Hitting the right notes

Tony DeMicoli honored for his work in Oregon music

By Garth Guibord

The Sandy Post, Oct 17, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (3 Reader comments)

Garth Guibord / The Sandy Post

Tony DeMicoli leaves the stage with his trophy after being inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 13.

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In the late 1970s, Tony DeMicoli picked up a hitchhiker on his way to get supplies to make stained glass. That hitchhiker had a friend who wanted to start a club, which sounded interesting to DeMicoli.

Thirty years later, DeMicoli’s journey in music took a quick stop at the Roseland Theatre in Portland on Saturday, Oct. 13, when he was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame for his efforts in giving local music talent the opportunity to play.

”It’s an honor; I’m very elated,” said DeMicoli, 61, of Rhododendron. “I go back through my life, and I feel like I did a lot.”

“One thing that we want to recognize are those people behind the scenes that are responsible for making the local music scene happening; that’s where Tony came in,” said Terry Currier, president of the hall’s board of directors. “He always made room, where they were an opening act or they were the act.”

DeMicoli started making room for bands as the manager of Portland’s The Long Goodbye in 1978. Responsible for booking music acts, he saw there was a real opportunity to introduce new blood into the club scene, including the band Nu Shooz.

“There were some really good clubs, but there were always the same bands playing,” DeMicoli said. “I started booking the ones that couldn’t get in, and people really loved them.”

From there, DeMicoli helped manage a series of other clubs, including Aldo’s, Chuck’s and Luis’ La Bamba, which he referred to as “the shortest-lived club with the longest legacy.” He finally ended up at Key Largo, where he eventually became owner until 1999.

The music scene when DeMicoli started in the business was much different than today, with many more options available to the public.

“One of the things I can say is a difference is back in the ’80s, people were out in the clubs constantly, not just Friday and Saturday nights,” said DeMicoli. “People felt safe enough to walk from club to club. They all had great music.”

“It would be great if more than a handful of acts can make a living off of playing music today,” Currier said. “It’s harder for them to get in the clubs these days.”

Making music

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