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33
July – September 2013
www.deltalivingmagazine.com
Day, 2011 was my last official day
playing with them. I left for 25
years, raised my daughter Megan
with my wife Julia, and had re-
turned to the band for a year and
a half.
What instruments do you play?
I play all of the brass: trumpet,
trombone, flugelhorn, piccolo
trumpet, alto horn, French horn,
euphonium, bass trombone and
tuba. I love playing the tuba.
Who have you worked with over
the years?
Some of the artists I have ap-
peared live with over the years
include The Rolling Stones, San-
tana, Rod Stewart, Quincy Jones,
Heart, the Doobie Brothers, Blood,
Sweat & Tears, Cold Blood, The
Sons of Champlin, Huey Lewis &
the News, Aretha Franklin, Ray
Charles, Billy Preston, King Curtis,
Boz Scaggs, the Beach Boys, The
Temptations, the Four Tops, the
O’Jays, StevieWonder, Sheryl Crow
and of courseTower of Power!
What’s it like being a celebrity
yourself?
I haven’t the foggiest! I’m not
a celeb, but the celebs don’t mess
with me!
Is there a memoir in your future?
Probably have to wait for a few
more people to die first, and then
I’ll tell the truth!
Best musical memory?
By far, the best musical memo-
ries I have are playing with my fa-
ther Ray Gillette and my daugh-
ter Megan McCarthy in MGB
(Mic Gillette Band). Outside of
family, it would be Quincy Jones
and the Rolling Stones.
What does your daughter do now?
Megan is the office manager
for Annie Jung M.A., LPCC
Mental Health Counselor in
downtown Brentwood. This job
affords us lots of great babysitting
opportunities with our grandson
Maverick! Annie is awesome and
helps lots of local people.
What advice would you give young
horn players dreaming of a career
in music?
Get a day job!Very few musical
performers make a living in mu-
sic, and very few break through.
I do lots of different things, such
as writing music, producing al-
bums, I’m an arranger for Jazz and
marching bands, and I’m aYamaha
clinician. I do clinics with bands
and show them ways that the pros
do it.The kids get to perform with
professionals, like some of the guys
from Journey and Santana.
continued on page 34
Below: Mic Gillette - Photo by Michelle Sibrian
Above: Tower of Power, 1975 (L-R) Mic Gillette, Doc Kupka, David Garibaldi
(drums), Emilio Castillo, Lenny Pickett, Hubert Tubbs, Bruce Conte.
Mic and Julia married in Lake Tahoe in 1983. One year later, baby Megan is
born in 1984; and the three of them together at the Giant’s playoffs in 2012.