Celtic Elvis is a folk theater group started in Contra Costa County, CA in 1988 when Jim Ocean hatched the idea of using theatrics and laughter to ease people through explorations of the significant issues of our times. Jim, the band's primary songwriter, explained that band's appeal: " People want to be entertained, but they are tired of trite love songs. They want something that is funny, but not just mindless fun- something that makes them think, too. And we do our best to push our concepts right to the edge. "

The origins of the band's name are obscured by unreliable memories. It is suggested that Celtic Elvis, among other things, sprang out of the "Big Bang Elvis." The name does imply a sense of humor and hints at music that is undeniably original. Warning: They're not Elvis; they're not Celtic; and they don't play basketball.

What Celtic Elvis does is " some of the best satirical songs you're likely to hear ." ( Dirty Linen )

The group has toured nationally and internationally, performing their skewed sense of humor and original songs at such venues as the Bottom Line, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Kerrville Folk Festival. They released their first CD, The Rise and Fall of Practically Everything , in 1990. The band's second CD is entitled Hard To Be Real and was recently released on Wildplum .

" Great songwriting, comedy, vaudeville; their stage show is one of the best in the business ." That's how Rod Kennedy, founder of the acclaimed Kerrville Folk Festival, described Celtic Elvis's stage presence. Now, after a three-year break from performing, Celtic Elvis is once again touring the USA. With a revamped, funnier than ever stage show, Celtic Elvis continues to inspire audiences to tap their feet, laugh out loud, and question both authority and the status quo.

" A truly fresh force of acoustic music on the west coast ." - Christine Lavin

" An interesting band to watch ."- Todd Rungren

The Celtic Elvis stage show is without peer in today's folk domain, using comedy and various elements of theater (dance, costumes, props, etc.) to drive home poignant observation on... well, just about everything. Some examples:

During Ritual Worrying (the Worst is Yet to Come) , Celtic Elvis creates a small, smoky cafe, on the cusp of French existentialism. Randy then engages the audience in a dialog before he and Barb perform an Apach‚ dance. A lounge lizard turned evangelist playing the Starlight Lounge is the setting for Robots for Jesus . While for Love is Real Estate (You're My Fixer-Upper) , Celtic Elvis stages a mini-opera, the story of an agent , her client, and her boyfriend, complete with costumes and power tools (yep, the handyman kind).

Is it any wonder that Celtic Elvis sends audiences home in stitches?

A Contra Costa native and a fourth generation musician, Randy has been performing since age three. He has appeared with both the San Francisco and Los Angeles opera companies. In addition to writing and signing with Celtic Elvis, Randy is drawn to musical theater, holds a degree in theater from UC Berkeley and remains active in various theater productions in the Bay Area. He is the winner of a Shellie for his performance in Town Hall's production of Conversations with My Father. An original member, his ability to dramatize a song is the foundation of the band's stage show.

A certified nurse practitioner, Barb is originally from upstate New York where she performed with east coast bands Eat 'n Run and the Bob Warren Band. Since moving to the Bay Area in 1982, Barb has performed and recorded with Placebo Domingo and Peppino D'Agostino.

Founder and primary songwriter of the band, Jim has been writing, performing, and producing music for 20 years. Jim considers himself a cultural activist. When asked why he formed Celtic Elvis, Jim replied "to communicate new, sometimes outlandish ideas, make people laugh, and have fun." His wit, unique song topics, strong voice, and driving acoustic guitar are the heart and soul of the band's music. Jim is also a well known Bay Area concert promoter. His many productions include the 300 seat Musician's Coffeehouse series (in Walnut Creek), which, incidentally, is where the band members first met.

Newest member of the band, Cecelia also performs with the Vallejo, Napa, and Monterey Symphony Orchestras. She is a former concert mistress with the North Bay Opera and plays in the Tahoe Summer music Festival. A music educator since 1976, she's cracking the bow over Celtic Elvis now, injecting a string zing into the music.

The third founding member of the band, and another Bay Area native, Rich has been playing in bands since he was thirteen. He worked for a number of years in the LA rock scene, but returned home because he couldn't "take the meaningless adulation anymore." A one time owner of a hot-air ballooning and hang gliding business, his adventurous spirit is evident in his inventive bass lines.