Stephen El Rey

Stephen Rey is an American musician, artist, songwriter, and a troubadour of sorts. He was born at the George Air Force base in the high desert of Victorville, California. His folks transferred to San Diego when he was three. At age seventeen he learned the art of hitchhiking and busking the streets of San Francisco before doing a brief stint at San Diego State University and learning the construction trade. Rey primarily attributes his musical influence to his childhood in El Centro – an agricultural city situated in the Imperial Valley of California. His grandfather was a self-made, hard working truck driver/owner and rancher who measured the stature of a man by how hard he worked. Rey’s grandmother owned a local Cantina where occasionally live music was brought in. Invariably, a Juke Box would be playing Johnny Cash, Rene/Rene and others. Coincidentally, Rey's grandparents on his mother's side owned two working Jukeboxes in their living room. These were leftover remnants from a failed restaurant/bar business in the border town of Mexicali. It was there that Rey gravitated towards the Jukebox; he just loved reaching up and randomly pushing the big square white-horse-tooth buttons of letters and numbers to see what songs he might surprise himself with. If he was lucky enough to pick a good one, his grandmother would just laugh, dance and have a good ole time. As a result, he discovered 50's rock ‘n roll, country music, and a long lasting affinity for old Mexican love songs. Rey’s affliction for blues also expanded to jazz and murder ballads. He carries a torch and passion for those things that are slowly disappearing in our American culture. These changes are characterized in his composition, “The Old Fashioned Future.” His songs dangerously tight rope honky tonk, border town barrel house country blues, and at times unpredictable rock & roll with a southern swamp. As MoJo Nixon said, it’s “The Gun Club meets Memphis’ Tav Falco drunk.” Rey has written and composed hundreds of songs and performed with various musicians from all over the world. The following are some of the prestigious bands Rey has either opened up for and/or performed with throughout his music career: Dale Watson Hank Williams III Jesus Lizard The Blasters Dave Alvin Reverend Horton Heat Jesse Dayton Dirt Bombs El Vez Rosie Flores Sharon Jones & Dap Kings BRMC No Doubt Joan Jett Cadillac Tramps Jewel Wayne Hancock Leon Russell Detroit Cobras Pearl Jam Diablo Dimes Rocket From the Crypt Cash’d Out Marcia Ball Tim Blume James Hunnicutt Soda Gardocki The BellRays Danzig Andrew Bird Most often Rey performs with his acoustic guitar; however, he has also been featured as the bass player for bands around the country. Those credits include: Cash’d Out Schitzophonics John Reis Bartender’s Bible Diablo Dimes Lady Dottie & the Diamonds Madjuana (Sammy Yaffa) Erika Davies Currently, Rey is featured with Cash’d Out – a Johnny Cash tribute band who is currently on tour performing in over 100 cities coast to coast throughout the USA. Check our Instagram for upcoming shows and information