Folk musician William Florian delights East County audience with decades-old music memories

If you remember the 60s, the wry saying runs, then you were not there. Contrary to that popular notion of an addled generation of stoners and hippies, though, many people obviously do recall the so-called lost decade of peace and love—or, at least, they have not forgotten its lyrics.

If you remember the 60s, the wry saying runs, then you were not there. Contrary to that popular notion of an addled generation of stoners and hippies, though, many people obviously do recall the so-called lost decade of peace and love—or, at least, they have not forgotten its lyrics.

William J. Florian’s well-attended concert on Nov. 18, demonstrated that, as the mostly silver-haired concertgoers sang along during his “Those Were the Days” show. The concert’s subtitle was “The Spirit and Songs of the 60s.” Florian was a musician in the 60s and 70’s, for a time a member with his sister Nanette in the New Christy Minstrels folk music group.

True to the coffee house roots of folk and folk rock musicianship, Florian worked the aisles before his show began, personally introducing himself to audience members and taking requests. And as is also true to those music traditions, Florian proved to be a consummate storyteller alongside the easy, relaxed vocal and guitar performance of someone who has been a folk musician for around a half century.

Florian kicked off his show with the Woody Guthrie-penned “This Land Is Your Land,” which he described as the first big hit for the New Christy Minstrels. He asked the audience to sing along with a new verse he had written and added, about modern environmental sustainability and current generations being “stewards of the land.” His band featured a drummer-percussionist and the electric guitar bassist, Woody Andrews, Florian performed with since his earliest days as a rock musician. Florian’s humorous stage patter ranged over a broad set of topics about his involvement with music as a career. He recounted that he got his first guitar after seeing the Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and hearing girls screaming over the band. After a quick snippet from “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” Florian launched into “I’ll Never Find Another You,” which he dedicated to two audience couples celebrating anniversaries.

Although Florian admitted to having just the week before turned 62, his smooth, ringing voice belied his age. He told the crowd that he started his first band when he was in seventh grade. The show included the visual accompaniment of slideshows depicting famous singers and album covers from the 60s and 70s. 

One running joke throughout the show related to concert attendance of employees from Taylor Guitars. Florian started that joshing with discussion of learning the only necessity for basic rock music, the three chords to play “Louie, Louie,” “Hang On, Sloopy,” “Twist and Shout,” and “Wild Thing.” And, his later jokes related to the Taylor company’s supposed gifts of new instruments to pair with the Taylor guitar he was playing and another for his bassist.

Florian’s pre-intermission set included a long medley of songs made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary. He detailed how that group had debuted the classic peace anthem but the Kingston Trio “stole” the Bob Dylan song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by recording it before PP&M did.

Sherry Martin said she came to the concert because a friend gave her tickets, knowing that she loves music.

“I am a product of the ‘60s. I remember singing along to Peter, Paul and Mary with ‘Puff’ in elementary school,” Martin said. “Florian is a lot of fun. He’s a real entertainer, the whole package. I am enjoying this evening very much and this is a pleasant surprise.”

Florian told tales about his high school graduation and conundrum over how to earn a living. “I was a flower child, hippie, musician, what was I going to do?”

He and his sister began performing as a duo at such notable New England venues as Poopsie’s Pizza Parlor near the family’s Connecticut home. Florian listed the popular requests of the day, from the over-wrought “Feelings,” to “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” “Tie A Yellow Ribbon,” “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” and to Neil Diamond’s rock songs “Sweet Caroline” and “Cherry Baby.”

William and Nanette took off in a small motor home across country, all the way to Los Angeles.

“My office was a phone booth outside the space where we parked the camper,” he said.

He further told about holding onto a folded, frayed piece of paper in his wallet until he was brave enough to call the number written on it. The note bore the phone number of the manager of The New Christy Minstrels. Although he and Nanette were turned away after an impromptu audition in the group’s office lobby, William kept calling back. The persistence and practice paid off. One day, unexpectedly, William and Nanette got a call and airplane tickets westward on hold. The next day, the brother and sister were on stage before an audience of hundreds, performing as members of The New Christy Minstrels. William was lead singer on the group’s lovely, poignant romantic ballad “Today,” which was also the group’s biggest hit song.

He continued the show by relating that he had dubbed himself the American Musical Ambassador of Peace, singing his original “I’m Declaring Peace.” He further acknowledged belated Veterans Day honors to military troops. He incorporated other original pieces: a humorous ode to men called “ESPN,” written by a friend, and Florian’s own composition, “Bound to Change,” which he dedicated to bassist Woody Andrews and Woody’s wife, Mary.

Florian discussed his last performances in the current 40-city tour heading back to his Northern California home, and his relief at returning to the Golden State and “feeling cool again.” He shamelessly requested loud applause and a standing ovation, saying, “I want to come back.” Florian’s encore was “California Dreamin’,” for which he brought eight audience members on stage as back-up singers performing echo responses to the lead vocals. (The Taylor Guitar guys were among those invited up front.)

The Grossmont Community Concert Association presented Florian’s show as one of its Live on Stage San Diego offerings at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre at 6611 University Avenue. The association describes its long-standing role as providing “on stage performing arts for the San Diego region for over 65 years.” Proceeds from the concert series provide assistance in the form of scholarships and donated instruments to young musicians, including members of the East County Youth Symphony, who entertained the waiting crowd before Florian’s show. The next concert in the series is in January. More information on association sponsorships, memberships and show schedules can be found by calling (619) 444-0210 or visiting online at www.liveonstagesandiego.org.