Randy Sparks, Dave Clapton, and Chuck Cole with
The New Christy Minstrels® Signature Martin guitars that had just arrived at
Nicholson's Music, Fair Oaks, California.
Chuck Cole
Chuck Cole is the epitome of what a New Christy Minstrel should be. He has diverse
and extremely useful talent and more enthusiasm than a Durham bull in a Jersey cow
pasture. His only disadvantage is in having a lucrative day-job. He's a lobbyist
in the California State Legislature, and I have great fun in letting the audience
know that every minute that Chuck plays and sings on stage with The NCM the
taxpayers of California are saving big-bucks. For a time, when our retro-folk group
was in the tedious process of slowly being revived, Chuck was the only one with more
money than he seemed to deserve, so the con-man who temporarily served as our
manager used him as a cash-cow. "Chuck, I've left my credit card at home, will you
put these flights on yours, just until we get back?" Of course, the repayment
didn't happen, and the Cole family suffered a major blow to their economy when the
thief finally showed his true colors. I'm pleased to report that I have repaid
all of the performers’ losses to the Queen Creek Bandit. When Chuck is able to be
with us in concert, it's because of his talent, not his vulnerability.
RS