Joel Rafael and Jack Tempchin
Joel Rafael has been writing and performing for over 50 years. His bio takes us on a tour of up and down the West Coast, eventually landing in Encinitas, where he also began a lifetime friendship with songwriter Jack Tempchin. During the late 1970s, Joel performed around southern California in various groups. In the early 1980s, he found a niche in San Diego County as an opener for nationally touring acts for several local promoters. Shortly after, in 1981, he recorded his first album "Dharma Bums," and in the early 1990s, the Joel Rafael Band was born.
Joel performed for years at the Woody Guthrie Festival and, in 2003, he released an album of all Woody Guthrie tunes, "Woodeye." Within two years he had recorded another album of Guthrie songs, "Woodyboye," and this one included four Woody Guthrie co-writes with lyrics given to him by Woody’s daughter, Nora Guthrie.
As a solo performer and with his band, Joel has opened shows and shared stages with artists including Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Joan Baez, John Lee Hooker, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, John Trudell, Laura Nyro, Kris Kristofferson, Dar Williams, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Odetta, and Taj Mahal.
In 2015, Joel released a ninth album, "Baladista," delivering ten essential ballads that embrace and celebrate the human spirit and reflect the half-century journey of an American songwriter. His latest work, "Rose Avenue," released in 2019, gracefully defines him and his contribution to the American canon.
Jack Tempchin is a legendary hit songwriter, whose compositions "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Already Gone" are synonymous with the southern California sound. These songs can be found on the Eagles’ compilation Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which the RIAA named the Best-Selling U.S. Album of the 20th Century.
Jack’s songs have been performed or recorded by artists including George Jones, Buck Owens, Emmylou Harris, Glen Campbell, Jackson Browne, Dwight Yoakam, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Tanya Tucker, Richie Havens, Sammy Kershaw, Kate Wolf, and Tom Rush. Jack has also performed live with three Eagles: Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit. He has also played with Poco, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Chicago, Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, Jimmy Webb, Al Kooper, Kenny Loggins, Karla Bonoff, Christopher Cross, and Dolly Parton. In the mid-1990s, Jack toured as the opening act for Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band at Radio City Music Hall and the Hollywood Bowl.
In the 1980s, Jack co-wrote a dozen radio hits for Glenn Frey’s solo career. Tempchin/Frey co-writes include Top 40 hits "Smuggler’s Blues" and "You Belong to The City" for the original MIAMI VICE TV show soundtrack. Jack’s songs are featured in such films as "The Big Lebowski" and "Thelma & Louise."
In 2019, Jack was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City. His latest album, "One More Time with Feeling", was released on Jimmy Buffett’s Mailboat record label.
