This photograph was taken at Madera County Fair on Friday September 26th 1986.
On my first visit to California in 1986, I was hoping to see either the "Beach Boys" or "Jan & Dean" and
hopefully both.
This was in the days before the internet, so finding concert dates in California was difficult. I searched for information when I arrived, but couldn't find any dates.
After returning from a sunny Sunday afternoon on Venice Beach on Sunday September 21st , I read a
local magazine in the hotel and found that over the weekend there had been a Los Angeles Street Fair
with approximately 300 entertainers performing. I scanned the schedule for the Sunday and found that "Jan & Dean" had played that afternoon at 2pm. I was staying only 30 minutes from the venue. What a
disappointment. I was devastated.
The next day I visited "Rockaway Records" on Glendale Blvd and mentioned to the owner, Wayne Johnson,
about my disappointment. He said he would ring Dean and find out were they were next playing. It turned
out that Jan & Dean were playing at the Madera County Fair, in Madera County on September 26th.
The only problem was that I was going to be in San Francisco on that date.
I wasn't going to give up. Whilst I was in San Francisco I decided that I would take a chance and travel by
Greyhound Bus to Madera. Madera County is located in the exact centre of California and 166 miles from
the Bay area of San Francisco, so it was going to a fairly long trip.
Everything turned out fine. This was my first encounter with one of my great musical influences.
The surf legends, "Jan & Dean".
A personalised autographed photo from Madera County Fair, signed by Jan & Dean.
