the, they got the.
You know the monitors in frontof them and uh, it's it's, it's,
it's a normal thing.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I was out in vegas four years ago right before
covid yet five years ago and atthe mgm for the showcase of the
aerosmith right there, they hada two-week show there.
I'm right in the second rowwith friends and he goes out on
this walkway and I look on theback wall about 20 by 20, all
the lyrics just going.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Somebody's running the pedal for him, oh man,
teleprompters.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
We're talking about Steven Tyler man.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Hey, you know what?
We forget stuff as we get older.
It's like your brain goes intoa brain fog.
Let me tell you as I get older,there's things that me and
Kelly were sitting on the couchone night and we were watching a
thing and we're trying to thinkof Kevin Costner's name.
We could remember John Dutton,but we couldn't remember Kevin
Costner.
It's crazy how the brain goescrazy like that when you get
home.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
But you know, I've got friends right here in St
Louis that use monitor screensand you know what it looks like
a monitor.
So who cares?
Who cares?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You don't want to give them the wrong lyrics.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
It's better to have the right lyrics than to know
that, hey, he's using a monitor.
So what I think McCartney doestoo.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
So here's a big question that me and Kelly
always think about when we thinkabout you and Annette.
We always ask ourselves whatkind of vitamins are these
people taking?
Because you were here Wednesdaywith us and then Thursday night
you were out again at the jazzclub and then Friday night you
were out again, I think.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I was performing.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Performing and were you out Saturday, saturday?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
night performing.
I was out all day at Mardi Grasthat's right In the center,
west end or downtown.
And then that night I playedthe quarry, were you out.
Sunday we went out to Newtown,we invited you.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
That's right, that's right, we had family over.
And here you are today.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
You know we take multiples, we take some
supplements.
We don't really drink much.
I've never really been a bigdrinker or a smoker Drink a ton
of water.
We try to eat right, and youknow, it's just.
I think you take care of themachine, the machine takes care
of you.
So that's, there's no reallybig secret.
(15:50):
If you will, I wanted tomention too, when you said, the
other tributes another one Ijust joined last year is the
ABBA and Bee Gees tribute.
We did a show at the MinersTheater.
We're doing several shows thisyear the Chessfield Amphitheater
.
We're doing some other showsaround town, diamond Music Hall.
That's a fun show.
(16:10):
My wife doesn't like ABBA, butonce I learned the material.
oh my gosh.
The songs drew on me and now Ilove that just as much as the
Bee Gees.
Wow, but a lot of harmonies,and I'm all about harmonies.
And there's another band.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
I'm working on right now.
We lost that art In music.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Oh, let me tell you.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Of harmonization and vocals.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
People love hearing it.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
We didn't have all that.
We didn't have the vocal tuners.
What do they call them?
We had to sing.
We had to actually sing, ohyeah.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
A lot of the recordings today are using that
too, but you know I'm not a bigfan and some people are.
But so that band, both of thosebands, it's one band, but it's
three different singers JasonNelson, johnny Cruze, poor.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Johnny.
I've known Johnny for quite along time and he just gets
better and better.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
He does, he really does.
And then there's one other bandI'm working on which I can't
talk a whole lot about just yet,but it's got to do with the
Eagles.
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, that's awesome.
So, out of all the venues youplayed a lot of venues what's
your favorite venue you everplayed?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Probably one of the favorites is the St Charles
Family Arena.
In 2019, December, Freebird USA.
We did a show and headlinethere and it was a lot of work
because you have to get peopleto there, you know, to the venue
, so we'd pass out a lot oftickets all over town.
We had over 5,000 people andthat had to be one of my
(17:42):
favorite shows.
Have you played that stage?
No, it's just.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I quit before then.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It's kind of a mind blow because you know I'm used
to singing in front of you know200 or 300 people or maybe maybe
it's a lot different, maybe athousand, ophelan jamming was
two thousand.
Last summer we did um legacypark.
There's usually about 800people there, but when you get 5
000 plus that's a big stage andI got a little, a little bit
nervous.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
But yeah, the show understand that.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yeah, absolutely yeah we had an opener yeah, I got
one last question for you yeahso you've been doing this a long
time.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
You've been playing in bands.
You got started when you wereyoung.
If you could go back and tellyour younger self, give your
younger self some advice whatwould that be?
Um?
Speaker 2 (18:31):
practice, practice, practice, because there's
nothing worse than showing upfor a gig and sounding terrible
Either the guitarist not knowingthe notes, bass the drummer not
knowing the beat, singer notknowing the lyrics or the way
the lyrics should be sang.
I think practice is the mostimportant thing and with Pink
(18:52):
House USA and I'm glad you askedthis for the last year and a
you asked this for the last yearand a half, excepting for the
last month and a half becauseour bass player had knee surgery
we were practicing every week,every week on a Tuesday,
wednesday, for two and a halfhours.
That's how we got tight andthat's, in my opinion, the best
way, because if you justrehearse once, twice a month and
(19:16):
you've got big shows coming up,you're not going to sound as
good as you were if you did itevery week, Because the more you
play it, the better it gets.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Exactly no good advice.
I do have one other question.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So is there something musically that you haven't done
in your life, that you wouldlove to do?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Well, yeah, naturally , and I am doing it this summer
First time to play at theChesterfield Amphitheater.
It's been on my bucket list fora while.
We're playing with Abba and theBee Gees Tribute.
Other than that, yeah, madisonSquare Garden, bigger venues,
(20:01):
it's great doing the weekends.
I do the duos at all thewineries and next door at wine
cellars and just all thewineries all around town, and I
enjoy that, because what we doespecially if I'm with Stephen
Winters we take requests thewhole three hours.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
And people are sitting around chatting and
they're talking and you're kindof there, but they're kind of
like, but then when you're in anarena setting, that's a whole
different setting, becauseyou're the focus, that's right,
that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Otherwise you're kind of background music at a lot of
venues.
I know we played at the BarrelHouse on Friday Night Ball, one
great little venue, but at firstpeople are talking, tasting the
whiskey and you know, justsocializing Right.
And then as they get a littlemore inebriated they start
dancing and getting more intothe music.
(20:51):
And that's kind of how thewineries are as well.
But you're right, the biggervenues, bigger shows, the
tribute shows, people are thereto listen and watch and
naturally we all love that.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
You've got to leave me with one last story.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I want to hear one of the craziest stories from
playing.
You've got to give me a goodone.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Oh boy.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I talked to Chuck from Boyfriend.
They got kicked out of the Lakeof the Ozarks, couldn't come
back.
They got kicked out.
They got kicked out.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Well, we were doing a show this was four or five
years ago with Freebird USA.
It was a bike run up in Iowaand that kind of tells you a
little bit.
Right there they're fun lovingpeople.
But I was.
I think it was the second lastsong and people were moving
forward and some of the ladiesdid not have a top on and I'm
(21:47):
like wait a minute, what's goingon here?
And Mike looked at me.
He says it's a biker run.
I'm like okay.
So I kept, I kept concentrating.
It's a biker run, I'm like okay.
So I kept concentrating,looking out to the distance
where people had clothes on.
Lord, that would make you miss afew words.
You know, biker people live adifferent life and hey, they're
(22:08):
good people.
It's just some of them had toomuch fun.
Maybe, yeah, or just I don'tknow exhibitionists, Wow.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, that was kind of crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
well, thanks for coming today thanks for sitting
with me and thanks for having me, as always.
Appreciate you.
Well, welcome to Soul Strings.
This is an all-new podcast thatwe're doing and we're going to
be interviewing musicians andsingers, and I always liked
going to be interviewingmusicians and singers.
I always liked it when theysaid musicians and singers, are
we separate?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I think I know how to play a little bit, don't you?
There's jokes about leadsingers.
You've heard them all.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yes, we have.
Well, today I've got a specialguest, ed Callison.
I know a lot of you know who heis and he's been in the music
business for quite a long time.
So today we're going to talk alittle bit about one of your
upcoming shows that you have,and it's one of the many tribute
bands that you're in A couple,and it's called Pink Houses.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Pink Houses USA.
It's funny because Pink Housesthere was an East Coast band
tribute that was called PinkHouses, and so I looked around,
kept looking and I thought, well, Freebird USA, we had to make
that because it was otherFreebirds.
So we made it Pink Houses USA,so we weren't the same name.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, that's interesting yeah.
So, how many guys are in theband?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Seven-piece band.
Seven-piece.
We've got drums Ron Kraser,we've got George Vasquez on bass
, kyle Work on keyboard, darrenHank guitar, chris Naccarato
guitar, and we've got Ron Vinceon violin.
We've got a couple other subsas well, xavier Koenig on violin
.
So seven-piece band, and I'mjust a singer.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
You're just a singer, just a singer.
Well, I know you playinstruments as well.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I grew up playing drums.
I still do a lot of percussionin my duos on the weekends
congas, bongas.
I grew up a singing drummer.
Don Henley was always kind ofmy idol because he could sing
and play at the same time.
So I learned that and mybrother, rich, and we played
together for a long time and hestarted singing and playing bass
(02:05):
and he went his way, I wentmine, and now he's in LA and I'm
still here in St Louis.
But yeah, it was about twoyears ago I started talking to
Ron Kraser and Bo Darren aboutare you guys interested in doing
a John Cougar Mellencamp trip?
It's just something that Ialways enjoyed his music and
thought nobody else is doing itright.
(02:26):
And they were both in.
So we started the auditionprocess, which was not easy,
especially with violinists,accordion players.
We had a couple of polkaplayers come in and it just was
not a fit.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I would have loved to have seen that, oh yeah because
there's jokes about that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
It's guy got his car broke into.
They had an accordion in it.
It came back to the car wasbroken.
There was seven of them.
They left six more because it'ssuch a such a an instrument,
this kind of uh, they make jokesabout.
Yeah, but it's a instrument,right.
But we decided we can get thatsound on the keyboards, right.
(03:08):
So Kyle Work puts in a lot ofthe extra sounds that you would
generally get from an accordionand it's not like the
accordion's on every song, butthe violinist we found a great
violinist who had been for yearswith the symphony and the fox
and the muni, yeah, so it's abig part, even though it's not
on every song.
We make it on every songbecause it adds it's just the
(03:32):
sound of the violin.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Do you find that challenging when it's trying to
find these certain musicians?
How challenging is that?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
It is because here's two reasons why.
Number one, you want somebodythat's really good that can do
the material, and two, that'sreally good that can do the
material, and two, that'savailable Because so many of my
friends, like myself, are in alot of bands, and Freebird was
one.
I mean Freebird USA we've gotone show this year because
everybody's in so many bands.
Pink House we've got 16 shows.
(04:00):
So I found people that wereavailable Gordon, which was more
important than anything.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
And they're good yeah .
Speaker 2 (04:07):
But they're available .
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Gotta have them show up, it's pretty important, isn't
it?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's right.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
So tell me a little bit about this Pink Houses
tribute band that you got a showcoming up.
You got one coming up first,the first one this year we have
15 shows last year, We've got 16right now this year.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
First one we had 15 shows last year, We've got 16
right now this year.
First one April 5th at theMiners Theater in Collinsville,
Illinois.
Beautiful theater.
Have you been there?
I?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
don't know, but I think we're being arrested.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Oh God.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Let's go.
They found us, Ed, Out of allthese years of hiding.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
they figured out where we were In a speakeasy.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
In a speakeasy, we are at the speakeasy right here
in Cottleville, missouri, brandnew speakeasy, which is awesome,
but it was challenging findingmusicians.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was.
And then, once we got the grouptogether last year again, we
did 15 shows this year.
Our first one, april 5th,miner's Theater in Collinsville.
My birthday, beautiful theater,happy birthday coming up.
You need to come to the show,then we'll get you a ticket.
Um so, 1918 is when it wasactually opened.
It's been restored.
(05:12):
I did a show with anothercouple of bands an abbott
tribute and a bg's tribute.
We did a show there about threemonths ago and I was blown away
because I've done shows at theLincoln Theater, which is nice,
grew up in that area, Okay, so Iknow Lincoln Theater well.
So to me Lincoln Theater isbeautiful, but this one is just.
(05:32):
It's so well put together andit's run so well by the husband
and wife that run it.
It seats about 460 people.
We're hoping to sell it out and, yeah, that's April 5th 730.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, we'll do a two-hour two-set show.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
I love the old theaters.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You know there's one over in East St Louis that's
been tore down for years andyears and years, but every time
I drive by it I would have lovedto have seen it in its heyday.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
What was that called?
Do you remember?
Speaker 1 (06:00):
You know what told me about it.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I've never tried to look up old pictures and
everything but East St Louis inthe heyday was the place.
That's the Illinois side.
Our second show this year willbe April 26 at the Diamond Music
Hall for the Missouri folksright here in St Peter's.
We're looking forward to doingthat show as well.
We've got an opener.
It's a school of Rock kids band.
(06:25):
Oh that's cool.
They're really good and I'mafraid they may outplay us.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
They're that good, they should be the headliner huh
, they're that good Raised onradio.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
They'll open the show on April 26th at Diamond.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
What a great name Raised on radio.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
They're all between 18 and, I think, 21 years old,
wow.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Yeah, so how many shows again do you have coming?
Speaker 2 (06:45):
up 16 this year, 16.
Besides those two in April,we've got right next door at
Frankie March.
We'll be there May 31st.
May 31st We'll be at the LegacyPark, right across the street.
They do the Tuesday nightconcert series during the summer
.
We've got a show coming upthere and I believe it's June
22nd, but the you can go on.
(07:06):
Pink Houses USA on Facebook.
I post everything.
Ed Callison Music on Facebook Ipost everything as well.
Awesome, best place to find ourfull schedule.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Well, I appreciate you coming in and talking about
pink houses.
Yeah, and we're going to wantto go see a couple of those
shows.
I'm going to have to try andmake the birthday one for sure.
Absolutely, I thank you forbeing here and talking about
pink houses.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
And we're going to talk a little bit more.
All right, we're back with EdCallison.
We were talking about pinkhouses just a few minutes ago
and we're going to get a littlein-depth and what inspired you,
what got you started in musicwhen you were young, ed?
Speaker 2 (07:42):
You know, I was seven , eight, I liked playing drums.
I didn't have a drum set, I hada little toy set.
(08:07):
And my dad says, listen, youknow you work and put a little
money into buying a set.
I had a newspaper route right.
So I started saving my moneyand I went to Nash Music in St
Charles which is no longer Mikeand Bob, along with Richie, who
you know.
Richie played guitar, mybrother Bobby played bass, my
brother Mike played keyboardsand our parents supported us to
be able to rehearse in thedining room of a small
1,500-square-foot home in StCharles which was loud, and we
(08:31):
played a few gigs around as abrother group.
And then after a couple ofyears my two older brothers went
in the Air Force.
And then Richie and I gottogether with John Gillespie and
started our own band.
But that's kind of how it allstarted.
Never took any vocal lessons asa singer but did start in a
marching band at Barmaleeo GradeSchool, which is where I went
(08:52):
to grade school.
Dushan High my freshman yearplayed in the marching band.
I was kind of a nerd and anathlete.
That's kind of weird, isn't it?
Weird combination.
So my sophomore year I quit theband and started playing
football and basketball but thencontinued the music with Richie
and John and they kind of wenttheir way and I went mine for
(09:13):
several years.
I quit my first marriage.
She didn't really like meplaying music, so I quit playing
music for about 12 years untilI met my wife, nanette, back in
92, and I started playing musicagain because she supported it,
just like my parents did.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Now you say, your parents supported it.
Were they musicians as well?
Did they have any music?
My father.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
No, they were great dancers.
My father played and I learnedthis later on the xylophone.
Of all things, he played thexylophone.
But they loved music,especially country.
So growing up I listened to alot of country music.
I mean Hank Senior and PorterWagner, conway, twitty and all
(09:58):
the great stuff.
Yeah, and there's good stufftoday.
But you know, I really like the90s, 80s and 90s country but
they weren't really that musical.
But they love music and theysupported you, they supported us
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So growing up you got into music.
Your family was into it.
Who was your biggest musicalinfluence?
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Oh, wow, back in the day it was the Monkees.
I heard you say Don Henleyearlier.
Yeah, yeah, don Henley.
But early on the 60s we'retalking the Monkees, paul Revere
and the Raiders, stuff that youwould see on TV, on the video
shows.
But later on, yeah, eagles, rodStewart, bad Company, aerosmith
(10:40):
, led Zeppelin, naturallyRolling Stones, the Beatles, all
of the above, and then country,naturally, as I got into more
country, it was Mark Chestnutand Travis Tritt and just all
the great 80s and 90s country.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I never knew that about you.
I never knew you were intocountry.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
I love country music In 92 is when I met my wife
Nanette.
We were spending three nights aweek at Nick Nixon's on
Lindbergh.
I remember that Country dancingand my wife, you know she was a
cheerleader with the Cardinalswhen they were here in St Louis
the football Cardinals.
She's a great dancer, quicklearner and we picked up country
(11:18):
music dancing and we're doingit three nights a week during, I
guess, our courtship, if youwill.
But to this day we still lovecountry music.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Nixon so.
Nick, nick nixon all right,you're getting ready to go on
stage.
Show is about ready to start.
Do you have any type of ritualsor anything that's like
superstitious that you've got todo all the time?
Speaker 2 (11:42):
a little vocal things little vocal things, kind of
like you always probably did,but uh, no, really just trying
to, you know, not be nervous forone, but I think everybody gets
a little bit of butterfliesright before it all starts.
But once you get out there, itgoes away.
(12:03):
It goes away.
It goes away.
The energy just kind of takesyou.
It's a high, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
You did it for years, man.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
So you've performed quite a lot.
We talked about all thedifferent tribute bands that are
you doing.
Tell me a little bit about someof the different tribute bands
you're doing besides Pink Houses.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Sure, absolutely.
We've got a yacht rock bandcalled Captain Ed my favorite
music and the Catamarans.
We've got six shows this year.
We just did a show at theWestport Social weekend.
Before last it was our firstbig show this year.
We did a show at Diamond MusicHall last year.
(12:39):
It's an eight-piece band, fullband.
It's not just a four-pieceyacht rock band like you see
around the nation.
This is a full-blown saxophone,guitar keyboards, female singer
Stacy Rios, great singer JohnShanahan, kevin Lehman on guitar
(13:00):
, joe Gilbert on bass, mikePowers on saxophone and our
drummer, zoe.
It's just a great band and it'sall that great stuff that
people love and they know everyword to every song.
So as singers we've got to knowevery word, otherwise people
are like hey, that wasn't theright lyric.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I remember I had to fill in with Contagious when Bob
Fox was still alive with us.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
And I couldn't memorize anything.
It took me forever, so I didthe whole, like you know, and
then even the stars are doingthat now oh yeah, no, no, they
got the, they got the.
You know the monitors in frontof them and uh, it's it's, it's,
it's a normal thing.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I was out in vegas four years ago right before
covid yet five years ago and atthe mgm for the showcase of the
aerosmith right there, they hada two-week show there.
I'm right in the second rowwith friends and he goes out on
this walkway and I look on theback wall about 20 by 20, all
the lyrics just going.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Somebody's running the pedal for him, oh man,
teleprompters.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
We're talking about Steven Tyler man.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Hey, you know what?
We forget stuff as we get older.
It's like your brain goes intoa brain fog.
Let me tell you as I get older,there's things that me and
Kelly were sitting on the couchone night and we were watching a
thing and we're trying to thinkof Kevin Costner's name.
We could remember John Dutton,but we couldn't remember Kevin
Costner.
It's crazy how the brain goescrazy like that when you get
home.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
But you know, I've got friends right here in St
Louis that use monitor screensand you know what it looks like
a monitor.
So who cares?
Who cares?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You don't want to give them the wrong lyrics.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
It's better to have the right lyrics than to know
that, hey, he's using a monitor.
So what I think McCartney doestoo.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
So here's a big question that me and Kelly
always think about when we thinkabout you and Annette.
We always ask ourselves whatkind of vitamins are these
people taking?
Because you were here Wednesdaywith us and then Thursday night
you were out again at the jazzclub and then Friday night you
were out again, I think.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I was performing.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Performing and were you out Saturday, saturday?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
night performing.
I was out all day at Mardi Grasthat's right In the center,
west end or downtown.
And then that night I playedthe quarry, were you out.
Sunday we went out to Newtown,we invited you.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
That's right, that's right, we had family over.
And here you are today.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
You know we take multiples, we take some
supplements.
We don't really drink much.
I've never really been a bigdrinker or a smoker Drink a ton
of water.
We try to eat right, and youknow, it's just.
I think you take care of themachine, the machine takes care
of you.
So that's, there's no reallybig secret.
(15:50):
If you will, I wanted tomention too, when you said, the
other tributes another one Ijust joined last year is the
ABBA and Bee Gees tribute.
We did a show at the MinersTheater.
We're doing several shows thisyear the Chessfield Amphitheater
.
We're doing some other showsaround town, diamond Music Hall.
That's a fun show.
(16:10):
My wife doesn't like ABBA, butonce I learned the material.
oh my gosh.
The songs drew on me and now Ilove that just as much as the
Bee Gees.
Wow, but a lot of harmonies,and I'm all about harmonies.
And there's another band.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
I'm working on right now.
We lost that art In music.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Oh, let me tell you.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Of harmonization and vocals.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
People love hearing it.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
We didn't have all that.
We didn't have the vocal tuners.
What do they call them?
We had to sing.
We had to actually sing, ohyeah.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
A lot of the recordings today are using that
too, but you know I'm not a bigfan and some people are.
But so that band, both of thosebands, it's one band, but it's
three different singers JasonNelson, johnny Cruze, poor.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Johnny.
I've known Johnny for quite along time and he just gets
better and better.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
He does, he really does.
And then there's one other bandI'm working on which I can't
talk a whole lot about just yet,but it's got to do with the
Eagles.
Oh.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yeah, that's awesome.
So, out of all the venues youplayed a lot of venues what's
your favorite venue you everplayed?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Probably one of the favorites is the St Charles
Family Arena.
In 2019, December, Freebird USA.
We did a show and headlinethere and it was a lot of work
because you have to get peopleto there, you know, to the venue
, so we'd pass out a lot oftickets all over town.
We had over 5,000 people andthat had to be one of my
(17:42):
favorite shows.
Have you played that stage?
No, it's just.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I quit before then.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It's kind of a mind blow because you know I'm used
to singing in front of you know200 or 300 people or maybe maybe
it's a lot different, maybe athousand, ophelan jamming was
two thousand.
Last summer we did um legacypark.
There's usually about 800people there, but when you get 5
000 plus that's a big stage andI got a little, a little bit
nervous.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
But yeah, the show understand that.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yeah, absolutely yeah we had an opener yeah, I got
one last question for you yeahso you've been doing this a long
time.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
You've been playing in bands.
You got started when you wereyoung.
If you could go back and tellyour younger self, give your
younger self some advice whatwould that be?
Um?
Speaker 2 (18:31):
practice, practice, practice, because there's
nothing worse than showing upfor a gig and sounding terrible
Either the guitarist not knowingthe notes, bass the drummer not
knowing the beat, singer notknowing the lyrics or the way
the lyrics should be sang.
I think practice is the mostimportant thing and with Pink
(18:52):
House USA and I'm glad you askedthis for the last year and a
you asked this for the last yearand a half, excepting for the
last month and a half becauseour bass player had knee surgery
we were practicing every week,every week on a Tuesday,
wednesday, for two and a halfhours.
That's how we got tight andthat's, in my opinion, the best
way, because if you justrehearse once, twice a month and
(19:16):
you've got big shows coming up,you're not going to sound as
good as you were if you did itevery week, Because the more you
play it, the better it gets.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Exactly no good advice.
I do have one other question.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So is there something musically that you haven't done
in your life, that you wouldlove to do?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Well, yeah, naturally , and I am doing it this summer
First time to play at theChesterfield Amphitheater.
It's been on my bucket list fora while.
We're playing with Abba and theBee Gees Tribute.
Other than that, yeah, madisonSquare Garden, bigger venues,
(20:01):
it's great doing the weekends.
I do the duos at all thewineries and next door at wine
cellars and just all thewineries all around town, and I
enjoy that, because what we doespecially if I'm with Stephen
Winters we take requests thewhole three hours.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
And people are sitting around chatting and
they're talking and you're kindof there, but they're kind of
like, but then when you're in anarena setting, that's a whole
different setting, becauseyou're the focus, that's right,
that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Otherwise you're kind of background music at a lot of
venues.
I know we played at the BarrelHouse on Friday Night Ball, one
great little venue, but at firstpeople are talking, tasting the
whiskey and you know, justsocializing Right.
And then as they get a littlemore inebriated they start
dancing and getting more intothe music.
(20:51):
And that's kind of how thewineries are as well.
But you're right, the biggervenues, bigger shows, the
tribute shows, people are thereto listen and watch and
naturally we all love that.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
You've got to leave me with one last story.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I want to hear one of the craziest stories from
playing.
You've got to give me a goodone.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Oh boy.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
I talked to Chuck from Boyfriend.
They got kicked out of the Lakeof the Ozarks, couldn't come
back.
They got kicked out.
They got kicked out.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Well, we were doing a show this was four or five
years ago with Freebird USA.
It was a bike run up in Iowaand that kind of tells you a
little bit.
Right there they're fun lovingpeople.
But I was.
I think it was the second lastsong and people were moving
forward and some of the ladiesdid not have a top on and I'm
(21:47):
like wait a minute, what's goingon here?
And Mike looked at me.
He says it's a biker run.
I'm like okay.
So I kept, I kept concentrating.
It's a biker run, I'm like okay.
So I kept concentrating,looking out to the distance
where people had clothes on.
Lord, that would make you miss afew words.
You know, biker people live adifferent life and hey, they're
(22:08):
good people.
It's just some of them had toomuch fun.
Maybe, yeah, or just I don'tknow exhibitionists, Wow.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, that was kind of crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
well, thanks for coming today thanks for sitting
with me and thanks for having me, as always.
Appreciate you.
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