50th Year For Doc on the fret board - Click Here!

(Interview by: Riah)

I don't talk much about my past but for this young lady, I will - Doc

1. What is your full name?

Doc "Mistabluesman" Quinn

2. What is your date of birth?

7/23/1949

3. What is your place of birth?

Palo Alto, California

4. What is your ethnicity?

Caucasian

5. How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Three Sisters - Donna, Della (Your Grandmother) and Dorothy

6. Where have you lived?

As far as cities, many. States only two - California and Texas

7. What languages do you speak?

Fluently, English. A little, Spanish and French.

8. Describe your neighborhood when you were in junior high grades 6-9.

Middle to lower class areas.

9. What music food and clothing were popular during your teenage years?

Rock & Roll and the Blues baby! Beans taters & cornbread. To go all out, it was a hamburger and fries.

10. What games did you play as a child? as a teen?

Child games were pick up sticks, Jacks, Old Maid and ect. Teen games were, Spin The Bottle and any outdoors sports was good for me. I think I liked, Spin The Bottle the best!

11. How much did the movies, candy, clothing and gas cost when you were a teenager?

As a preteen, I remember seeing three movies for $0.10 (ten cents) in El Monte, California. As a teenager, the movies cost about $0.50 to get in. Candy was around $0.10 a bar. Levis were $6.00 a pair. Goodwill and/or Salvation jeans were the same as used shoes, $0.10 per pair. Gas was $0.35 per gallon. During gas wars the price could drop as low as $0.11 per gallon.

12. Did you have a "coming of age" ceremony as a teenager? (sweet 16 or something like that?).

Well, how do I answer this, let's see. I have worked all my life and I always seemed to be older than I really was to most folks. I guess I could answer by saying that at twelve years old, I went on a vacation by myself and traveled around California for two weeks (hitch hiking) and proved to myself that I was old enough and smart enough to make it on my own at that age. NOT RECOMMENDED TODAY!

13. What were the rules of your house? Did you rebel in any way?

Rules, yes and to follow them was the best thing you could do. Do your chores, (take out garbage, keep the yard up) and ect. To rebel against my Father was never a thought to me. He taught all of us kids many, many things and we were appreciative of that!

14. What jobs did you have throughout your life?

I'll start answering this question from early years to present, ok. Lawn work, fruit picking, cotton picking, ditch digging, loading RC Cola trucks, service station attendant, meat cutter, mechanic, truck driver, musician and currently, a TRUCK DRIVING BLUESMAN baby! All my earlier years, I would play my music on the weekends for a little money. I was a Marine, (USMC) from August 1966 thru August 1969.

15. Did you attend college? if so what did you study and where did you go?

Not as a student but I did visit them when I was a teen to see the ladies. Been chased off a few!

16. What presidents do you recall?

Dwight David Eisenhower, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Lyndon Baines Johnson, Richard Milhous Nixon,
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., James Earl Carter, Ronald Wilson Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush,
William Jefferson Clinton and currently, President, George W. Bush.

17. What were some of the important news events that you remember? How did you feel about that news?

The most important news was when I heard on the radio that President Kennedy had been assassinated. I was at the welding shop with my Father and heard on a local radio station, (KCOK) in Tulare, California. It went like this, "We interrupt this broadcast with news that, President Kennedy of the United States has just been assassinated". I'll never forget them words!.

18. What wars did you experience (either being a member of the armed forces or at home during wartime)? What was your experience? if you fought in the war ,what branch of the military were you in and what rank were you?

During the Vietnam war I was in the Marines. I was a weapons instructor as well as a truck driver. My basic job description was a 0311 (ground assault troop) and my extended job description was a 0341, (Mortar man, air assault weapon). I was Honorably Discharged as a Corporal E-4. I have been non military (civilian) for all wars after Vietnam.

19. What are some new inventions that have impressed you through the years?

Several electronic music expression devices. Like for guitars and keyboards. Compact Personal computers, (PC's) and air bags for automobiles.

20. Describe the cars you owned.

Man, this will take a while because I have had well over 60 personal vehicles. Let's make it easy and I will share with you my favorites, ok! 1941 Ford pick-up, 1955 Ford Crown Victoria, two 1949 Chevy Teardrops, two 1956 Mercury's., two 1957 Fords, 1963 Corvette, 1974 Ford Torino, 1958 Ford pick-up (Sally),  1941 Ford Super Deluxe, my current Dodge 4x4 pick-up and many, many others that would take forever to tell you about! I have had several Big Trucks and currently still drive my 1996 Freightliner.

21. Tell a family story or a family event.

Back when us four kids were pretty young, everyone was getting in the car to go to town and Della, (my middle sister and your Grandmother) got left at home. We were already to town when my oldest sister, (Your Aunt Donna) said, where's Della? My Mother and Father, (Your Great Grandmother & Grandfather) like to have went nuts trying to get back home to Della. It scared us all and when we got back home she was setting on the front porch crying. Like I say, it was scary back then but we have all laughed about it many a time.

22. Describe and briefly talk about someone you admire or admired.

I can't help but talk about my family here. We were as close and still are to this day, the closest family one would ever want to meet. I admire the love between us all and the willingness to drop right now what we are doing to help each other. Never have I seen a family as close as ours. My Father was my mentor, my hero and my best friend. My Mother is my hero and my best friend, all my sisters are my hero's and my best friends. There is no one in this world I admire more than my immediate family. Now, when it comes to love, it's all my family and yes sweetie, that includes you and yours.

Musically speaking it would be the likes of many passed and present Blues artists that helped pave the way for all music but most of all, my sisters, Della (Your Grandmother) and your Aunt Dorothy!

23. Who or whom were considered "heroes" while you were growing up and into adulthood?

John Wayne, JFK, Sonny Liston, Richard Petty, BB King and all my family members.

24. I know you've traveled a lot. What are some of your favorite historical or famous places you've visited? why are they your favorite?

I just love to go to the Delta and visit all the great places of our music roots. Clarksdale Mississippi is my second home. I go there all the time still to learn, visit, play and soak up the Blues baby! You ask me why? Cause your uncle Doc Loves Da' Blues Baby!

25. Your a kick butt musician, who are some other musicians who inspired you to play the kind of music you play? Have you ever had the chance to play with someone famous?

My style of Blues is a mix of Albert King, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Lowell Fulson, T Bone Walker and Lighting "Sam" Hopkins.

My mentors and musicians that I admired were my Father (Your Great Grandfather) Buddy Quinn and Freddie Thomas. My Father started me out playing the guitar shortly after he started your Grandmother (Della) and your Aunt Dorothy out learning to sing! Freddie Thomas was a 35 year mentor to me and for that and all he done for me, I am very grateful and love him. God Rest His Soul! 

I have been on stage with several great artists and still to this day play live with many! I hate to mention names in fear of forgetting to mention one and hurting feelings. Lets just say, I have been around the block when it comes to sitting in on some very special jam sessions.

A lesson to learn here is this, just because an artists has made it into the pockets (OWNED) of the large industry does not mean that he/she is the greatest thing going! See, there are several artists that play music and sing that are so far advanced than what you would hear on the radio and/or see on television in this world that it is unbelievable. 

Take your Grandmother for instance, She (Della) was a very special entertainer/writher/singer. I still today get calls and e-mails today from people that remember her from the 1960's and want to know if she is still entertaining and/or performing anywhere that they could go and see her. She never hit the pockets of the large music industry but, she reached the hearts of her fans. That's what counts.

Being a rich and famous artist that is "OWNED" by the large music industry is for some peoples but being a caring for the fans, singing from the heart, not into being as rich as you can artist is where it all started and in my book will always remain.

Well Riah, I have answered all your questions and had fun doing so. You are a very special interviewer. 

You ask some very good and meaningful questions.

If I can, I would like to add one thing to this interview, ok!

I am so proud of you Riah for being the good and caring young lady that you are.

Always remember that your Uncle Doc Loves "YOU" with all his heart and forever will!

Doc "Mistabluesman" Quinn

www.docquinn.com

Listen to your Uncle Doc as I play My instrumental "Hot To Trot" just for you Riah! Click Here!

Doc "Mistabluesman" Quinn - 2006

05/20/06 - by: dq