Name a major venue in Ramona or hotel in San Diego and you’ll come across a slew of places Robert Anderson has performed in with the Black Canyon Blues Band and West Coast Bandits.
Anderson, a Ramona resident since 1966, has played with these bands since 1977. He writes songs, plays guitar, and performs vocals for the Black Canyon Blues Band, which is skilled in a variety of musical genres, mainly rock, blues, country and a smattering of jazz.
All the band members perform vocals along with their specialty: Dave Finley, drums; Max Mittman, lead guitar; Michael Moore, bass; and Rob Ward, keyboard.
Over the years they’ve played at Cheers of Ramona, D’Carlos Restaurant, The Par Lounge at San Vicente Resort, Turkey Inn and at Way Point Saloon, even back in the day when it was Molly’s and the Teepee Room before that.
The band has also opened for notable acts at Ramona Mainstage, including for country singer Collin Raye, guitarist Larry Carlton, Little River Band and The Marshall Tucker Band.
Local road trips have taken them to San Diego’s stadium, when it was known as Jack Murphy Stadium, for gigs at the Bob Hope Show and San Diego Sockers games. They’ve also performed at U.S. Navy events on Catalina and Coronado islands and Naval Air Station North Island.
Some of the San Diego area hotels they’ve hit include Bahia Resort Hotel, Marriott Mission Valley, Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, Town and Country San Diego, and the historic The US Grant.
Ramona resident Robert Anderson has performed with the Black Canyon Blues Band and West Coast Bandits since 1977.
(Julie Gallant)
Surprisingly, Anderson never had music lessons.
“I picked up my sister’s accordion and I played by ear,” Anderson said.
Most of his music lessons were self-taught, although he learned keyboarding in college to be able to write music.
“My taste in music is very eclectic,” he said. “I want to write for movies, I’d like to do movie scores. I’m the last guy sitting in a movie theater listening to music (as the credits roll) because that’s what I’d like to do.”
The native of Ohio who came to Ramona when he was 15 learned to perform on the fly in his family’s band while he was growing up. The family played old-time square dance music at venues such as Ramona Town Hall. His dad, Bob, was the fiddler while he and his mother, Sue, and brothers, Jerry and Gary, chimed in.
“That’s how I grew up,” Robert said. “We didn’t watch TV.”
Robert recalls performing his mother’s original music just weeks before she passed away at age 89. He, his mom and his two brothers competed in the Julian Fiddle and Band Contest about a decade ago.
Their talent comes by way of Anderson’s grandmother on his mother’s side. Anna was a classical pianist and accomplished violinist who performed in the Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis before he was born.
Anderson formed his own band in 1967, a year before he graduated Ramona High School.
“We hung out at Black Canyon a lot in the summertime and sat around the campfire writing songs,” he said. “That’s how we got the band’s name.”
Anderson and Finley were among the original band members along with Mike Cuizak and Buff Oyos. Cuizak and Oyos left Ramona to join the war effort in Vietnam, and the band performed just after they returned in 1977.
Black Canyon Blues Band original members, front row, performed with the Sons of the Pioneers Band, shown in cowboy hats, at rodeo performer Casey Tibbs’ wedding. The ceremony was held in Ramona Oaks Park in 1979. Tibbs is shown in the front row at far right.
(Courtesy photo)
Since then they’ve performed at numerous venues and events including the Ramona Country Fair, Ramona Rodeo Parade, corporate and charitable events, and Casey Tibbs’ wedding where Roy Rogers was best man. Many of their gigs at San Diego Country Estates brought them in contact with celebrities such as James Coburn, Kenny Rogers, Robert Stack and John Wayne. They once competed in a Marlboro cigarette contest to open for The Alabama Band at the Sports Arena in San Diego, and even made the final cut, but a band representing the KCBQ radio station was the winner.
Black Canyon Band went on to record an original single on vinyl titled “Three Fingers” in 1980.
Actor James Coburn socializes with Black Canyon Blues Band performer Robert Anderson.
(Courtesy photo)
When he’s not in the limelight, Anderson is a familiar sight around San Diego Country Estates. That’s where he’s worked the past 46 years. His latest role has been as the lead facilities maintenance staff for nearly 20 years. Previously he worked for the Good Life timeshare in Country Estates for 16 years. Before that he spent 10 years working in construction for Country Estates’ residential real estate developer Raymond Watt, chairman and CEO of Watt Group, Inc.
His lesser known activities include collecting and refurbishing antique autos and motorcycles, and he’s a minister involved in renovating the Harmony Grove Church burned in the May 2014 Cocos wildfire. The Rev. Dr. Mindy Sloan is leading the reconstruction effort as vice president of the Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association with help from her daughter Maddie Kohler and others. In the meantime, worship services continue to be held outside and in a healing temple left standing on the property.
Anderson’s next big adventure will be recreating a cross-country motorcycle trip he took to Michigan in 1970 to attend the Goose Lake International Music Festival, one of the largest music events of its era. Anderson plans to visit some of the same places he rode to after graduating from Palomar College 50 years ago and then write a short story based on his adventures and a comparison of ‘70s music to modern music.
Of all of his accomplishments, Anderson is amazed the band has stuck together through major life events like the Vietnam War and the births of their children.
“It’s like family,” Anderson said. “There aren’t too many groups that have stayed together that long that are still playing together.”