Wilson Phillips- Passing the Torch

Troy and Chynna

As many of you know, my husband Troy has been in the band Wilson Phillips for about 6 years, playing keyboards and guitar, touring around the country and the world with them (and I often tag along). Last night was one of their rare Los Angeles performances so we gathered a group of friends and family and headed off for the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills. I was looking forward to a great night, but what I didn’t know was how deeply meaningful and poignant it would be.

Troy and I with our son Taylor and daughter Cristen

I felt incredibly lucky to witness a real magic between generations - a passing of the musical torch. First I witnessed it in my own family. Our two grown children Cristen and Taylor are both musicians and working in the music biz. Troy and I spent years as “band parents”, attending their shows, supporting their bands. But last night our kids got to see their Dad in his element. It was such a joy for me to watch them watching him, and the biggest thrill was to later see online how they had posted pictures of Troy on instagram with hashtags like #prouddaughter. Sigh…

If you aren’t familiar, Wilson Phillips is Carnie and Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips. Last year the girls had a big splash in the movie Bridesmaids, performing their hit song Hold On (the number one album of 1990, and the top selling female group of all time). They also recently released an album of covers of their parents music (the Beach Boys, and the Mamas and Papas).

Last night, as they performed the Mamas and Papas tune Dedicated, they brought Cass Elliot’s daughter Owen onstage to sing with them. When Owen let that voice of hers loose, it was as though Mama Cass was alive again and on the stage. The crowd went crazy. Even deeper was Michelle Phillips' reaction, throwing her arms in the air and letting out a cry. It was such a moving experience to watch Michelle (the only surviving member of the Mamas and Papas) witnessing her and John Phillips' daughter Chynna, and Mama Cass’ daughter Owen, bring their music alive again. I was choked up, and as I looked around the room I could see many others were, too.

But  the most emotional part of the evening for me was when the notoriously reclusive and troubled Brian Wilson showed up to watch his daughters perform – for the first time ever (a long complicated story). Carnie was nervous, not knowing if he would actually make it. I first spotted Brian, looking shy and overwhelmed, standing against a wall. He was seated with his wife and son in front of us, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he watched his daughters perform his songs. He was rapt the entire time, leaning forward, lazer focused on the girls as they performed those beautiful harmonies, parts he had arranged when he was so young. He looked mesmerized as Carnie sang lead on God Only Knows, then Wendy lead on Wouldn’t It Be Nice, and the three girls accapella on In My Room. I wondered what thoughts were going through his mind, what memories were conjured up. God only knows...

After the show I rushed backstage to tell Carnie and Wendy about Brian’s reaction, how he was so taken with them, so attentive to every musical moment. Their faces lit up, and Carnie’s eyes filled with tears. It was the first time, the FIRST TIME in twenty-three  years, that he had ever seen them perform. And they were carrying his torch…as Chynna carries John and Michelle’s, as Owen carries Cass Elliot's, as our own kids carry music on in their lives.

Chynna and Mama Michelle

Carnie, Brian and Wendy

Troy, me, Cristen and Taylor, passing the torch.

Even writing this now I am overwhelmed with emotion.

The only thing that would have made the night better is if Tori Spelling ( who was there with her husband Dean Mc Dermott, Carnie’s team mate on the Food Network show Rachael Vs Guy) hadn’t talked LOUDLY all through the girls accapella version of You Won’t See Me Cry. But even then, I thought of Tori carrying her own father’s TV legacy forward, and I softened toward her.

Overall it was a night I’ll not forget, a night that gave me much to ponder, and a night that made me very, very proud to be Troy Dexter’s wife. As Taylor said on instagram, #DadkilledIt.

FULL HOUSE at The Canyon Club

Thanks to everyone for showing up to support! Taylor, Wendy and Eddie and Dani and...

Todd Denise, Erin, Beth, Dani and Cristen- Thanks for being there to share a great night!

Owen Elliot joins Wilson Phillips to sing "Dedicated". My hubby Troy on B3 keyboards behind Wendy.

My Sideways Anniversary in Wine Country.

This week marks our 23rd anniversary (25 years together). Since Troy had a gig with Wilson Phillips in the Santa Ynez wine valley (where the movie Sideways was shot), we decided I'd tag along and make a mini-vacay out of it. We were to leave early Wednesday morning, but Tuesday night Evan developed a fever. After a bit of scrambling, and almost canceling the trip, thankfully our friends and our son Taylor stepped up to cover so we could go- and Evan's fever miraculously disappeared. 

From the moment we got to Santa Ynez, every morsel of food we put in our mouths was eye-rolling delicious…every wine we tasted was the best we’d ever had. I felt like Albert Brooks in Defending Your Life.

We stayed at the beautiful Hotel Corque in Solvang- a quaint little Danish town in the mountains above Santa Barbara. The next morning, we had the best Danish pancakes we’d ever tasted at Paula’s Pancakes, took a morning Jacuzzi, then spent the afternoon wine-tasting in Los Olivos, where we filled our senses sampling Danish cheeses, locally grown olives, organic local fruits and the most incredible wines we’d ever tasted (some of them over $100 a bottle)  ….I was in Heaven.

The Wilson Phillips gig Thursday night was fantastic. Several thousand people filled the venue. I was seated between Chynna’s hubby, Billy Baldwin, and Owen Elliott- Cass Elliott’s daughter. (I was ONE DEGREE OF SEPERATION away from Alec Baldwin, people. ONE DEGREE) During the Mama’s and Papa’s song “Dedicated”, Owen got up and sang her mother’s part and from the moment she opened her mouth, it was as if Mama Cass was alive again. Everyone had the chills. It was pretty special to see Chynna and Owen, daughters of the Mamas and Papas, singing their parents songs with Carnie and Wendy, daughters of the Beach Boys. The audience went nuts.

I was having the time of my life, dancing, cheering. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, I was woozy. I hadn’t had more than a glass of wine all day, but I felt lightheaded and nauseous. I headed for the exit to get some air, but before I could get out of the arena, I flat out fainted. The last thing I heard was the audience gasp. The next thing I knew the ushers were picking me up off the floor, my knees were bloody, and a team of EMT’s was whisking me away to a medical room in the casino, where I spent the rest of the show. It was one of the most bizarre things that’s ever happened to me and I still have no idea why it did. I mean it was a good show and all but...

Billy Baldwin was hosting a private party for the band and friends after the show (at a very swanky restaurant), and I was so bummed to miss it. Troy rushed me back to the hotel where I fell into a comatose 10-hour sleep. Anyhoo, I woke the next day feeling completely like my old self, so off to wine country we went!

“We are NOT drinking Merlot”

We just had to stop at the vineyard where the movie Sideways was shot, where we bought several bottles and YES, we did drink Merlot! While there, we were talking and joking with another couple, and lo and behold we find out the guy is Rex Smith- teen pop idol of the 70s. We had a great time swapping music biz stories with Rex and his wife Tracy, and drinking MERLOT, amongst other things. Troy and Rex talked about starting their own radio show, called “Rex and Dex in the Morning”. Whaddya think?

"What more can I saaaaayy, you take my breath awaaaay"

Rex Smith todaaaayyy

After another gorgeous sunny day eating and drinking in wine country, we headed home, spotting a herd of about thirty deer on the side of the highway, California condors circling overhead. Then as the 101 led us along the Pacific Ocean, we saw Pacific bottlenose dolphins breaching and playing in the waves.

All in all a pretty wild and wacky journey- and just like our marriage-  a few miracles, kismet moments and a little drama and mystery thrown in for good measure. Never a dull moment around here, I tell ya. I love my life with Troy- all 25 years of it. It’s been a rollercoaster ride and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. And at least there’s been Merlot.

Toasting the love of my life. 

And I'll leave you all with this...dedicated to my hubby. I couldn't say it any better so I'll hand this one over to Rex Smith. Rex- take it awaaaayyyy: