The Pulsators ready to pump life into upcoming Cotati Music Festival

The Cotati Music Festival will take place at La Plaza Park on Saturday, June 24, from noon to 6 p.m. The bands include headliners,The Pulsators, along with Gas Money, BluesBurners, Batcha and Dustin Saylor.

The Pulsators offer audiences a smorgasbord of delicious music styles. Their eclectic repertoire has been described as "California Gumbo, a spicy mix of hard driving Rockin’ Rhythm and Blues, New Orleans style funk and Rock Steady Reggae with a steady dose of the blues thrown in." It is no wonder that they are winners in local popularity polls, including three Press Democrat Readers’ Choice awards. Current band members include Johnny Campbell on vocals and drums, Doug McKenzie on guitar, Mick Whittington on bass, Rick Clifford on saxophone, Glenn Sullivan on trumpet, and John Farey on keyboards.

McKenzie's passion for music was sparked by his older brother, who "turned him on to music and got him hooked." He taught him to pick music apart and listen to how each element contributed to the overall sound. One of McKenzie's favorite artists was American blues guitarist Otis Rush, a musician with a distinctive style who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984. McKenzie had fallen in love with the sound of his Fender Stratocaster, commonly called a "Strat." In 1973, his mom drove him from their home in the Monterey Bay area to Don Weir's Music City in San Francisco and bought him his first Strat for around $200.00. This type of guitar was a favorite of many famous musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen, to name a few. McKenzie currently has two of the prized guitars, one is an American made 40th anniversary edition and he won the other in an auction. About twenty years ago, Frank Hayhurst donated a red Mexican Strat to an auction held at the Tradewinds in Cotati. McKenzie was thrilled to be the lucky winner.

McKenzie is a former Cotati resident. He attended Sonoma State University in the early ’80s. Contrary to what one might expect, his major was physics not music. He also found astronomy fascinating. One of his upper division projects he described as "fun" was particle levitation by photon pressure.

In 1979, he started performing in his first club band with his sister, Teresa. After being a member in a succession of other bands during the ‘80s, he and Campbell became co-founders of The Pulsators in the late ’80s. Their first gig was at the Cotati Cabaret. He hooked up with Campbell during a recording project. Campbell was a drummer and song writer who had a repertoire of songs that McKenzie liked. He referred to them as "unique in a Johnny Campbell sort of way." In addition to being an excellent drummer and songwriter, Johnny Campbell plays drums and sings at the same time. This is not unheard of, but not that common since it is so difficult to do. Their shows feature about 70 to 80 percent original songs along with some of their favorite New Orleans classics. McKenzie refers to his style as "playing by feel." He said that some of his solos are always the same and others are never the same twice.

Famous singer, songwriter and keyboardist, Art Neville, liked Johnny's songs and developed a working relationship with the band. The Pulsators had the opportunity to open for the Neville Brothers on occasion. One memorable performance was at the House of Blues in Hollywood. The curtains opened to a standing room only crowd that McKenzie described as "a gig that blew my mind." Another outstanding experience was going on the road with the Neville Brothers in New Orleans.

The city of Cotati is immortalized in one of Campbell's songs, "Hottie from Cotati," which was written about his wife, Mary Jane. The Pulsators songs are available to listen to on Spotify and iTunes. CDs can be purchased at the Next Record Store and at their live shows.

McKenzie said that The Cotati Music Festival is one of his favorite venues. He loves performing outdoors in the sunshine with lots of other bands. He commented, "When we are up on stage looking at the audience smiling and dancing, how can it get much better than that?" The festival provides an opportunity to hear five fabulous bands in one afternoon. This free family friendly event is one not to be missed.

Marilyn Lane is a Sonoma County resident who worked as a newsroom employee at The Press Democrat for 27 years.