Pop & Hiss Presents: TJ Kuenster & Ricketts Folly

TJ Kuenster & Ricketts Folly is the house band at Pop & Hiss in Pacific Grove where they perform the last Thursday of every month, playing pop hits from the first half of the 20th century.

Ricketts Folly is named after Ed Ricketts, (the renowned Monterey marine biologist, ecologist, and philosopher who was the inspiration for the character “Doc” in John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel Cannery Row) as well as a high-octane cocktail reportedly served by Ricketts during his lab parties from the late 1920s until his death in 1948.

TJ Kuenster was Glen Campbell’s music director and keyboardist beginning in 1977. Glen and TJ’s longtime friendship took them on many musical journeys together: TJ was music director for Glen’s half-hour variety show on NBC which featured everyone from Willie Nelson to Henry Mancini. He has also played with Glen on many TV shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Later with Jools Holland in London.

TJ has conducted some of the best orchestras in the world for Glen and arranged and produced the PBS special Glen Campbell in Concert with the South Dakota Symphony. He also produced, arranged and played on Christmas with Glen Campbell for Laserlight Records.

TJ Kuenster’s film credits include acting as songwriter, scriptwriter and music producer for Don Bluth’s film RockaDoodle that enlisted the voice talents of Glen Campbell, Christopher Plummer, and Phil Harris. TJ also enlisted his own voice to sing the songs of the evil owls.

He also worked as a songwriter and arranger on Don Bluth’s previous film All Dogs Go to Heaven which starred the vocal talents of Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise.

TJ has appeared on numerous studio and live recordings with Glen over the years, including Live At The Royal Festival Hall, Highwayman, Basic, It’s The World Gone Crazy, Letter To Home, Old Home Town, Still Within The Sound of My Voice, and Light Years. TJ has had a long association and friendship with uber songwriter, Jimmy Webb. TJ was arranger and session player on two Campbell/Webb album projects, Still Within The Sound of My Voice and Light Years.

Recently TJ worked with composer Marvin Hamlisch on his PBS Special Marvin Hamlisch Presents The Stars of the 70s. TJ was the pianist on the show and performed with B. J. Thomas, Debbie Boone, Freda Payne, and Peaches and Herb.