Jerry tries out the new Whitney drum set, accompanied by Dan Wheetman. Photo: Ed Littlefield, Jr.

Who's That Ghost?

If you've gone to any of the recent Marley's Ghost concerts, you may have noticed the drummer laying down a rhythmic groove.

Meet Jerry Fletcher, the newest member of Marley's Ghost.

Jerry is an incredible drummer, keyboard ace and singer, who has played and recorded with the band many times over the years.

Out of Kalispell, Montana, but originally from Ventura County, California, he and Danny were in various high school bands together. They joined forces in Aspen in the early '70s to form the Honky Tonk Swamis and Liberty, which recorded for RCA and toured for a year with Steve Martin. He worked a bit with both Pat Flynn and John Denver during this period.

Back in California in 1984, Jerry was, in fact, AN ORIGINAL MARLEY'S GHOST for a handful of gigs with Jon, Danny, Erika Borgeson Wilcox and Pat McGrath.

He's just what the Ghost has needed musically and is also a thoughtful, upbeat person. Jerry will be joining us on the upcoming Bozeman run (Sept. 10-11) and the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas (Sept. 14-18).

– Jon W. Wilcox

More from Jerry

I grew up in the same California town with Danny. Although I was in junior high when he was in high school, we knew each other because we were both local musical Heros in town and everyone knew us.

We really didn't start hanging out until I was in my last year of high school and then he started coming over and we started playing music together. Danny turned me on to all sorts of eclectic music and informed me that I was going to be in his country band. I thought he was nuts because I was a Rock guy, but we began a musical relationship and a friendship that would last a lifetime. We played music and traveled the country together for the next 10 or 12 years.

I have known the guys through my friendship with Dan for many years and whenever they needed a keyboard part or some drums on a CD or on a particular gig, I would be there if I was available. I play drums, keys, accordion, mandolin and sing as well as arrange.

I had just finished college in S. California where I got a BA in voice and piano. I was teaching at a local school, playing in a band and was section leader in a big Catholic choir when I got a call from a friend in Kalispell, Montana, who said we need a keyboard player – can you come? Having spent alot of time in Aspen, Colorado, I missed the mountains. So I thought about it for 10 minutes, quit my jobs (with notice of course), moved to Montana, fell in love with it and never left.

I have a music school here for kids that is just AWEsome, and have been playing music these last 14 years with my band as well as doing chorale stuff, recording, writing jingles and heading the music department of a small church.

– Jerry Fletcher

Ghost Ad Libs: The Cratchit Report

With the recording of SPOOKED completed - awaiting a Feb. 2006 release date – and Danny off in Denver performing in FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, the band's winter-spring gigging was intermittent: an early March Berkeley date, an invigorating Colorado weekend with concerts in Denver and Colorado Springs and a small jewel of a festival – Pine Mountain – in Atascadero, California, where we played and carried on with Joe Craven, Raul Reynoso, Laurie Lewis and Tommy Rozum, David Jackson and various Rincon Ramblers.

In early May, Danny, Jon, Mike and Phil Salazar joined Steve Riley, Kevin Wimmer and Courtney Granger for several days as the ersatz Mamou Playboys for the Rancheros Visitadores trailride in the Santa Barbara backcountry and then reconvened with Eddie and new Ghost Jerry Fletcher for a lovefest of a gig at Seattle's fine Triple Door.

And then there have been the summer gigs around Northern California; in Bend, Oregon; Port Townsend, Washington; Grass Valley, California (the incredible – and very hot – World Music Festival) and Snowbird, Utah; as well as Jon's grand evening at Berkeley's Freight and Salvage with Larry Hanks and Carlos Reyes.

Let me catch my breath and I'll get back to you…

– jww