Gary Puckett And The New Union Gap
- patrick4
A Question I Get Asked Almost Weekly…
“So… when’s the next time you guys are playing with Gary Puckett at a Park West show?”
If you’ve asked me that question, you’re definitely not alone.
It’s one of the questions I hear almost weekly, so I figured it was finally time to tell the whole backstory.
Because unless you’ve actually witnessed one of these performances, it almost sounds like an urban legend.
“Wait… Gary Puckett? As in “Gary Puckett & The Union Gap” Gary Puckett?”
Yep.
That Gary Puckett.
“It Starts Like Any Other Park West Event…”
Every year, thousands of people from around the world attend Park West art auctions either online, in galleries, at luxury resorts, and aboard cruise ships all around the world.
Guests arrive expecting to see incredible artwork, maybe enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne (or two), meet world-renowned artists, and hopefully
head home with a memorable experience as well as beautiful art to hang on the wall.
Pretty standard… Until it isn’t.
Because every now and then, if the stars happen to align, something completely unexpected happens after the auction.
The lights dim and the sound of waking instruments fill the air.
Suddenly you’re literally sitting a few feet away from the legendary Gary Puckett as he starts singing “Young Girl”.
The expressions on people’s faces are priceless. Most never saw it coming.
“Why And How Gary Puckett?”
People ask that all the time. The answer is actually pretty simple.
Gary and his wonderful wife, Lorrie, are serious art collectors and longtime friends of the Park West family.
Over the years, Gary’s music naturally became part of certain VIP events that he would be attending, creating something that no one could have planned – but everyone remembers.
And trust me… When Gary starts singing those songs, you instantly remember why he became one of the biggest voices of the ‘60s and 70’s.
Hits like ”Young Girl”, “Woman, Woman”, and “Over You” helped make Gary Puckett & The Union Gap one of the hottest groups in the world.
At one point, just between 1967 and 1968, the group pounded out six consecutive gold records, selling more records in the U.S.A. in 1968 than anybody else, including The Beatles.
Not bad company to keep.
“Somehow… I Ended Up in the Band”
This is still the part that makes me smile.
The first time I saw Gary perform with fellow artist and dear friend Scott Jacobs during a Park West event overseas, they randomly got up and played a couple of Gary’s songs for a VIP audience.
They just rocked it. The VIP group absolutely ate it up.
Half joking (half not), I walked over afterward and said,
“If you guys ever do this again and would like to have a bass player… give me a call.”
I figured it was one of those things you say that everyone laughs about and then forgets.
Apparently not. A short time later my phone rang. Scott was on the other end. He wasn’t kidding and neither was I. Jason and Gary started putting the next phase into action.
“Meet “The New Union Gap”
Before long, we had ourselves a full band. Gary affectionately dubbed us “The New Union Gap”.
When we’re performing aboard a cruise ship, we become known as “The Cruisin’ Gap” … because every good mystery band needs multiple identities.
“The Line Up”
Our lineup has become a wonderfully unlikely collection of artists, musicians, historians, and auctioneers.
* Gary Puckett – Lead Vocals, Guitar
* Scott Jacobs – Drums
* Me (Patrick Guyton) – Bass Guitar, Vocals
* Jason Betteridge – Park West Principal Auctioneer on Percussion, Vocals
* Maurice Shapiro – Park West Art Historian and Museum Director/Curator on Percussion and Vocals
“It’s probably one of the only bands in the world
where the percussion section can also explain Renaissance art between songs.”
“The Hardest Part Isn’t Learning the Music…”
It’s getting everyone in the same place at the same time.
Gary has one simple rule. If one of us can’t make it… We don’t do a show.
That means five busy schedules, all traveling the world at different times and in different places – have to somehow line up at exactly the right time.
But when they do… “let the pigeons loose”
We’ve played aboard cruise ships outside of exotic lands and inside the most elegant ballrooms at exclusive top level VIP events.
We’ve been written up in magazines, and yes… we’ve even performed in castles (on three different occasions no less)
Not many musicians get to casually work that into conversation.
“More Than Music”
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that playing music with people creates a bond that’s hard to describe.
You don’t have to know someone for decades.
Stand on a stage together, listen to each other, trust each other, and somewhere along the way you become something more than friends or co-workers.
It’s a little like old cowboy trail partners… or bikers who have logged thousands of miles together.
There’s an understanding that doesn’t need explaining. An unspoken camaraderie that creates the machine.
I think every musician knows exactly what I’m talking about.
That’s one of the reasons these performances mean so much to me.
Without a doubt, the audience enjoys the music.
But for those of us on stage, we’re making memories too.
The kind you carry with you long after the last note fades away.
So… When’s the Next Show?
I wish I knew. Truly. I am “on call”
That’s part of what makes these performances so special. They aren’t advertised months in advance.
They aren’t part of a Gary’s regular tour circuit. They simply happen when everything – and – everyone comes together.
So here’s a little insider tip…
If you’re attending a Park West VIP event and you notice Scott Jacobs, Patrick Guyton, Jason Betteridge and Maurice Shapiro on the dockett…
You might want to stick around. You just never know Gary Puckett is probably not far behind!
Something unforgettable could be about to happen.
Maybe I’ll see you there.