ENTERTAINMENT
That’s Entertainment!
From Country Summer to local movie houses to kid rock bands—there’s no business like show business in the North Bay
Inside: Gene Simmons on Brand ADUs • Napa Insider • Tech Talk Great Tastes • Piatti • Vine Wise
Entertainment Issue 2025
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APRIL 2025 • Volume 50 • Number 4 CONTENTS
50 YEARS OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
22
LEAD STORY 22 Country Summer Roads Bo Kearns The biggest country music festival in Northern California returns for 2025
FEATURE STORIES 30 The Far-From-Last Picture Show Jean Saylor Doppenberg Ticket sales on the rise at local movie houses 38 For Those About to Rock… Janet Perry Rock-band programs take center stage in local music education 45 Special Report: ADUs Jessica Zimmer Accessory Dwelling Units are their own cottage industry 50 Kissed by Good Fortune Jason Walsh Rocker-businessman Gene Simmons is all about the brand
WORK/LIFE 16 Tips 17 Retirement 18 AI
April 2025
NorthBaybiz 5
64 56
29 DEPARTMENTS 12 The 707
58
COLUMNS 11
Editor’s Note Jason Walsh North Bay entertainment strikes a chord Vine Wise Adam Lee How tariffs affect wine country Tech Talk Michael E. Duffy If you can’t beat ChatGPT, join ‘em!
The latest news from Sonoma and Napa counties
21
13
The 415 The latest news from Marin County
29
19
The Month In Numbers A look at the key figures shaping life in the North Bay
37
56
Napa Insider Christina Julian Activate and stream on Econ 101 Robert Eyler A look at the used-car market
Great Tastes Alexandra Russell Merriam Vineyards in Healdsburg Dine Wise Jason Walsh Piatti in Mill Valley What’s Happening Upcoming North Bay events
58
44
61
60
In the Kitchen John Ash Breast of chicken with capers and olives
63
On the Move Comings and goings in the business community
On the cover Country Summer Music Festival 2024 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. [Image by Will Bucquoy]
65
Biz Scene Marin Builders Association Crab Feed
66
Beyond the Boardroom Rosie Padilla Tony Saunders, North Bay bassist, recording artist
/northbaybiz
/northbaybiz
@northbaybiz
NorthBay biz (ISSN No. 1542-3549: USPS 097-770) is owned and published monthly (plus three bonus issues annually) by North Bay Media Group, LLC. Editorial offices are at 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA: (707) 528-4434. Sub- scription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Santa Rosa, CA 95402 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022, NorthBay biz. Reproduction of this issue in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without written permission by the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NorthBay biz, 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA.
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6 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
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Contributing Editor
Bill Meagher
Design Director
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Administrative Assistant
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Lori Rooney
Writers Bill Meagher Bo Kearns
Janet Perry Jason Walsh Jean Saylor Doppenberg Jessica Zimmer Rosie Padilla
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Columnists Adam Lee Alexandra Russell Bill Meagher Christina Julian Jason Walsh John Ash Michael E. Duffy Robert Eyler Photographers Duncan Garrett Will Bucquoy
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8 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
Books ArePortable Magic Remember being read to as a child? M y mother read aloud to me, and one of my favorite books was Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. But what I remember most was the sound of her voice, the rhythm of the words and what it felt like leaning into her, while she read aloud to me. The pages of those books she read transported us to faraway places—real and imaginary—and taught me about life and oPened my mitnd to all the possibilities. So when I became a mother, I began reading to my kids. And now I’m reading to my grandchildren every chance I get. As for my mom, now a great-grandmother, she still takes great joy in reading to the kids whenever she visits. Remember to take time every chance you get—eat, play, read. Reading helps build language and thinking skills, develops a child’s imagination and empathy for others, achieve better in school, and it’s a great way to spend time together. And best of all, reading aloud to your child makes memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. That’s what my mother was doing years ago when she took the time to read aloud to me.
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Editor's Note
North Bay entertainment really strikes a chord
By Jason Walsh, editor
I ’ ve seen the Who’s “Baba O’Riley” performed live twice. The first time was many years ago by the legendary band itself; I was in college and the Who was in Oakland amid one of its many farewell tours. The second was years later, when my 13-year-old son Sam played the song live with his band at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, strapping on his guitar and taking the stage with his friends in a venue famous for hosting such names as Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana, Sammy Hagar, Van Morrison, Etta James and members of the Grateful Dead. Guess which moment made the more lasting impression on me. Sam is no virtuoso on Strat, but he was
local music scenes with the next generation of talent. Of course, the North Bay isn’t just about middle school students playing the “Seven Nation Army” riff ad nauseum. Major acts pass through these parts from time to time as well. The Country Summer Music Festival, celebrating its 10th incarnation this June, is hosting such names as Sam Hunt, Kane Brown and Dustin Lynch. Writer Bo Kearns looks behind the scenes at the annual festival bringing the growing renaissance of country music to life at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Turning from music to movies, writer Jean Saylor Doppenberg’s story on the state of local movie theaters is a “must see,” to borrow a phrase from hack movie critics, as local venue operators are enjoying their second straight year of increased ticket sales. Whether it’s an uptick in Hollywood product, upgrades
Above, Jack Black in School of Rock ; at right, Sam Walsh at Sweetwater in Mill Valley.
perfectly adept at the three power chords it takes to bang out the classic rock staple (it’s the one with “teenage wasteland!” in the final chorus) before a packed audience of proud parents. He was enrolled in a music program called Band Works, which pulled together individual kids to form a “rock band,” led by an adult music teacher who’d assign them roles (vocals, bass,
in comfortable seating and boozy concessions, or the consolidation of venues following a run of post-pandemic closures (or all of the above), the curtains are a far way from closing on the ol’ Big Screen. Finally, out of the blue last month, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons gave NBb a call (well, his people did) for a lengthy talk with the musician- entrepreneur about his various business pursuits (and anything else on his mind) in anticipation of his Gene Simmons Band performing at Graton this month. A day later the show was canceled—but the interview lives on, bringing our Entertainment Issue to a close, or a resounding “Kiss-off,” if you prefer. The North Bay is filled with a lot more talent and entertainment options than one would expect from a sometimes-sleepy suburb—get out and enjoy it, folks. Despite what Kiss once declared, God didn’t give rock and roll to you. Talented musicians, hard-working venue operators and passionate entertainment entrepreneurs did. So show your support, and bring a little something for the tip jar. n
drums, guitar, keys, etc.) and teach them a handful of popular rock songs. Each program session lasted about three months, with practicing at home, weekly rehearsals at a studio, culminating in a live performance at a professional venue. It was definitely a step up from my childhood musical training, which largely consisted of 30 fourth graders getting handed a recorder and playing “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” in an elementary school multi-purpose room. Music education has evolved—the emphasis is less on learning scales, and more on playing as a team and having fun. Scales can wait—developing a lifelong love of music is now the goal. Just a couple of years later and these types of rock-band programs are everywhere. While some public and private schools offer similar instruction, it’s typically businesses like the School of Rock franchises that lead the way. In this month’s Entertainment Issue, writer Janet Perry talks with several local rock-band programs about their inspiration for starting their schools of rock (note: the Jack Black movie was inspired by a Philadelphia School of Rock, not the other way around) and their dreams of supplying the
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NorthBaybiz 11
The 707
Montgomery Village announces slate of new brands Fresh cupcakes, designer sports apparel and artisan ice cream are coming to Santa Rosa. Montgomery Village, the shopping center at 911 Village Court in Santa Rosa, recently announced a wave of new businesses set to open at The Village within the next year. “With these new offerings, Montgomery Village continues to evolve as a dynamic gathering place, providing a diverse mix of experiences that cater to all ages and interests,” mall officials said Feb. 27 in a press release. Brands coming to Montgomery Village this year include Vuori, a premium performance apparel company inspired by the active California lifestyle, and Salt & Straw, the Portland-based ice cream brand that partners with local artisans to create unique flavors. Other businesses the Village will welcome are Fieldwork Brewing Company, Sweetgreen, a restaurant offering fresh salads, warm bowls and protein plates, and Sprinkles, known in the dessert industry for its innovative flavors and cupcake ATMs. “We’re excited to bring a little extra sweetness to this wonderful community with our signature desserts,” Emily Wisecarver, Northern California director at Sprinkles, said in the release. This slate of new businesses follows on the heels of several 2024 openings, including Bluemercury, Face Foundrie and Mendocino Farms.
Kris Miller, general manager at Montgomery Village, said the mall is excited to add new brands to the Village’s collection of long-time businesses. “As we continue to grow, we’re thrilled to introduce fresh concepts The Village has never had before, such as a brewery, ice creamery, and much more.” Last year, Montgomery Village also made a number of property enhancements, including the opening of The Passage, a covered passageway that connects the property's north and south ends, and the renovation of The Courtyard, a gathering space for shoppers. For more information and updates about store openings, visit montgomeryvillageca.com .— JW
Napa winery insurance company MIV sold to international brokerage
Malloy Imrie & Vasconi Insurance (MIV), a Napa Valley firm focused on employee benefits and personal insurance in the wine industry, was acquired this month by Hub International Limited, a global insurance brokerage and financial services firm. The acquisition, announced March 5, will enhance Hub’s commercial and employee benefit services in the agribusiness industry and high-net-worth personal insurance, according to a statement from Hub officials. “MIV Insurance’s depth of knowledge and experience in the wine industry” was of particular interest for Hub, the company’s Central & Northern California CEO Darren Caesar said in the announcement. Founded in 1890, MIV manages more than 600 wineries, among other clients in the agriculture, construction, hospitality and high-net-worth sectors. MIV has offices in Saint Helena and Napa. Going forward, MIV Insurance will be referred to as MIV Insurance, a Hub International company. More info at hubinternational.com.—JW
Sonoma County to create new Registrar of Voters Department Sonoma County is getting its own elections czar, as the Board of Supervisors in January approved a proposal to create a new department to oversee elections run by a board-appointed Registrar of Voters. Currently the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters is an elected position that also holds the duties of clerk, recorder and assessor. Under the new structure, the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor would still be chosen by voters, but the Registrar of Voters would be a position appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
“The task of administering elections has become increasingly challenging in the past decade, to the point where it has become a full-time assignment for a department head,” said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Board of Supervisors, in a statement. Hopkins also noted the change will eliminate the conflict of interest in “having an elected department head that is required to oversee their own election.” The move brings Sonoma County in line with most other counties in California. There are currently only eight combined County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters departments out of 58 counties in the state, and all but one are significantly smaller than Sonoma County, county officials explained in an announcement. Deva Marie Proto is the current Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters. The new Registrar of Voters Department is expected to be created at the start of the fiscal year on July 1. Following that, a months-long executive level recruitment will be conducted to fill the position.— NBb staff
12 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
The 415
Marin eyes more Russian River water
High-end wine isn’t the only liquid Marin imports from Sonoma—and water users in the 415 are hoping to increase their flow of Russian River H20. At least that’s the plan for the Marin Municipal Water District, whose board Feb. 25 voted to move forward with plans for a new pipeline that would draw additional water from Sonoma County aqueducts to Marin. The plan is part of the county’s goal of fortifying its supplies in the event of another drought, according to the Marin IJ , which first reported the MMWD board decision. Marin water officials estimate the district would need about another 6,500 acre-feet, or 2.1 billion gallons, of water a year to withstand another drought. About 25% of Marin’s water supply flows through channels from the Russian River watershed, with a lot of excess water going into the ocean, the IJ reported. The $168 million project would install a 3-foot -wide, 13-mile-long pipeline to bring more water to the reservoir in Nicasio. District officials estimate the project would take about four years to complete.— JW
Call it: The Precedence Precedent. At least that’s how one might look at a recent Marin Superior Court ruling requiring the County of Marin remove so-called “precedence clauses” in its countywide plan, which allowed county housing plans to override language in community plans for some established unincorporated neighborhoods. The precedence clauses were added to the countywide plan in 2023 to demonstrate the county’s resolve in furthering state fair-housing requirements. But a local resident Bruce Corcoran, who lives in the unincorporated community of Strawberry, last year filed a suit taking exception to the clauses, and Superior Court Judge Sheila Shah Lichtblau agreed. Choosing not to challenge the ruling, county supervisors voted in March to remove the clauses. Still, county officials added language specifying its commitment to conduct yearly outreach to property owners promoting housing “opportunity,” as well as addressing constraints to multifamily development and “promoting housing choice and affordability in higher resource areas,” as reported by the Marin IJ . “The court required removal of specific language in the Housing Element and other parts of the [countywide plan], but to stay legally compliant the amendments need to include replacement language indicating how the County will promote expansion of housing options in all unincorporated communities,” county officials said in a statement.— JW Marin swaps ‘fair housing’ language in county plan
The state cemetery oversight bureau will be keeping more than $50 million in endowment funds formerly controlled by the Mount Tamalpais Cemetery and Mortuary in San Rafael, a judge ruled in February. Endowment-care funds are charged when cemetery spaces are purchased—they are meant to be invested and managed by a third party in order to generate income for the maintenance and care of the cemetery. The state seized the funds in 2023 when the cemetery’s owner moved to transfer oversight of the funds to an alleged nonprofit religious organization, Evergreen Ministries, which would be exempt from state regulation. In his ruling, the judge said it was unclear if Evergreen Ministries was an actual religious organization, or merely one created by cemetery owner Buck Kamphausen to avoid state oversight and paying state taxes. The ruling said Kamphausen used the funds for purposes other than maintenance, including keeping the funds in liquid accounts meant for personal expenditures. Opened in 1879, the cemetery is home to such notable residents as baseball hall of famer Lefty Gomez, multi-sport athlete Ernie Nevers, musician Ali Akbar Khan, June Pointer of the Pointer Sisters, Giants broadcaster Russ Hodges (“the Giants win the pennant!”) and legendary Sausalito mayor and bordello madam Sally Stanford. Judge blasts San Rafael cemetery’s religious filing
April 2025
NorthBaybiz 13
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WORK LIFE
Tipping Retirement AI
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NorthBaybiz 15
Work Life Tips
Tipping on the rise; enthusiasm for tipping at a low
By Jason Walsh
Has tipping reached a tipping point? That question is at the heart of a new survey looking at the changing tipping practices of Americans. Gone are the days when 15% was the de rigueur amount to leave a server after a job well done. According to a report released in March by financial consulting firm TradingPedia, the average tip is now 18.85%. The survey was conducted in February and polled more than 2,000 people about their tipping habits. According to the results, 71% of respondents believe tipping is expected too frequently—though only 7% said they never tip. The poll found some interesting gender differences in tipping, with men on average tip slightly more than women—19.07 vs. 18.6%. Women, however, tip more consistently—at more places and in more equal amounts. One reason the average tip has climbed in recent years may have to do
with automatic tipping prompts businesses often present during the credit card payment process, with the lowest prompt often beginning at 18% and climbing higher from there. This may also explain why older customers—those 61 and older—are the stingiest tippers at 16.4%, as they cling to past tipping norms closer to 15%. This would also explain why Gen X, Gen Z and millennials tip at rates of 18.21, 19.31 and 19.49%, respectively, as many tipping prompts frame those as starting points. It should perhaps come as no surprise that the survey found 66.18% dislike recommended tipping percentages and automatic tipping prompts altogether. Worse yet, only 9% believe tipping is a fair model for compensating service- industry workers; nearly 39% would prefer to eliminate tipping altogether and instead advocate for higher wages.
A few tips about tipping • California is the stingiest tipping state, at only 17.4%. Delaware is most generous, at 21.25% • 7% never tip under any circumstances • 58% say their tip amount is dependent on the quality of service • 13.9% say social pressure is a factor in whether/how much they tip • “Guilt-tipping” is the social pressure to leave higher gratuities, even in scenarios involving minimal service and minimal interaction between the customer and the staff. • More than 60% of people tip at fast food restaurants Source: TradingPedia survey
16 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
Work Life Retirement
Coming retirement wave brings massive loss of expertise
By Jason Walsh
baby boomer generation will retire—per day. Remember the patronizing phrase, “OK, boomer”? Get ready for “No way, boomer”—please don’t retire without training your replacements! Much of the important information lost is known as “process knowledge”—what’s been learned over the years by senior employees based on their own trial-and- error successes and mistakes. It’s about efficiency, workflow and reliability—how to get things done. Exacerbating the problem is that, unlike in past generations, there are fewer junior employees ready to rise up and replace them, since many of their ranks have been replaced by AI. And, further, of those junior employees chomping at the bit to take on senior- level roles, six in 10 say they aren’t
receiving the on-the-job training they need to improve their skills, according to a 2024 survey by business-consulting firm Gartner. And how will brain-drain-beleaguered companies address the problem of technology replacing their next-level employees? More technology, of course. “To address this urgent threat, organizations will need to build their collective intelligence, using technology to ensure that knowledge can easily flow between experts who have skills and novice employees who need skills,” HBR says. Note to AI-obsessed companies: Whether there will be any expert or novice employees left in a few years, will be key.
Companies take heed: The brain drain is about to begin. That’s the term business leaders are using to describe the massive loss of institutional knowledge companies are on the cusp of suffering as the workforce’s most experienced employees begin retiring at an accelerated rate. “A larger proportion of the workforce will reach retirement age in 2025 than in any previous year on record,” reported the Harvard Business Review (HBR) in January. And that proportion will continue to grow in the years to come. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 1990 about 12% of the U.S. workforce was 55 or older. By 2023, that percentage had doubled. Over the next five years, according to Nasdaq.com’s personal finance unit Go Banking Rates, an estimated 10,000 members of the
Exodus Rex! Here are 3 ways organizations can mitigate a brain drain when the ‘silver tsunami’ of retirements occurs, according to jobsite Welcome to the Jungle: n Create a culture of knowledge sharing: Encourage and reward the sharing of expertise; company leadership must lead by example n Involve senior workers in training programs and knowledge documentation: Mentorship programs with targeted successors in keys roles; don’t wait on this, start early n Tap alumni and former employees: Many retired employees are happy to share their hard-earned knowledge; keep them on hand as contract consultants
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NorthBaybiz 17
Work Life AI
Managers replaced by… algorithms? consulting firm Gartner, about 87% of employees think algorithms would give fairer feedback than their managers. And 57% believe AI would make fairer decisions about pay than their “more biased” By Jason Walsh
management, it usually still relies on the judgment of managers who have personal relationships with employees, unconscious biases as all humans do, and inconsistent perceptions of what good performance looks like,” Gartner analyst Laura Gardiner writes at gartner.com . “If carefully applied, there is potential for AI to reduce human bias within the performance management process by applying a standard, non- human, unbiased first look at performance data/feedback.” This doesn’t mean Amazon Alexa will be the one approving or rejecting an employee’s request for a raise, of course. But AI could serve as an objective first look at performance and other achievement- related questions, allowing managers to make the final calls.
Watch your step, supervisors—sets of problem-solving computer instructions are vying for your jobs. While the use of AI to replace workers at the office continues to be hotly debated, there’s one place employees overwhelmingly support its takeover: management. Especially when it comes to making compensation decisions. According to a recent study by business-
human counterparts. The studies surveyed between 3,300 and 3,500 employees in 2024. “Although many organizations have worked hard to reduce bias in performance
Common management biases
employee, when limited, typically non-relevant information shapes a perspective n Recency bias: When a manager’s focus is unfairly weighted in favor of an employee’s most recent activities n Spillover bias: Perspective held over by a prominent episode in the employee’s past activities that dominates the manager’s thoughts about that employee n Negative bias: When both positive and negative information is presented, one is
prone to give more thought to the negative information n Ingroup bias: Those who, for whatever reason, have been accepted in the manager’s “in” circle receive special positive judgments, while others do not n Similarity bias: The human tendency to focus on ourselves and prefer those who are like we are
8 ways performance evaluations can be compromised by natural human tendencies, according to management consulting firm Lumen: n Stereotypes: Being influenced by a person’s gender, ethnicity or other background n Confirmation bias: Only paying attention to a portion of the information available; aka selective perception n First impressions: Giving too much weight to initial judgments about an
18 NorthBaybiz
April 2025
A look at the key figures shaping life in the North Bay The Month In Numbers
Sonoma County Decline and fall
$250 million
Estimated value of the more than 120 properties real estate duo Tim LeFever and Ken Mattson amassed in the last eight years around the City of Sonoma. More than a dozen of the properties have
defaulted on payment, as the business partners’ Sonoma Valley real estate empire continues to crumble
5 Number of class-action lawsuits filed by investors so far against LeFever and Mattson, making such claims as fraud, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
60 Number of entities tied to LeFever Mattson Inc. that have declared bankruptcy.
600 Number of couples or individuals who are estimated to have invested their savings in LeFever Mattson, Inc. or its subsidiaries—many of whom worry they’ll never see another penny of their investment again.
Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Napa County
2 Taxidermized mountain lions U.S. Fish & Wildlife officers found at the Napa home of Harry Vern Fitzpatrick, in violation of state law. Other remains of protected species found at the location include a taxidermized wolverine, a ringtail cat, a barn owl mount, several illegally taken deer and several mountain lion claws. Illegal game
$605 Fine levied on Vern Fitzpatrick for his illegal possession of the wildlife; he was also given six months probation.
Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Marin County
5,921 Total population decrease in Marin since 2020, also the highest in the North Bay.
Hello, goodbye!
.78% Marin’s population growth from 2023 to 2024, the highest percentage in the North Bay, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
April 2025
NorthBaybiz 19
THE BEST IN WINE COUNTRY GOLF u
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Vine Wise
How tariffs on wine will hurt everybody
By Adam Lee
T he topic du jour in the wine world is the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs on wines. On his Truth Social account, President Trump wrote:
in advance were new releases, including rosé wines which are by nature seasonal. These are the type of wines that make up the majority of his containers. I am left hoping that his wines arrive prior to the implementation of any tariffs, so that he has the bandwidth to continue to support the wines that I produce. Second, European wine tariffs will not “be great for wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.” Putting aside the technical point that there are no Champagne businesses in the United States, tariffs do not address the primary issue that is plaguing our business—a lack
“The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky…If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.” This threat alone led the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance to issue an advisory saying, “we strongly advise American companies to HALT ALL SHIPMENTS OF WINE, SPIRITS, & BEER FROM THE EU. The current risk of tariffs is too high.” Their argument that basing major business decisions that take weeks to play out during a time of such uncertainty—where policy changes with a social media post—is simply too risky. Heck, even writing a column about this issue is risky because there’s a great chance that what I write here will be outdated by the time this goes to print. However, I do think there are two basic points that can be made with certainty no matter what changes between now and publication date. First, there are consequences of tariffs on European wines that will affect American businesses—and that will have negative impacts on American wineries. I’ll give you one very concrete example. As I write this, one of the distributors in the Midwest that represents my wines has three containers of European wines on the water. If the tariffs go into effect right now, his bill for these wines—already committed to—will increase by approximately $600,000. Not only will this be personally devastating for his company, but it will ripple down to my own business as he won’t have the means to order my wines. And not just the means, but all his focus will need to be on finding ways to sell this now far more expensive European wine. Perhaps the argument can be made that this distributor should have ordered his wine earlier. After all, the tariff threats have been well known for some time. And yet he did. In fact, he took it upon himself to order in one year’s worth of wine ahead of time—all that he could afford. But what he was unable to order
of new wine consumers. Recent Nielsen data shows that 45% of legal-age Gen Z consumers have never consumed alcohol and 52% of younger Americans between 21 and 34 believe that any alcohol consumption is bad for your health. Raising the prices of European wines—which are often more affordable due to the subsidies given grape growers and wineries in countries such Spain (we do the same thing, just to grain farmers)—will only hurt our efforts to attract younger consumers to the benefits of moderate wine consumption. Our focus is better placed on working with our European winery counterparts to make more affordable wines available here which have a better chance of appealing to a younger, cash-strapped generation. And that is truly the greatest danger of tariffs—their distraction. That we will come to believe that the problems we face in the American wine culture are the fault of less expensive European wines when, in fact, the problems are of our own making. We’ve made wine too uninviting. We’ve failed to convey the deep personal satisfaction that wine can provide and the conviviality that it engenders. European wines, South American wines, Mexican and Canadian wines are our allies in this quest. Any wine that introduces a new drinker to the pleasure of wine that has captured us all is a good wine. And placing those wines out of the financial reach of younger drinkers through tariffs will hurt us all. U Adam Lee co-founded Siduri Wines in 1994, selling it to Jackson Family Winery in 2015. He now produces and owns Clarice Wine Company, and consults with numerous different wineries, including Rombauer Vineyards on their Pinot Noir project.
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NorthBaybiz 21
COUNTRY
22 NorthBaybiz 22 NorthBaybiz
April 2025 March 2025
Y SUMMER ROADS
Sonoma County’s favorite home- grown music fest buckles up for another year
By Janet Perry
Last year’s Country Summer festival drew 27,000 music fans to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. [Photos in this story from the 2024 festival by Will Bucquoy]
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B reak out the western attire—the boots, denim, comes alive with performances by 24 of country music’s top performers and emerging talent. The event is a collaboration between Impact Entertainment and Santa Rosa-based Amaturo Sonoma Media Group (ASMG), parent company of Froggy 92.9 and several other local radio stations [as well as publisher of NorthBay biz ]. “This year will be the festival’s 10th anniversary,” says Lawrence Amaturo, president of ASMG. “It’s the largest country music festival in Northern California. In 2024, the event attracted 27,000 fans from 34 states and four countries.” From the time the first act steps onto the stage until the lights dim three days later, the music-filled event seemingly unfolds without a hitch. But to make it happen, much effort, coordination and teamwork are required—beginning not long after the encores wind down on the previous year’s festival. Over the course of nearly a year, artists are booked, vendors arranged and stages built. “It takes a village to make it all happen,” says Drew Jacoby, executive producer for Impact Entertainment. Stetsons and statement-making brass buckles. The North Bay is getting ready to rock, country-style. From June 27 to 29, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds Country music is cool again... It’s the fastest growing music genre in America. Spotify reports that country music listening has increased 110% over the past five years. According to music data tracker Luminate, streaming grew by 23.5% in 2023, adding 20 billion more country music streams.
Country is the fastest-growing genre in music, as these Country Summer fans can attest.
Last July, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Country music is having its biggest boom in 30 years, with an unusual number of artists topping the charts, dominating streaming, striking branding deals and selling out shows.” Several factors are at play behind the genre’s rapid growth. In the old days, record labels and country radio drove the business. Now streaming and social media, influenced by Gen Z and millennials, have made it easier for artists to bypass the record companies and jumpstart their own careers. “What’s different about this country boom is that it’s mostly fans in the driver’s seat,” says Melinda Newman, Billboard magazine’s executive editor for the West Coast and Nashville. “The audience is the gatekeeper. Country hasn’t been here before.” In addition to streaming and social media, the melding of genres and artist crossover has brought in new fans. Some say it began in 2006, when a 16-year-old Taylor Swift released her debut album Taylor Swift —a blend of traditional country and a youthful, modern sound, introducing her young followers to the country music genre. The album’s lead single "Tim McGraw" charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 and reached number six on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs. Though now a pop music superstar, Swift got her start touring as an opening act for Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Today, crossovers into country music are common. R&B, hip hop, pop artist Beyonce donned a cowboy hat and western attire for the cover of her 2024 album Cowboy Carter . The album reached number one on Billboard 200 and won multiple Grammy awards, including Best Country Album and Album of the Year. Last year
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Little Big Town was among the headliners of Country Summer ’24.
2020 festival was canceled. And far-worse news was on the horizon. In 2021, Jacoby died due to complications from COVID-19. Jim Murphy, ASMG VP programming and operations, recalls Jacoby as “a good friend to all of us.” “His leadership and vision were essential in making Country Summer a success,” says Murphy. These days the festival features an AJ Signature Row in honor of Jacoby’s legacy. Drew Jacoby, Alan’s son, stepped in to take over Impact Entertainment management. “It’s a pleasure working with Drew,” Murphy says. “He grew up in the business. He learned from the best.” Impact Entertainment has responsibility for operations, management, logistics and the booking of talent while ASMG promotes the event, consults on the lineup, and the Froggy 92.9 sales team solicits sponsors. Changes in 2025 Outside of sporting events, post-pandemic audiences have been slow to fully return to entertainment venues. It’s a nationwide trend—last year, neither Coachella nor Burning Man sold out, the first time either of those festivals has been left with extra tickets in years. Country Summer hasn’t been immune: Attendance was down 10% from a peak of 30,000 in 2019, according to Drew Jacoby. “Some of that decline can perhaps be attributed to the economy and inflation, where there’s less discretionary income for entertainment,” Jacoby says. “We’ve addressed that by lowering
also saw American Nigerian singer Shaboozey not only featured on two tracks of Cowboy Carter, but his own country-meets- hip- hop single, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," settle in for 38 weeks (as of press time) at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The blending of genres, social media and streaming have also led to a geographic shift in music tastes. Country music is less regional—no longer reserved for rural audiences, but expanding its influence in metropolitan areas. Acclaimed country music singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson performed to a sell-out crowd last year at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. Her opening act for that event: Country Summer 2025’s own Ian Munsick, who’s performing at this year’s festival on June 29. When country came to Sonoma County In 2013, when Amaturo acquired several local radio stations and established ASMG, he met with his team and inquired as to any unique or special projects they wanted to undertake. Staging a music festival turned out to be that special project. And the timing could not have been better. Up-and-coming country duo Florida Georgia Line had appeared at the Sonoma County Fair, and ASMG’s country station, Froggy 92.9, helped publicize the show and had gotten to know its promoter, Alan Jacoby. The burgeoning relationship with Jacoby led to a business collaboration—and Country Summer Music Festival was born. Jacoby, with over 30 years in the entertainment business, provided event-management expertise while Froggy offered access and promotion in the local market. But just as Country Summer was gaining real momentum, the pandemic hit and the
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This year’s headliners, from left, include Kane Brown, Sam Hunt and Dustin Lynch. [Shutterstock]
the price of general admission tickets to $85 per day with no add-on fees. That works out to about $10 per performance,” he says. They’ve also changed the date. The festival used to take place on Father's Day weekend, when some performers and fans preferred to be home with family. This year, Country Summer takes place the last weekend in June. …..
Music and more at Country Summer Though music is the main attraction, there’s a lot more going on at Country Summer. The drink and dining options are numerous. There are vendors serving mesquite-grilled meats and vegetables, juicy burgers, nachos, pizza and ceviche. And there’s traditional fair food, aka corn dogs. Visit the Jack Daniel’s lounge, Tito’s vodka bar, the Kendall Jackson tasting room and the Budweiser stand. A large tent has festival T-shirts and lots of other souvenirs. Another popular booth has an inventory of cowboy hats that sells out fast. For a photo opp, put on that new hat and head over to the mechanical bull. Check out all the festival has to offer at countrysummer.com.
Here's a look at some of the most anticipated performers at Country Summer 2025:
Sam Hunt Sam Hunt is the opening day headliner on Friday, June 27. The Georgia-born singer-songwriter got his start writing songs for such names as Reba McEntire, Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, before debuting his own album, Montevallo , in 2014. His sophomore album, Southside , was released in 2020, featuring the songs “Body Like a Back Road,” “Downtown’s Dead” and “Drinkin’ Too Much.” Kane Brown The Saturday, June 28 headliner, Kane Brown, hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee. The early life of the 31-year-old reads like the lyrics to a country song. When Brown was 3, his father was handed a 99-year prison sentence for burglary and rape. As a youth, he and his mom traveled across Georgia as she looked for work, occasionally living out of the back of a car. As an outlet, Brown turned to country music. After garnering a following on social media, Brown produced a 2015 EP funded
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though Kickstarter. It quickly caught on and rose to No. 22 on the Billboard Top Country Album chart, leading to a contract with RCA Nashville. On his 2022 album Different Man , he and wife Katelyn Brown collaborated on the love song, “Thank God.” And there’s another duet from the couple, “Body Talk” is on Kane’s recently released album The High Road. Dustin Lynch Dustin Lynch closes the festival Sunday, June 29. The Tennessee native’s self-titled 2012 debut album reached number one on the Top Country Albums chart and he’s never looked back. His sixth album, Killed the Cowboy , came out in 2023 Ian Munsick Ian Munsick performs Sunday, June 29. Munsick grew up on a ranch in Wyoming, hailing from a long line of cowboys, ranchers and musicians. That western upbringing serves as the inspiration for much of his music. At age 10 he began playing alongside his father, Dave, and older brothers Tris and Sam as The Munsick Boys. His second album is 2023’s White Buffalo . The lead single, “Long Live Cowgirls,” is a duet with Cody Johnson and was named among the Amazon Music Best Country Songs of 2022. Gabby Barrett Gabby Barrett is performing on the festival’s June 17 opening night. She and musician husband Cade Foehner met in 2018 as contestants on American Idol. (Both ended up in the top five.) They married in 2019 and have three children. Barrett followed her American Idol appearance with the release of the single “I Hope.” The song caught the attention of singer-songwriter Charlie Puth and together they did a remix that was nominated in 2020 for single of the year by the Country Music Association. Barrett’s most recent album is 2024’s faith-inspired Chapter and Verse. An album single, “You’re My Texas,” co-written with Miranda Lambert, is a tribute to husband Cade. Mitchell Tenpenny Mitchell Tenpenny takes the stage Saturday, June 28, bringing his brand of country-pop to Santa Rosa. The Nashville-born singer- songwriter has released such chart-making songs as “Drunk Me” and “If the Boot Fits.” His most recent album, The 3rd , came out in 2024. ….. Special setting, special moments “Many of our artists are used to performing in large outdoor arenas before crowds of 40,000 to 60,000 people,” Amaturo says. “Our setting at the fairgrounds is more intimate. There’s fewer people and excellent acoustics. There’s a raised ramp that extends out from the stage where performers can move out and sing along with the fans.” Country Summer is known for its special moments. One of those occurred when Blake Shelton performed at the 2022 festival. “That just happened to be his 46th birthday,” Amaturo says. “And to everyone’s surprise [Shelton’s spouse and No Doubt singer] Gwen Stefani appeared on stage, presented Blake with a cake and sang ‘Happy Birthday.’ Doesn’t get much better than that!”
For Santa Rosa’s Valerie and Eric Andersen, the festival has become a family affair—an event looked forward to every year. “We’ve been fans of country music our entire lives,” Valerie says. “Our first date was a Tyler Farr concert.” The couple has attended nearly every festival since its inception. (She missed 2014, though Eric made it.) “What keeps us coming back is the great live music so close to home. You can’t beat driving 15 minutes to see performers like Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Eric Church and Lynyrd Skynyrd.” The Andersens have their own special festival moment. Backstage, following a Tyler Farr meet-and-greet in 2018, they got engaged. “I’d been wanting to propose to Valerie for a very long time,” Eric says. “Country music and concerts were a huge part of our lives. So, I came up with an idea and with the help of the amazing Froggy staff, I was able to pull it off.” Valerie adds, “Seeing Tyler Farr on our first date and Country Summer being something we look forward to every year, it all made sense!” And now the festival has become a family affair. When Tyler Farr came back to the festival in 2023, he got to meet the Andersens’ 5-month-old son Charlie. “It was his first concert,” Eric says. “Since then, Charlie has been to two more festivals” Adds Eric, proudly: “And this year he’ll be joined by baby brother Johnny.”
Now, that truly is a Country Summer family. For info and tickets, visit countrysummer.com . g
Country Summer Set List Country Summer 2025 takes place June 27 to 29 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. Headliners include Sam Hunt (Friday), Kane Brown (Saturday) and Dustin Lynch (Sunday. The full lineup is at countrysummer.com . General admission three-day pass is $225; single day tickets are $85. Reserved seating three-day pass is $450, $600 and $690; reserved single day are $175, $215 and $250. Additional viewing options in The Pit, on the Platinum Viewing Deck, in AJ’s Signature Row and as a Country Club VIP are available as well. Visit countrysummer.com for information. The Sonoma County Fairgrounds are at 1450 Bennet Valley Road in Santa Rosa.
Please email comments to jwalsh@NorthBaybiz.com
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