My Story
It all began in an effort to help a friend promote his downtown Grapevine, Texas barbecue joint and bar, AJ’s on Main. Within a few days of the two retired cops initial conversation over beers and shots of AJ’s favorite bourbon and DC’s favorite tequila at AJ’s bar, DC came up with the idea of the duo hosting a talk show. “Over two years later I still remember the look on AJ’s face when I mentioned the idea,” DC said with a laugh. “There were many things we had in common but then their was music…he was so country and I was very rock & roll.” After a couple of days of thought, DC came up with a name, Barside Jive, since the show would take place while they literally sat at a bar.
“We just started recording and after about the first year, AJ actually started talking…” according to DC. “We didn’t know what the hell we were doing but we were laser focused on a goal to get Grapevine fired up about AJ’s cool ass place. Our mission was to attract more customers to the downtown business when tourist traffic was low through the week. “So, we began interviewing local tribute/cover musicians, artists, writers and such. Soon thereafter the pre-recorded weekly show DC posted on YouTube transitioned to a Facebook LIVE broadcast DC called Barside Jive LIVE.
“Then one day, a year later I kinda just ventured out on my own doing interviews of original artists just for the fun of it,” said DC. “I thought it would be cool to see if I could sit down for a recorded chat with my own personal rock and roll heroes. I sent out like 5 emails or so and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick was the first to respond. So, my girlfriend and I flew up to Chicago, rented a car and drove into Rockford, Illinois. I had an hour interview scheduled with Bun E. but 2.5 hours later he is still talking which made me feel much better seeing how I didn’t even turn the camera on before we started and missed 20 minutes of our conversation. I was so afraid he would walk out after he realized that we were not recording. But he was such a great guy and so cool about it.” Once I returned to Dallas, I edited the interview and posted in on YouTube and watched the views grow minute by minute.
Then what started as a phone call from Vokal Media CEO John Ritchie developed into Barside Jive becoming a solo pre-recorded rock & roll show for DC on Vokal Media’s platform alongside his favorite 1970’s and 1980’s 98 KZEW classic rock FM radio station commonly known as The Zoo. Since that time DC has continued to interview the rock stars including Roger Earl of Foghat, Buddy Whittington of John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Jim Suhler of George Thororgood & The Destroyers, Share Ross of Vixen, Terry Glaze of Pantera and Jimmie Vaughan. “I never even considered studying broadcasting journalism in college although I did spend a carrier interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects as a cop (laughing).
Now his Facebook Live show, “Barside Jive Live” which was originally hosted by Strokers Dallas has been hosted by Tolberts Restaurant & Chili Parlor in Grapevine, Mother Truckers in Dallas, Six Springs Tavern in Richardson, Outlaw Cider in Grapevine and other live music venues in DFW to begin shows within the next few months. “Each show is approximately 30 min in duration,” says DC. “We focus on the venue and what they offer to their patrons for the first 10 minutes and then spotlight our featured musician for 20 minutes including a 5 minute Q&A.”
You know…I love people, music and this amazing life I’ve been blessed with. I have had opportunities that would make most people cry with envy. You just never know where life will take you and I feel like I just hit the second big drop on the roller coaster of my life.”
Catch DC on his rock & roll show, “Barside Jive” on the Vokal Media platform at alongside “The Zoo” at http://www.vokalnow.com.. He’s got some great content coming to you as he sits down for a chat in his thirty-minute weekly show, with some of rock & roll’s greatest musicians. You can also follow DC and sign-up for exclusive behind the scenes stuff at http://www.barsidejive.com.
-Michelle Graves, Dallas Observer