above shot overlooking Bisbee, AZ
About . . .
photo by John Erwin
Growing up on Long Island, NY., Darrin, primarily self-taught, learned some guitar chords at 12, from Dad after being exposed to his Chuck Berry, Ventures and other guitar based records throughout childhood. He got into the Beatles for a minute, then it was onto the hard rock of the day (Zeppelin, Hendrix, Sabbath, Rush, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, UFO, etc.) as well as other blues based rock, before later digging into Delta and Chicago styles and improvisation. After relocating to the Fort Worth area with his family and many years in the budding DFW metal scene, Kobetich has since branched out into acoustic instrumental experimentation, drawing from many styles over the years, including middle eastern, Indian, mountain and bluegrass, to name a few. Notable fingerstyle/flat pick influences are Leo Kottke, Michael Hedges, Doc Watson and John Fahey. In more recent years, getting involved in live theater production at mostly Hip Pocket Theatre, but also Jubilee and Amphibian, has enabled him to draw from all of these influences as the live soundtrack to these shows. He also travels the country, playing mostly in quirky desert and mountain towns.
Other accompishments:
Won best acoustic act in 2006 FW Weekly Awards, as a member of
The Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang.
Won best acoustic act in 2010 FW Weekly Awards, as a member of old time/bluegrass band, Blackland River Devils.
Nominee for best guitarist in FW Weekly Awards 2022, 2012 (as well as best album and best folk act), 2011 and 2005.
Created as well as participated in
music for theater productions at Fort Worth's
Hip Pocket Theatre - 2010 to the present:
Wild And Iron Sky (director John Moore)
The Origin Of Species (director John Moore, music director Joe Rogers)
The Butterfly's Evil Spell (director Johnny Simons with musician Clint Niosi)
The Hawkline Monster (director Johnny Simons)
The Enchanted Lake (director Johnny Simons)
The Lake Worth Monster (director Johnny Simons, music director Joe Rogers)
The Monkey Wrench Gang (director Johnny Simons)
The Diaries of Adam & Ever (director Yvonne Duque-Guerrero)
The Butterfly's Evil Spell (director Yvonne Duque-Guerrero)
Midsummer Night's Dream (director Yvonne Duque-Guerrero)
Jubilee Theatre
It Ain't Nuthin' But The Blues (music director Steven A. Taylor)
Amphibian Stage
Marie & Rosetta (music director Steven A. Taylor)
Where it all happened for a while. The studio has since moved a few times.
- By the way, can anyone see a picture of Michael Schenker?
Photo above, I shot heading south off 385, out of Marathon, TX into Big Bend
The Road:
. . . Back in 2007, I think it was, nearing the end of my first tour, I stopped to gas up in Vernon, TX at about 3 in the AM. As I put rent car #3 in gear and started to drive off, I felt the car jerk. I thought I left the emergency brake on. So I pulled the release and kept going onto 287 south bound. I couldn't understand why this truck was bright lighting me for a quite a while. After about an hour or so, I got really tired and pulled over on the side of a service road near Wichita Falls. After I slept for a while, I got out of the car to stretch, just after sun up, walking around. As I approached the rear end of the car, there . . . I saw the gas nozzle and hose still attached and hanging out of the gas tank . . .
The Road:
. . . Back in 2007, I think it was, nearing the end of my first tour, I stopped to gas up in Vernon, TX at about 3 in the AM. As I put rent car #3 in gear and started to drive off, I felt the car jerk. I thought I left the emergency brake on. So I pulled the release and kept going onto 287 south bound. I couldn't understand why this truck was bright lighting me for a quite a while. After about an hour or so, I got really tired and pulled over on the side of a service road near Wichita Falls. After I slept for a while, I got out of the car to stretch, just after sun up, walking around. As I approached the rear end of the car, there . . . I saw the gas nozzle and hose still attached and hanging out of the gas tank . . .
Above photo from 2016...one of my most memorable gigs opening for Andy McKee, Oak Cliff, TX!
