The Tucson Film Festival presents The Palomino at The Screening Room prior to this event. This documentary explores the remarkable history of the legendary Los Angeles honky-tonk that helped shape the future of American music, chronicling the beating heart of California country music from 1949 to 1995. Both Rosie Flores and James Intveld have a personal history with the Palomino, making this screening a fitting introduction to the evening.
Rosie Flores, triple-threat Texas musician, has never allowed the challenge of navigating the male-centric worlds of rock and country music slow her down. In fact, she often drew upon those challenges as source material in sharply observed songs she not only wrote and sang with authority and passion, but also brought to life musically as a widely respected lead guitarist in a string of notable bands.
Rosie is one of the 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellows! In September 2024 she accepted her gold medal award at the Library Of Congress, appearing at the Kennedy Center as well as the White House.
In the 1970s, she became one of the most celebrated performers on the “cowpunk” circuit (a hybrid of punk rock and country), alongside such other rising stars as Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Rank & File, and Los Lobos (2021 NEA National Heritage Fellows). The release of her 1987 debut solo album Rosie Flores proved her to be a singer and songwriter of the first rank, and helped lay the foundation for what coalesced into the alt country movement.
Flores became the first Latina to crack Billboard’s country music chart. Flores has remained a spark plug live performer for more than five decades, a goosebump-inducing electric guitarist and songwriter as well as champion of the trailblazers who preceded her.
James Intveld, whose early inspirations include country crooners Hank Williams, Sr., Lefty Frizzell, early R&B shouters Big Joe Turner and Fats Domino, and rock and roll pioneers Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, is staying true to his iconic roots.
Those who know him have heard the stories of the archetypal rebel – the masterful multi-instrumentalist whose brother’s life was lost while on tour with the great Rick Nelson; the grandfather of west coast country rock. They know of his fierce spirit toward traditional country music. They know of his contributions to The Blasters, Dwight Yoakam, Dale Watson, and others while in league with the brightest and most ambitious musicians of the day at the Palomino Club of North Hollywood. They heard that he dubbed vocals for Johnny Depp in the movie Cry Baby and dueted with Reese Witherspoon for the movie Walk The Line.
