"Takin A Walk introduces you to The Celebrity Jobber Podcast hosted by Jeff Zito"

Summary

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takin' a walk Presents: The Celebrity Jobber with Jeff Zito — Featuring Guitarist Gary Hoey

Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Buzz Knight (takin' a walk) introduces Jeff Zito (The Celebrity Jobber)
Guest: Gary Hoey (Guitarist, Producer)
Length of relevant content: ~03:35–28:00

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Episode Overview

This episode spotlights a crossover between Buzz Knight’s "takin' a walk" and Jeff Zito’s "The Celebrity Jobber" podcast. Jeff Zito hosts iconic guitarist Gary Hoey, known for his 1990s hit cover "Hocus Pocus". The core theme: How a single bold moment—auditioning for Ozzy Osbourne—set Gary’s career in motion, what "big breaks" really look like, and the lessons in taking chances, perseverance, and adaptability as an artist.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Humble Beginnings and Family Background

[06:03–07:27]

• Not from a Typical Musical Family:
  Gary’s mom was musically inclined but not a professional musician—she "was always playing records and singing in the kitchen", while his dad worked as a cab driver and later started a roofing company.

  “My mom was a kind of a character... an entertainer in her own right.” (Gary Hoey, 06:21)

• Life in Lowell, MA:
  Raised in a blue-collar, "rough sort of town," with six siblings (four sisters, one brother).

2. Discovering the Guitar

[07:31–08:45]

• Guitar entered Gary’s life unexpectedly, via his sister’s boyfriend, not via the typical “rock star epiphany.”

  “He came and sat at the kitchen table and just started playing like three feet in front of me… I was mesmerized. I was hooked.” (Gary Hoey, 07:50)

• By age 16, he was certain music—specifically guitar—would be his life’s path. He dropped out of high school in 10th grade, got his GED, and started working gigs.

  “I knew by the time I was probably 16 years old that this is what I was going to be doing for my life.” (Gary Hoey, 08:45)

3. First Jobs and Work Ethic

[09:22–10:32]

• Gary’s mom pushed him toward independence early:

  “My mom literally... told me when I was 17, ‘you're out, you need to go make a living and you need to go figure it out.’ So I left home when I was 17 and got a part time job and started playing in bands and that was it.” (Gary Hoey, 09:22)

• Early jobs included a newspaper route, factory work in shoe shops (gluing soles—“that’s why I have so much soul”), and inspecting circuit boards at Wayne Computers.

4. The Life-Changing Ozzy Osbourne Audition

[10:32–14:52; 19:18–20:33]

The Story in Brief:

• While in his mid-20s, Gary heard Ozzy Osbourne on Boston radio looking for a new guitarist ([10:50]).

• Gary called the station, played Ozzy riffs over the phone, and was told to send in a demo tape ([11:06]).

• Two weeks later, Gary was flown to LA for an audition—his first time in a limo, first time in California ([12:23–13:28]).

• Sat among "20 guitar players all lined up with long hair and leather jackets... a cattle call" ([12:41]), Gary played songs like “Crazy Train” with Ozzy himself.

• He didn’t get the gig (Zakk Wylde did), but Ozzy’s advice was pivotal:

  “Ozzy literally said to me, if you get the gig or you don’t, you need to move to Los Angeles.” (Gary Hoey, 13:38)
  “I got home, I found out I didn’t get the gig... But I came home and I sold everything I had, and I got into U-HAUL and drove across the country to California... and my career took off. I believe I owe it to Ozzy.” (Gary Hoey, 13:38)

• Reflection on Chance and Courage:

  “I just had my talent. And I had the balls to pick up the phone and play... which was very scary. And it taught me a lot just going through that experience. It aged me…” (Gary Hoey, 14:52)

5. Lessons Learned, Looking Back

[19:18–20:33]

• What if he hadn’t made the call?

  “If I didn’t pick up that phone, my life would definitely not have taken the turn that it did and the opportunities that came from it... It taught me for the rest of my life: when a moment comes where you can seize an opportunity... do it. Because the worst that can happen is somebody says no, which could still turn into an opportunity.” (Gary Hoey, 19:41)

6. On Networking and Attitude in the Music Business

[21:41–23:03]

• Covering "Hocus Pocus" was a vehicle to show the world more of what he could do. Gary now tells his own son, who plays in his band, about the importance of making connections and grabbing opportunities when they appear.

  “When you meet somebody, don’t be afraid to say, hey, can I get your phone number? Can we stay in touch?... It could be Brian May from Queen—you never know.” (Gary Hoey, 21:41)

• Jeff Zito’s Take:

  “Don’t be a dick... you never know who you’re going to meet.” (Jeff Zito, 22:20)

7. Diversification and Longevity

[23:03–25:26]

• Gary credits his continued music career to versatility:

  • Performer, teacher, mentor, producer, engineer, soundtrack composer, etc.

  “To survive in this business, you have to be diversified... I’ll valet cars. I do whatever it takes to feed my family.” (Gary Hoey, 23:03) “Don’t look at yourself as one-dimensional. Find out other things that you’re good at and don’t just look for a hand up for yourself. Give other people a hand up.” (Gary Hoey, 23:03)

• His production credits include work with Lita Ford, Ricky Lee Jones, Tom Waits, and music for ESPN, Disney, and film soundtracks ([24:16]).

8. Upcoming Projects and Collaborations

[25:26–26:38]

• Discusses current collaborations:
  • Playing with Lou Gramm (original Foreigner singer), after having once opened for Foreigner and Doobie Brothers when “Hocus Pocus” was a hit.
  • Touring with his son, just released a new album, “Avalanche.”

  “Life is really good, man. I’m still feeding my kids on rock and roll.” (Gary Hoey, 23:03)

9. Memorable Anecdotes & Local Connections

[27:14–27:42]

• A fun story about Gary’s mom making lasagna for radio hosts Stan and Haney back in Fort Myers, a favorite memory that stuck with the hosts for years.

  “They usually don’t eat listener food, but I think your mother’s cooking was a different story.” (Jeff Zito, 27:42)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Seizing Opportunities:

  “When a moment comes where you can seize an opportunity and you can put yourself out there, do it. Because the worst that can happen is somebody says no, which could still turn into an opportunity.”
  —Gary Hoey [19:41]

• On Career Diversity:

  “Don’t look at yourself as one-dimensional. Find out other things that you’re good at... Give other people a hand up. I always love to work with young musicians and mentor them.”
  —Gary Hoey [23:03]

• On the ‘Big Break’:

  “I just have my talent. And I had the balls to pick up the phone and play... which was very scary.”
  —Gary Hoey [14:52]

• On Kindness and Networking:

  “Don't be a dick... you never know who you’re going to meet.”
  —Jeff Zito [22:20]

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Summary Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 03:35 | Buzz Knight introduces Celebrity Jobber, Gary Hoey | | 06:03–07:27| Gary’s family & upbringing in Lowell, MA | | 07:31–08:45| Discovery of the guitar; early band experiences | | 09:22–10:32| First jobs, push for independence | | 10:32–14:52| The Ozzy audition and its aftermath | | 19:18–20:33| Reflecting on missed and seized opportunities | | 21:41–23:03| Lessons on networking, life advice for his son | | 23:03–25:26| Diversifying roles: performer, teacher, producer, more | | 25:26–26:38| Playing with Lou Gramm, new projects | | 27:14–27:42| Stan & Haney lasagna story, radio memories |

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Closing Thoughts & Takeaways

Jeff Zito wraps by emphasizing that Gary’s story, though he didn’t become Ozzy’s guitarist, is about transformation, resilience, and hidden rewards:

“It could have been a sad story, right? Like, ah, I didn’t get the gig. But it wasn’t a sad story just because he didn’t get the gig… It still worked out and still putting out new music and performing and he has a lot to be proud of.” (Jeff Zito, 28:00)

Main lessons:

• Take bold chances, especially when opportunities present themselves
• Don’t wait for luck—create your own breaks
• Stay diversified, humble, and kind—you never know where connections lead

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Find more:

• Gary Hoey’s music: garyhoey.com
• "Celebrity Jobber" podcast: celebrityjobber.com
• New album: "Avalanche" (touring with his son)

"Everybody's got a story."
—Jeff Zito

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Transcript

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[B]

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Onto massages at Sense's Spa, then gliding into Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge for a toast.

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Cause Disney Cruise Line is where we came to play.

[B]

Taking a Walk I'm Buzz Knight and welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast feed. Now we do from time to time like sharing other podcasts that we like that we think you might like. And we've shared some work with my friend Jeff Zito before who does a podcast called Celebrity Jobber. On this episode of Celebrity Jobber with Jeff Zito, the great guitar player Gary Hoey joins Jeff. So check out the episode right now.

[D]

Hey, it's Jeff Zito and thanks for checking out another episode of the Celebrity Jobber Podcast number two on the Apple Podcast Music Interviews chart. Past guests and episodes are [e-mail] streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Wherever you listen to podcasts, please subscribe. Would love a five star rating and leave a review. It's like one big break could change your life. And that is exactly what happened to my guest this week, Gary Hoey. He had a hit song on the radio right when I first got into the radio business in the mid-90s was a cover Hocus Pocus from the band Focus. But like, how he got to this place is truly an incredible story that we're going to hear about shortly. And we'll talk about his first jobs before he was even in the music business and some of the other jobs he has today. But the story, the big break, man, it's a pretty cool story. He's guitarist Gary Hoey and my guest this week on Celebrity Jobber, the Celebrity Jobber Podcast with Jeff Szeto. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, give a five star rating and leave a review. Check out all our past episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you pod. What if these celebrities weren't famous? What would they have become? What was their first job? We're about to find out. I guess I first heard of Gary Hoey when I was working at WYNF in Sarasota, Florida. Maybe it was Hocus Pocus which, well, you know, was probably around the mid-90s, 94, 95, something like that was when I first heard of you. And, and all these years later, still, still rocking and rolling, brother.

[A]

Thank you, man. I know it's crazy to think that. Yeah, that was a song 30 years ago we put it out and, and somehow I've managed to stay in this crazy business. Rocking and rolling. It's amazing.

[D]

Now let me, let me start off by asking you, Gary, are you from a musical family?

[A]

You know what's interesting you should say that. I wouldn't say so much like there wasn't like instruments laying around or anything, but my mom was a big music fan. So my mom was always playing records and singing in the, in the kitchen, cooking food and you know, and she grew up like dance, you kind of dancing and doing different things, kind of in the entertainment sort of world, you know, like she did some ballet, she would do baton in the parade and dance. And my mom was a kind of a character, you know, an entertainer. Entertainer in her own right.

[D]

Right. So, so what about mom and dad for, for actual jobs? What did they do for, for a living growing up?

[A]

Growing up? Well, we grew up in, in a mill town, Lowell, Massachusetts. We grew up, you know, in, in a pretty rough sort of town. But my, my dad was actually a cab driver. He mostly drove a cab. Then he started a roofing company where him and my brother did some roofing and stuff. And my mom, my mom was a stay home mom. My mom just raised six, six of us kids at the house as long as I can remember.

[D]

Wow, that's a, that's a big job. Six kids. Six. How many, how many boys? How many girls?

[A]

We have four. Four sisters and a brother. Four sisters and a brother.

[D]

Wow. So tell me. So. Okay, so we grew. You grew up in, in Mass. In Lowell, which is, you know, pretty blue collar town, pretty rough growing up. But what was it about guitar? When did you get into guitar and what was it that got you interested in guitar?

[A]

You know, it was, I mean, I was a teenager and music was a great thing for me because it kind of saved me. It kind of grabbed me and just gave me something to really focus on. And. But what happened was I, I wish I could say, you know, Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles came on, you know, the Ed Sullivan show, but it was really. One of my sisters was dating a guy that played the guitar and he came and sat at the kitchen table and just started playing like three feet in front of me and, and I was mesmerized I was hooked. And I'm like, you got to teach me how to play the guitar, you know? And I got real excited.

[D]

So what did you think growing up? Okay, so you start playing guitar because your sister's boyfriend introduced you to it. But what did you think when you were going to get older? When you were in high school, did you think about college? Were you thinking about, you know, what you were going to do for a living? Did you automatically, when you became introduced to the guitar, did you know this is what your path was going to be?

[A]

I did, actually. I knew by the time I was probably 16 years old, I knew that this is what I was going to be doing for, for my life. And I told my mom, I said, I want to drop out of high school. I dropped out of high school in the 10th grade and was in a band and I went and got my GED and then just started playing in bands. I said, and my mom was like, well, if you, if you're gonna get out of high school. Because I was, all I was doing was playing in bands. She's like, if you're gonna leave school, you have to make money. You know, you can't just be a bum. That's what I remember saying, that you're.

[D]

Not floundering around this house, eating this food, fun. You gotta start making some money. Sure.

[A]

Money. So my mom, you know, I was a guitar player, just playing, making hardly any money, bumming around. My mom literally, I said some of my songs, my mom told me when I was 17, she's like, you're out, you need to go make a living and you need to go figure it out. So I left home when I was 17 and got a part time job and started playing in bands and, and that was it.

[D]

Did you have a job other than playing guitar? Were you making money at some point? Like maybe your first job? What was it?

[A]

I was, I was working. I mean, I had the typical, you know, paper route and all those kind of jobs. But I remember working because I, we were living in a, you know, industrial, you know, right on the river, mill town. And I worked in everything from shoe shops, literally not even lying, putting soles on the bottom of shoes, gluing them on. Someone said, that's why I have, I have so much soul. And then I worked for Wayne Computers. I was doing, on the line, I was doing like computer boards and inspect circuit boards. And then I became a supervisor. I'll never forget this. I became a supervisor and then I was playing guitar and I got a chance to audition for Ozzy Osbourne. And they were going to fly me to Los Angeles to try out for Ozzy.

[D]

Where were we in the time frame here? Like, about what year are we talking about?

[A]

This was in the 80s, probably 80, you know, 86, 87. I went out to LA to try out for Ozzy. So I was 20, 26 years old.

[D]

And how did you. How did you find out Ozzy's looking for a guitar? How did that whole thing happen?

[A]

I was sitting home playing my guitar. The biggest fan of Ozzy, and I, I. All of a sudden the radio came on and I heard this British bumbling accent, and it was Ozzy on an interview in Boston, bcn saying, I'm looking for a guitarist.

[D]

You're kidding me. Wow.

[A]

No, I dialed the radio station. This is a true story. I dialed the station. I still had a phone with the curly cord on it. And I threw it on the ground and I went. And I started playing Aussie riffs over the phone. And the guy on the phone said, there's somebody on the phone that wants to audition for Ozzy. And he sounds pretty good.

[D]

You gotta be kidding me. This is. This is an insane story.

[A]

It's a true story. And I. And I gave them my information. They gave me a number and an address, and I sent a cassette tape, it was a cassette to Los Angeles and it had some demos and me playing. And I got a call two weeks later that we're flying you to Los Angeles to try out for Ozzy Osbourne.

[D]

You gotta be kidding me. This is an unbelievable story. So this basically happened with you just listening to the radio one afternoon. Ozzy just happens to be on, and he says, I'm looking for a guitar player. You called in, you got through, you started playing riffs live on the air. And Ozzy hears it and says, hey, I want you to fly out to Los Angeles. I mean, so you, you fly out to Los Angeles. Tell me what happens.

[A]

Yeah, I fly out there and I get the audition songs that I have to do. They let me know. I get prepared. I fly out there and I get off the plane. There's a guy waiting for me with my name on a thing. And I get in, he's waiting with a limousine outside. I've never been in a limo in my life.

[D]

It's like a. It's like a movie, right?

[A]

It's like a movie, man. And I'm in this limousine and I'm flying down Sunset Boulevard. I've never seen California in my life. Palm trees and everything. And he's driving kind of fast, whipping around the roads. And I'm getting there. I'm like, this is incredible. And I walk in and there's a hallway with 20 guitar players all lined up with long hair and leather jackets. It's a cattle call. Like, they all look like me. And I'm like, this is crazy. And I get to go in the room, and I actually play with Ozzy. He comes in the room and we're playing I don't know. And Crazy Train. And he's talking to me. And I'm just in awe. I'm just. I can't even believe that I'm standing here. And the amplifier they had me play through, the Marshall stacks were so loud. I'd never heard anything so loud in my life. When I hit a chord, it almost knocked me on the ground. It was incredible.

[D]

This is right around the time that Zach Wilde became the guitarist of Ozzy. So I don't want to. I don't want to, I guess, jump the story and say, you didn't get the gig. But what happened from here?

[A]

Well, what happened was it turned out to change my entire life. Because getting the audition with Ozzy and getting to Hollywood and experiencing that and knowing I had talent, you know, I knew, worked hard, I had talent. That Ozzy literally said to me, if you. If you don't get the gig. Because they called me back for a second day. I came back a second day. So I knew they were taking a hard look at me. And then I played again. And then the second day, Ozzy said, if you get the gig or you don't, you need to move to Los Angeles. You need to come here. And so I got home, I found out I didn't get the gig. It was Zach Wilde, which made total sense. He was perfect. But I came home and I sold everything I had, and I got into U HAUL and I drove across the country to California. I listened to what Ozzy said, and I went there and I found a manager, and I signed Warner Brothers Records, and my career took off. And I believe I owe it to Ozzy.

[D]

I believe that had to be. That's like when you ask somebody what their big break was, right? And a lot of people, they'll say, like, you know, gradually I worked up. That happens a lot. You know, hard work pays off, and gradually they. They make it. In your circumstance, do you consider that whole situation, that whole story had to be your big break, right?

[A]

I think it was. I think it was my big break because I'm a kid in a mill town in Lowell. Who do I know in Los Angeles to get an audition with a big gig? I don't know anybody. I don't have a manager. I don't have a publicist. I don't have anybody. I just have my talent. And I had the balls to pick up the phone and play over the phone and I had the balls to fly to Los Angeles and do the audition, which was very scary. And, and it taught me a lot just going through that experience. It aged me, you know, by doing it because you learned so much.

[D]

You had the guitar in the amp hooked up and ready to go, just like you are right now.

[A]

I did, I had, I had a practice amp, you know, just sitting on the floor and I had my guitar there and, you know, I was always playing and just. I, when I heard it on the radio, I don't even know what possessed me to call up and say, I'm just gonna play over the radio.

[D]

Right?

[A]

I mean, who would I know?

[D]

Yeah, it's crazy. And I mean the Celebrity Jobber Podcast.

[B]

With Jeff Szeto this episode of Taking a Walk is brought to you by Chase Sapphire Reserve. Whether I'm booking my next vacation or going to a concert, Chase Sapphire Reserve is my gateway to the world's most captivating destinations. Travel is one of the most precious things in my life and the memories of each of the experiences live on forever. Chase Sapphire Reserve allows me to travel with ease with a 300 travel credit and access to a curated collection of hotels through the edit. So no matter where I'm walking, travel is more rewarding with Chase Sapphire Reserve. Discover more with Chase sapphire [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply. Lexis believes in the importance of standards. One of my standards I never want to be late. I always want to show up on time. For Lexis, the standard is simple experience amazing. Their benchmarks aren't stats or specs. They're feelings, Exhilaration, joy. That sense your car was designed just for you. Machines built to make you feel more human. Because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing experience. Amazing at your Lexus dealer tired of.

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To play, didn't I mean it?

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[D]

Celebrity jobber if that never happened Gary, I mean, you ever think about if you never picked up the phone and you never called the radio station and played for odds on the radio? I mean, have you ever just kind of like one day reflected back to your life and said, man, you know, if I didn't make that call, this maybe I'd be in a local band or just doing something completely different.

[A]

And very good point. I think there's a good chance if I didn't pick up that phone that my life would definitely not have taken the the turn that it did and the opportunities that came from it. And I also think of the other side of the coin is what if they said, guess what? You are the new guitarist for Ozzy Osborne.

[D]

Right.

[A]

I also thought about that and how my life would have changed if that had happened. Would I still have had two kids living in the woods in New Hampshire where my kids know who I am and my wife knows who I am and we have amazing relationships? Or would I be divorced and my kids would know who I am? Yeah, I just wonder, like, where would. Where would I be? And I've thought about that, and if I didn't pick up the phone, so much wouldn't have happened. And it taught. It taught me for the rest of my life. When a moment comes where you can seize an opportunity and you can put yourself out there, do it. Because the worst that can happen is somebody says no, which could still turn into an opportunity.

[D]

That's true. You know, I never really thought about that. And, you know, I was just having this conversation with somebody the other day, like, nobody owes you anything. You know, if you. You want something bad enough, you got to go out there and get it. And you can. But don't be the guy that's like, woe is me. Nothing good ever happens to me. When you're not ever taking a chance and going outside of your comfort zone to try to make your. Your dream happen, which you tried to do. It didn't work out with Ozzy, but it did work out. He gave you the advice, hey, I moved to la. You did. And one by one, all these things started happening. Unbelievable. It's a great story, Gary. And I mean, like I said, I started, you know, I started in my career back in the early to mid-90s at a station called WYNF in Sarasota, Florida. And I remember it was the song Hocus Pocus from Gary Hoey that, that got me familiar with you. Which was an old cover of the. The Focus song, correct?

[A]

Yes, it was an old song by Focus. And again, that was just a vehicle for me to let people hopefully hear what else I was doing. You know, I wanted to do a great cover song and have some fun and, you know, and in life, I mean, all the. That we take. I tell my son this now, who's playing in my band. You know, I tell him, when you're meeting, when you're out doing something, you never know what opportunities are going to come. And you've got to keep yourself open in life to making relationships and connecting with people. And I tell them, when you meet somebody, don't be afraid to say, hey, can I get your phone number? Can we stay in touch? You know, I'd love to stay in touch. And it could be. It could be Brian May from Queen. You know, it could. It doesn't. It doesn't matter. You can still, like, you're right.

[D]

It's important. It's. It's so important. And I think it's a. It's a good lesson for, for anybody, you know, you never know who that person is that you run into, you know, and I guess it goes back to another, you know, it goes back to the. I don't know if it's a saying or not, but don't be a dick. You know, in life, you know, you never know who you're going to meet. You, you maintain good relationships with people or, you know, you, you definitely, you have a chance. You never know who you're going to meet along the way. And your story is definitely one that I'll never forget. And still to this day, Gary, you're still, you're still touring, full schedule. You got new music coming out, I understand.

[A]

Yes, we just released a new album, Avalanche. Yeah, I'm still making new music. I'm touring with my son, he's in my band now. Life is really good, man. You know, I'm still feeding my kids on rock and roll and you know, I, I talk about taking chances and getting out there and the relationships you, you, you make with people are really what's going to get you where you need to go. Because people want to hang out with people that they like, you know, but also, you know, you have to, to survive in this business, you have to be diversified. Like I'm a teacher, I'm a mentor, I'm a guitar player, I'm a producer, I'm an engineer, you know, I'm, I'll valet cars. I mean, I do whatever it takes to feed my family. And so I think in any business you gotta, don't look at yourself as one dimensional. Find out other things that you're, you're good at and, and don't just look for a hand up for yourself. Give other people a hand up. I always love to work with young musicians and mentor them and, you know, give some help.

[D]

So Gary, you're talking about all these other jobs that you have still to this day within the music business. You're, you're, you know, not only performing, putting out new albums, you're also a producer, an engineer. Tell me about all the different jobs you have within the music business.

[A]

Yeah, you know, I started messing with the knobs and becoming an engineer many, many years ago. People would leave the studio and I would hang around with, you know, Thompson, Barbiero, Richie Zito, you know, all these amazing producers that I got to work with and I would hang around and ask them questions and try to learn about the tricks of the trade. And so I ended up becoming a producer. I produced Lita Ford's last record and just, we just did another record together and I've Worked with Ricky Lee Jones. I've worked with Tom Waits, I've worked with Jewel. I've worked with so many people and. And again, being in the studio with people, you have to bring the best out of people as a producer. So that's what I do. I'm good at helping people to feel comfortable when they're in the studio. And when I'm not working, you know, sometimes I'm creating for ESPN sports. If I'm not on tour, I'm writing for Disney. I have songs in several movies. Danny DeVito, Declar Halls, Beethoven, the Dog Movie. And so I've survived for 30 years by not just doing one thing. I'm a pretty diverse person.

[D]

On June 18th in St. Petersburg, you're playing with Lou Graham, the original lead singer of Foreigner. Lou Graham's All Stars. That's going on at the palladium in, in St. Pete. And that's on June 18th. Tell me a little bit about the Lou Graham's All Stars.

[A]

Yeah, it's great working with Lou. It's funny because I love Foreigner. I grew up on the music, and 30 years ago, when Hocus Pocus came out, my first hit song, I ended up opening up for Foreigner and the Doobie Brothers. I was the opening band. So I got to tour for six weeks with Lou and hang out and, you know, get to hear him. And we, you know, we became kind of friends. You know, we hung out and then I didn't see him for a few years. And then we started doing some things together with Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp, where he would come in as a guest. And then I did some cruises where he was on there. So we kept running into each other. And then my friend Tony Franklin plays bass for him, the Fretless Monster, and called me one day and said, lou's looking for a guitar player to fill in for some dates. Would you want to do it? I said, yeah, I would love to, and came down and we really hit it off. And so Lou's been using me for most of the shows at this point. And as much as I can do.

[D]

Man, new album is out. It's called avalanche. Garyhoey.com that's Gary. H O E Y.com Find out more about where Gary's performing his music. You could buy his new cd, Avalanche. Gary, I gotta tell you, man, great story. And was so, so glad to finally get a chance to talk to you after all these years. I know that my old buddies Stan and Haney used to have you on their show all the time, but I Never had an opportunity to speak to you before. So I was glad I finally got a chance to hook up.

[A]

Me too, man. I'm so glad that we did get to talk. And yeah, Stan and Haney were really cool guys, man. So many years. I think your show's off the air now, right?

[D]

It is just. They just retired back in, in last.

[A]

Aug. Well, legendary guys. And a funny story is my mother lived in Fort Myers and when I came down, I came to see her and see them and she made them a big thing of lasagna with some salad and garlic bread and I brought it to them and they talked about that for 10 years, man.

[D]

Yeah, they usually don't eat listener food, but I think your mother's cooking was a different story altogether. So.

[A]

But great to chat with you, man. I wish you a great summer and hopefully in the fall I know some new holiday music. Maybe we can, we can chat again.

[D]

Awesome. Gary, thanks so much, man.

[A]

You too. Have a great day. Jeff. Thank you.

[D]

Maybe not the most recognizable name, Gary Hoey, but you see that big break hearing Ozzy on the radio in Boston. He calls the station, starts playing guitar on the phone. Just so happens that Ozzy's looking for a guitar player. They fly him out to la. Unfortunately, he doesn't get the gig. But he said that experience changed his life because Ozzy said, whether you get it or don't, you got to move out here to Los Angele where all the gigs are. So I kind of, what I took from that whole story is, you know, it could have been a sad story, right? Like, ah, I didn't get the gig. But it wasn't a sad story just because he didn't get the gig. It didn't end. He did move to Los Angeles, doors did open, signed a record deal with Warner Brothers, had a hit song on the radio, Hocus Pocus. You know, it led to not only a career of, you know, music and performing music live, but behind the scenes stuff. He's a producer and he's worked with lead to Ford and Jewel and he does some sound design projects and has written stuff for Disney. So you see how this whole thing did work out for Gary Hoey. If you're in the Tampa St. Pete area. Gary performing with the original singer, Foreigner. Lou Graham at the palladium. That's Wednesday, June 18th. See if I can hit Gary up on Twitter. See if he'll give me a pair of tickets to that gig. Think I'd like to go. Talked about his first jobs outside of music. He was resoling Sho also inspected some circuit boards for computers. Both those jobs don't sound very exciting. So really glad that the the whole music thing worked out for Gary. Man, what a story. Thank you so much for checking out another episode of the Celebrity Jobber Podcast streaming on Spotify Apple Podcasts Wherever you listen to podcasts, please subscribe. Would love a five star rating and leave a review. You could check out past episodes online. Celebrityjobber.com Number two on Apple Podcasts Music Interviews chart. You can also follow online at YouTube.com theat sign celebrity jobber or on IG celebrityjobberpodcast. This is definitely one of the most exciting stories I've heard in a long time. And even though he didn't get the gig, you know Zack Wylde got the gig for Ozzy Osbourne, who by the way is retiring June 5, his very last gig in his hometown of Birmingham in the uk And Gary didn't get the gig. But it still worked out and still putting out new music and performing and he has a lot to be proud of. Gary Hoey Everybody's got a story and got some great celebs lined up for the future. We'll get to hear their stories coming up right here on the Celebrity Jobber Podcast. Thanks again for listening. I'm Jeff Zito.

[B]

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This episode is supported by FX Is the Lowdown, starring Ethan Hawke. Allow us to introduce you to Lee Raybon, a quirky journalist, rare bookstore owner slash unofficial truth seeker who is always on the tail of his latest conspiracy. This time, his most recent expose puts.

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[D]

This is an iHeart podcast.