Yep Roc Records
The “King of California” Dave Alvin is set to reign again.
Alvin, 66, has been in a battle with prostate cancer, but today announced a nine-city California tour with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, starting June 21 at Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz, wrapping up at the Troubadour in West Hollywood July 2.
As you can imagine, after the last two and half years of fighting cancer, I am very excited and happy to be going out on the road again,” Alvin said in a press statement from Yep Roc Records. “Please join me, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and all of our musical tribe, as we celebrate with some loud and glorious, guitar bashing and life affirming noise.”
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Alvin said “He suffered from neuropathy, a common side-effect from chemo, which left him unable to play guitar for months — He worried he’d never again pick up the instrument.”
“There was a song of mine called ‘King of California,’ I couldn’t play it,” he says. “My fingers wouldn’t go there. That is such a weird feeling.”
Named for their hometowns in Southern California and West Texas, respectively, on their June 2018 album, “Downey To Lubbock,” “the two combine their individual aesthetics perfectly” (Paste) delivering “an alternatively sweet, touching, rousing and undeniably heartfelt set that plays to both artist’s strengths.” (American Songwriter). Part road map and part love letter: the 12-song collection spans nearly a century of material and are tributes to mutual heroes, friends gone too soon and lifetimes spent on the highway “living off dreams and gasoline.”
Alvin told Rolling Stone, “I’m fairly positive, and I’ve got a few more years, you know? I’m cancer-free today, and hey, tomorrow? Who knows.”
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore Tour Dates
June 21 — Moe’s Alley — Santa Cruz
June 22 — Harlows — Sacramento
June 23-24 — Kate Wolf Fest — Laytonville
June 25 — Guild Theater — Menlo Park
June 26 — Rancho Nicasio — Nicasio
June 28 — The Chapel — San Francisco
June 30 — Belly Up — Solana Beach
July 1 — Pappy & Harriet’s — Pioneertown
July 2 — Troubadour — West Hollywood
Tickets: LINK
