David Serby’s short story long

PHOTO by CHRIS MILLER

Just one of the many virtues of honky-tonk singer/songwriter/guitarist David Serby is his uncanny ability to turn a very personal experience into a universal truth. And while many a country you-done-me-wrong song predictably lays the blame on an ex-flame for lyin’ or cheatin’—or both—Serby understands that life really isn’t that simple. In “Short Story Long,” a track from last year’s terrific Another Sleepless Night, the guilty party is the male protagonist. His girl lists all his dumb mistakes, one after another, until he finally tells her, “Just lock me out/that’s all you gotta do/and you won’t have to talk at me/until you turn blue.”

Spinning a good yarn is something the 43-year-old South Pasadena resident has learned from influences ranging from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson to Dave Alvin and John Doe. It’s those twangy genuine story-songs—often complex but never preachy—that lend themselves to the kind of vivid imagery and character-driven lyrics that Serby crafts so well. This is the real deal, friends.

Serby and his Sidewinders play classic Bakersfield-bred honky-tonk, with an occasional splash of Texas folk-blues tossed in. It’s a full and varied sound, thanks to an experienced band including producer/band leader/lead guitarist Ed Tree (Spencer Davis Group), bassist Taras Prodaniuk (Richard Thompson, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams) and drummer Gary Ferguson (John Hiatt, k.d. lang, Etta James).

Serby’s recordings are colored further by guest turns from the likes of keyboardist Skip Edwards (Desert Rose Band, Michelle Shocked, Dave Alvin), pedal-steel legend JayDee Maness (the Byrds, Buck Owens, Ray Stevens) and backing vocalists Amy Farris and Randy Crenshaw.

The Sidewinders are no country purists, however. Tree has significant blues and rock credentials; Prodaniuk is versed in the Beatles and Willie Dixon; and Ferguson has dabbled in pop, jazz, blues and zydeco.

“From the very first note we played as the Sidewinders, I could just feel how much this combination works—that it really does click,” says Serby. “I think this band does a great job with a big sound—that Harlan Howard-Buck Owens style. At the same time, they’re versatile enough for a subtler role behind my more introspective material. So I am very lucky and blessed to be surrounded by this group of guys.”

With this team behind him—plus the support of Chris Morris, host of Indie 103.1’s weekly two-hour Americana show Watusi Rodeo—the lanky, low-key Serby has created quite a buzz, emerging from small bars, clubs and open mic nights to play last year’s high-profile Stagecoach Festival. He’s also just recorded 13 rough tracks for a highly-anticipated new release, with two teasers—“I Only Smoke When I’m Drinkin’” and “Permanent Position”—available to hear and download from his website at DavidSerby.com.

While Another Sleepless Night is a decidedly band-oriented collection, Serby says his new material is more in the same singer-songwriter mold of Dave Alvin’s critically-praised Blackjack David. He describes one brand-new cut, “Heartache’s on the Other Sleeve”—featuring Rick Shea on pedal steel—as inspired by a conversation with his unfaithful ex-wife after she was recently cheated on herself. Another new one, “Tumble Down,” is about “a couple working things out with a wry smile behind the teardrops.”

And in between albums, Serby uncovered something else: the whereabouts of his biological parents. He’d known from an early age that he was given up for adoption. Although he’s had a wonderful relationship with his adoptive parents, after his father died from colon cancer in 2004, Serby decided to track down his biological parents. The search ended earlier this year in Apache Junction, Ariz., a small town 40 miles outside of Phoenix. His birth father—Pete Canton—was a longtime honky-tonk musician who showed Serby a photo album featuring Canton with Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, Tex Williams, and—get this—JayDee Maness. Serby says the family reunion—also involving his long-lost banker brother, Mark—was an emotionally draining yet ultimately rewarding experience, one from which he is likely to draw future songwriting inspiration.

“I feel myself heading in this John Prine-like direction now,” Serby says. “In a way, it’s kind of like a return to my roots where I strum an acoustic guitar and a lot of feelings and memories come to the surface. I can foresee this latest adventure providing fodder for perhaps a song or two down the road. I just don’t know yet what shape or direction that it may take.”

DAVID SERBY AND THE SIDEWINDERS THE PIKE RESTAURANT AND BAR | 1836 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 PIKELONGBEACH.COM | THURS 8:30PM | CALL FOR COVER | 21+ AND AT SAFARI SAM’S ALL-DAY COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH THE BLASTERS, KING COTTON, DAVE GLEASON AND MORE SAFARI SAM’S | 5214 W SUNSET BLVD | HOLLYWOOD 90027 | SAFARI-SAMS.COM | SUN 12:30PM | FREE BEFORE 7PM | $10 AFTER | ALL AGES

Tags: country, david serby, Long Beach, Music, the pike