Whiskey Kiss: Magic in the Music

The popular local country band Whiskey Kiss might not even be in existence if it weren’t for a fussy baby many years ago that just wouldn’t stop crying. Band leader Dave Massey was the father of that newborn girl, ready to try anything for a little peace and quiet.

“My dad had gifted me a guitar but I had zero interest in it; it was in the closet. I was 20 when I had my daughter and she cried constantly. One night, sitting on the couch, I strummed the one guitar chord my dad taught me, and she immediately stopped. I strummed the heck out of that one chord,” said Massey.

Dave saw the magic music could produce and bought a chord book to expand his knowledge beyond that one chord (It was a C.). Then a few years later, sitting in a Stockton church, his wife encouraged him to join the musicians on stage and that weekly gig would last more than ten years.

Dave was hooked on playing, and being a 1985 high school graduate, it only made sense to be in a band performing classic rock. But he also appreciated the storytelling of country legends like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and George Strait, and when a friend brought him on board to be in a country band instead, the path was set. That’s where he was told to sing lead on a couple of songs and the confidence grew that he could do this on his own.

Several years later, Dave has his own country band, Whiskey Kiss, playing one to three times a week around San Joaquin County. They’d play more gigs if it wasn’t for real jobs that tend to fill up the rest of their schedules.

“I’m okay at singing, and okay at being a frontman, and okay at being a rhythm guitar player, but I surround myself with people much better than me,” said Dave, who is being way too modest. With Rich Mason on bass, Dave Mompean on drums and the multi-instrumentalist Peter Morgan handling lead guitar, steel guitar and harmonica, Whiskey Kiss delivers tight arrangements with impressive musicianship. “I surround myself with those people because we have a good time performing together, everybody is an excellent musician and we have zero band drama.”

Dave didn’t add there’s a slight resemblance to Kenny Chesney, and he’s not opposed to getting off the stage and rubbing shoulders with the crowd. “A lot of bands just stand there and play but we really try to engage with people. There are times where I’ll get off the stage and go dance the electric slide with people or I’ll take the microphone off the stage and sing a song down in the crowd,” said Dave. “Other times we’ll ask the crowd to sing so I’m off mic and they take over the lyrics. The feedback we get is, you guys are so fun.”

Getting back to the topic of real jobs, Dave’s might be the most unusual among guys who run a talented local band. “I’m a funeral guy. I operate cemeteries, funeral homes and crematories.” His mom married into the industry when Dave was a young adult, and with bills piling up, Dave followed her, taking on whatever assignment came his way.

“I started literally from the ground up, mowing lawns and changing sprinkler heads. Somebody would leave and I’d take on a different job. I ran the crematory for four years, started doing some bookkeeping and payroll. I went into the office and started doing sales and finally got licensed as a funeral director and cemetery manager,” said Dave. Today he owns Park View in Manteca and Colonial Rose in Stockton.

Now Dave hasn’t completely abandoned his classic rock notes; he says the song lineup for Whiskey Kiss is 60/40, meaning 60 percent country and 40 percent rock. And, of course, he hasn’t lost track of that infant, Amber Massey, who inspired him to fetch that unwanted guitar from the closet nearly 40 years ago. When Amber and her best pal Chrissy perform in the area in the band The Vallies, that’s Dave off to the side, helping out on guitar.

Save the Date
Upcoming Whiskey Kiss Performances
September 5: Windmill Cove Resort
October 2: Rio Vista Bass Festival
October 17: Jessie’s Grove Winery

I am always looking for new and exciting gigs to showcase musicians in our community who deserve recognition. Stay tuned!
Feel free to reach out: tim@dalyvideoservices.com.