Stray Cat Lee Rocker Hits Montalvo Stage 3/9

Montalvo Arts Center continues its acclaimed Carriage House Concert Series with a rollicking solo appearance by Lee Rocker, co-founder of the famed rockabilly band The Stray Cats. Rocker made his mark standing on, spinning, and rocking out on his giant upright bass, prompting the Orange County Weekly to declare "there has never been a rock 'n' roll bass player more fun to watch in concert." With the Grammy-nominated The Stray Cats, which has sold over 10 million albums and garnered an astounding 23 gold and platinum certified records worldwide, Rocker recorded hits including "Stray Cat Strut," "(She's) Sexy +17," and "Rock This Town," listed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the songs that shaped rock 'n' roll. Rocker has also played and recorded with musical legends including Carl Perkins, Scotty Moore, Wanda Jackson, Levon Helm, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, among others. Rocker will perform 8pm, March 9 at the Montalvo Arts Center, 15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga. For tickets ($54 Reserved, $60 Premier) and more information the public may visit montalvoarts.org or call 408-961-5858.

In 1979, Lee Rocker (born Leon Drucker) formed the group The Stray Cats with school friends James McDonnell and Brian Setzer, and went on to bring rockabilly music to the top of the charts, pioneer music videos in the early days of MTV, and remain a radio staple even to this day. Rocker's personal discography includes another 11 albums, including The Cover Sessions, which incorporates banjos, harmonicas, dobro, mandolins, washboards, and all types of folk instruments, offering an Americana twist on classic 1970s radio hits from Lennon/McCarthy to Elton John to the Allman Brothers. His many awards and accolades include a Lifetime Achievement Award from Bass Player magazine, induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and the Visionary Artist Award from the Laguna Beach Arts Council.

For nearly 60 years, Montalvo Arts Center's Carriage House Concert Series has presented world-class talent in an intimate indoor setting, becoming a treasured series for performing arts fans in Silicon Valley. Housed in the 316-seat Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, the series features a diverse array of artists from a variety of genres from classical to jazz to R&B, rock, and even comedy. Some nights also include the opportunity to dine at Bistro Montalvo, with a prix-fixe dinner served in the elegant historic Villa Montalvo, catered by ModernTaste ($60 per person and offered at select performances).

Montalvo Arts Center is a donor-supported nonprofit institution, whose mission is to create and present art of all types, nurture artists, and use its historic buildings and grounds in innovative ways that engage people in the creative process. Located in Silicon Valley's Saratoga Hills, Montalvo occupies a Mediterranean-style Villa, built in 1912 by Senator James Duval Phelan and surrounded by 175 stunning acres. Senator Phelan bequeathed the Villa and grounds to the people of California for the encouragement of art, music, literature, and architecture, a mandate Montalvo has carried forward ever since its founding. The grounds include the campus of the Sally and Don Lucas Artists Residency Program (LAP), the Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, and the Lilian Fontaine Garden Theatre. For more information about Montalvo Arts Center and its programs, the public can call 408-961-5858 or visit montalvoarts.org.