GILROY
– Rick Kienle may have spent two years playing bass for local
band Los High Tops, but he still can’t get a straight story
explaining their name.
GILROY – Rick Kienle may have spent two years playing bass for local band Los High Tops, but he still can’t get a straight story explaining their name.
What he does know, however, is that he, Lenny Fortunato and Tony Tissot love performing the eclectic mix of surf, rockabilly and jump blues they refer to as “surf-a-billy.”
“We are a group of older, stable men who just really love to play music,” he said.
But Kienle, who grew up in Texas, is much more than a 39-year old rocker.
He studied veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University and completed his residency at UC Davis. For the past 15 years he has worked as a traveling veterinarian specializing in heart disease. Kienle and his wife Betsy have two children, Reed, 11 and Abby, 7. The family has lived in Gilroy for seven years.
When Kienle isn’t working or plucking his bass, he volunteers for Little League and youth basketball teams and performs in the Gilroy Presbyterian Church’s praise worship team.
Kienle’s children love watching him perform with Los High Tops, but they can only attend a gig if it isn’t held in a bar. Recently, Kienle’s son began exploring his own musical talents.
While nothing can replace the support of his loyal fans, Kienle loves the camaraderie he shares with his band mates. They pride themselves on having fun while always giving a professional show.
“Obviously, there’s a pride involved with being able to play an instrument at a high level. Mostly it’s a form of personal expression. You just get a high from being able to express yourself in a non-verbal way. It’s also great to connect with the audience and provide an emotional high for them,” he said.
With 25 years of experience playing the bass, Kienle can’t imagine playing anything else.
“I was the third guitar player in my garage band and the least accomplished. When our bass player quit I got stuck with it. And I haven’t put it down since,” he said. Highlights of his music career include playing with country music star Lyle Lovett and at venues with George Strait, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Jr.
With his Texas country music days behind him, Kienle hopes to play with Los High Tops for years to come.
“I would like to stick with these guys in the long term. I’d like to be able to do a couple hours of original music; to be a completely original act,” he said. Recently the band performed at Gilroy’s Relay for Life, the Morgan Hill Friday night music series and the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
