Michael Gonzales released two albums in the 1980’s, produced by David Diggs, which got the attention of AOR and CCM lovers around the world for about a decade now, but especially from Japan and France. His unique music gathers influences from various artists and bands from the 1970’s considered as WestCoast, or AOR.
Hello Michael, thank you for accepting to answer our questions.
– You released your very first album at 26 and your second one at 29 years old, which is quite young. How did you end up recording music and signing on Sonrise and Maranatha! Music, which were, at the time, one of the most reputable Christian labels in the US ?
I was writing a lot of original music. I really liked music that David Diggs, my producer, was producing. I reached out to him and played him some of my songs. He understood where I was coming from. Bob Cotterell, of Sonrise Records, picked up the distribution.
On the second album we had a sponsor in Calvary Chapel West Covina. Pete Claproth was Executive Producer with David Diggs producing again. Maranatha’s MRC label picked it up as an independent project outside of their normal worship line.
– How did you familiarize yourself with music ? Did you study it at University ?
I took piano and violin lessons as a kid. Never really studied music formally outside of private lessons. Those lessons helped me get a foundation for understanding music. In junior high, I stopped private lessons and joined a band called Thee Showmen. We played a lot. During high school we were the house band at Gazzarri’s on the Strip. We also twice won major Battle of the Bands at East LA College. When I went to college myself, I lost serious interest in music and wanted to be a filmmaker.
– What were your influences at the time you released your albums ? I believe bands like The Imperials, Bruce Hibbard but also Steely Dan were in your record collection !
I didn’t listen to the Imperials or Bruce but I did follow Pages, with Richard Page singing lead vocals. I also loved Robie Duke, Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins, Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald, and Al Jarreau.
– Talking of influences, your LP “Fire In My Soul” was produced and arranged by David Diggs. How did you meet him, and how did you end up being produced by him ?
Fire In My Soul and Mountaintop we’re both produced by David Diggs. He is an amazing producer and we are still friends today. David has some of the best horn and string arrangements on albums I’ve heard. When he heard my music he understood when I was coming from. Music that had a message but not preachy or even worship music sung in churches like with hymnals. I know it limited my playing to not so many venues but I had to be honest about who I was and what I wanted to convey.
Two of my favorite artists in the same vein today are Olé Borud and Jerod Lawson, oh and Michael Ruff. They all have music where the musicality draws you in and the message makes you think and feel.
– And your second album “Mountaintop” features vocals from David Page, Bill Champlin and his wife, Tamara, but also amazing musicians who created beautiful instrumentals for the albums. How come did you guys work together ? Do you have any particular anecdote with them ?
One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received was from John Ferraro, drummer on Mountaintop who after listening to the finished product said he was so emotional he cried.
Also from John Patitucci who after listening said,”Michael, I love you.”
By the way, one of the vocalists On Fire In My Soul, on Wait For The Day, is now Larry King’s wife. I wonder if she ever heard the finished track. She was a studio singer at the time.
– How were the recording sessions like ? What was the writing / recording process, as I believe you didn’t write all the songs ?
I wrote most of them. I told David Diggs what other songs I liked. We did both albums very traditional, rhythm section first, horns second, strings third.
By the time the second album was out I liked The Police and Pages who didn’t have horns so I suggested we do the same so I could a small band on the road. Not sure if I did the right thing. I love Bill Chaplin. One day I was at his house and asked him if he had any songs I could use. He went to his piano and started playing me Thank You, Jesus. I said, “That’s it,” and the rest is history.
– Did you do these two albums just for fun ? Or did you want to be a “full time” musician at that time ?
To be honest, I wanted to be a full time musician but realized I couldn’t feed my family doing gigs so I started teaching at a university.
– What was your reaction when you heard that people across the globe (especially from Japan and France) were looking for copies of your albums released almost 40 years ago ?
I am amazed. By the way, I went to Japan in 2005 to teach film. The distributor of my music in Japan asked me to play in a jazz café called Kick Back Café. I did. I sent charts and CD’s to the Japanese musicians. I was surprised that that little place which sat maybe 175 people had about 400 people out the door each night. The President of the Japanese label said, “They know you here.” I was honored at it was very humbling.
Also, I learned that when I was really feeling the groove, I would one of the other players to do a solo. They got lost. If it wasn’t written in the charts they didn’t know where to go. It was very funny.
– Did you record other songs in the 1980’s that you never released, or everything recorded went on either one of your albums ?
I only recorded these two albums.
– You have been a teacher at Biola University for 28 years now. What is your teaching area, and what kind of lectures do you give to your students ? Do they know that you did music aside from your film career ?
I never really talk about my music life in class but some clever student found my music on YouTube and the students started telling others and listening to it.
I just found out last month that two of my students got engaged and they will be playing Waiting For Love at their wedding. I bet if I started doing gigs again I would have a following in the US.
By the way, someone else I’ve met 3 times in Los Angeles at the NAMM show is Kyle Eastwood who is popular in France.
He knows me maybe as a film guy but not as a musician.
We both love Phil Jones Bass products, very high end bass amps and are friends with Phil Jones.
By the way, I teach film production.
– Do you still continue to write and/or record music ?
I continue to write music and play or lead worship at church on Sundays.
