Carey Driscoll was a big bear of a man with a mane of white hair, an alternately warm and brusque manner, and an irrepressible passion for music that he sustained until shortly before his death on May 16 at the age of 72.
That passion saw him create a labor-of-love grassroots concert series, Acoustic Music San Diego — later known as AMSDconcerts — that showcased music legends, underappreciated veteran artists and gifted newcomers alike. The approximately 750 performances Driscoll and his small staff of dedicated volunteers presented between 2003 and the 2020 pandemic shutdown will stand as his enduring legacy.
A small sampling of the artists who appeared here under the auspices of AMSDconcerts includes Judy Collins; Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Chris Hillman of The Byrds and Chris Squire of Yes; 1969 Woodstock festival alums Richie Havens and John Sebastian; and such diverse performers as Rosie Flores; Hot Club of Cowtown; Billy Joe Shaver; Vienna Teng; Fairport Convention;, Guy Davis; Mary Gauthier; Ray Wylie Hubbard; and Ten Strings And A Goat Skin.
“Carey did a wonderful thing for this town and for all the performers and audiences who were part of the concerts he created,” said San Diego singer-songwriter Jack Tempchin, who is best known for writing one of the Eagles’ most popular songs, “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” Tempchin both performed at and attended AMSDconcerts.
“Looking back,” he added, “I am grateful for all the great times I had, the shows I got to play, and the terrific artists I got to hear because of Carey’s passion and the work he did on our behalf.”
Driscoll’s praises were also sung by critically acclaimed Maine troubadour Ellis Paul, whose 25th album will be released in June. Paul estimates he performed as many as 10 times as part of the AMSDconcerts series — and marveled that Driscoll was conversant with virtually every song from every album Paul made.
“Carey knew the music of every artist he brought in, whereas some venues treat you like cattle,” Ellis said, speaking by phone from a tour stop in Virginia.
“He was larger than life, a crusader for music as much as a promoter. Many of us owe our San Diego following to Carey’s work, his taste, his sweat, his tears. He wore his heart on his sleeve in a way that made it hard not to love him. I can’t imagine San Diego without him.”
Driscoll passed away May 16 at Paradise Valley Manor, a care facility in National City, after being hospitalized at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. He was diagnosed with non-alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver, according to his partner, Ann Costello, a clinical lab scientist who played a key behind-the-scenes role at AMSDconcerts.
“The doctor told Carey: ‘Things would be better if you were an alcoholic, because then I’d tell you that you’d get better if you stopped drinking’,” Costello said. “Carey also had stage 4 kidney disease, which had started a couple of years ago. And once the COVID shutdown started, he kind of went downhill and didn’t get out. But he would spend several hours each day watching (vintage) music performances on YouTube and some clips from AMSDconcerts.”
Carey Lawrence Driscoll was born Aug. 14, 1950, in Quonset Point, R.I. He grew up in San Diego and four states in the South, where his father was a senior aircraft mechanical supervisor for the U.S. Navy.
Driscoll’s lifelong passion for music began at a young age. He began playing the drums in ninth grade and would fall asleep listening to his transistor radio. He became even more immersed in music while attending Imperial Beach’s Marian High School, where he was an avid athlete.
Driscoll and Costello became a couple was she was a senior at Marian High. Driscoll was then in his first year at Southwestern College, where a fledgling troubadour named Tom Waits was one of his classmates.
Teen sweethearts
An early job working at the Chula Vista Star News led to Driscoll’s career as a regional sales manager for a copier and laser supply company.
He and Costello went their separate ways after she graduated from high school and both married others. Their romance rekindled after the death of Costello’s husband in 2011 and she and Driscoll were inseparable until his death.
“He was so fun to be with and his knowledge of music was incredible,” Costello recalled of Driscoll, who sang and played guitar in Buffed Out, a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.
“I loved Toby Keith’s (2007) song, ‘White Rose,’ and told Carey I really liked it,” she continued. “Carey said: ‘Ann, this song was written by Fred Eaglesmith and he deserves some of the credit.’ Music was so important to Carey.”
Eaglesmith, perhaps not coincidentally, performed at AMSDconcerts in 2009. The series was held at five different venues during its 17-year run, including three churches and the Sweetwater High School Auditorium. In 2014, Driscoll announced he was ending his series, only to soon relaunch it.
No matter the location, Driscoll worked tirelessly to promote the music he loved. He was so devoted to the performers he presented, no matter how obscure some were, that he offered a money-back guarantee to any unsatisfied ticket-holder.
“Only a handful of people ever asked for a refund,” Costello said.
Patrick J. Carney, a painter, friend and devoted AMSDconcerts volunteer, credited Costello as an essential reason for the series’ longevity.
“Ann was an overwhelming part of it,” Carney said.
“If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think Carey would have continued doing it as many years as he did. Ann made sure life was easier for him and that he didn’t have to worry about the volunteers or the food for the musicians. The only thing he had to worry about at each concert was getting the stage and sound system, ready. Ann made it a lot easier for him.”
Driscoll was 45 when he retired from his management position and 52 when he started AMSDconcerts. He was encouraged to do so by Kenny Weissberg, who expertly curated the Humphreys Concerts by the Bay series from 1984 until 2007.
“Carey not only called all the time to suggest artists, he harangued me for years to book Jerry Jeff Walker — who I finally did book and who stiffed!” Weissberg said, speaking from Colorado.
“Carey called me the next year, and said: ‘Why don’t you bring Jerry Jeff back?’ I replied: ‘Why don’t you promote concerts? Why don’t you bring these acts to town?’ And he did. It’s admirable when any independent concert promoter puts their own money up — and that’s exactly what Carey did.”
In a 2013 Union-Tribune interview, Driscoll cited his desire to hear the music he loved as his main impetus.
“I got frustrated that all these great artists played a lot of other markets across the country and never came here,” he explained. “Finally, I said: ‘Somebody’s gotta do it.’
“There hasn’t been a plan, from the first day. I had no thoughts of doing this for five years, let alone 10. It was just one step at a time. … It was a labor of love; I just didn’t know there was going to be so much labor!”
Driscoll’s first AMSDconcerts show in 2003 was by singer-songwriter Jack Williams. He drew all of 23 people. Geoff Mudaur, who performed three months later drew 44.
The January 2004 concert by Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen attracted 297 attendees, but none of the next five concerts drew even 100 people. Driscoll was disappointed but undaunted. Over time, he built a loyal audience for the series.
“Carey just wanted to cover expenses,” Costello said. “His goal was to share quality music with people who cared and listened.”
“Carey loved what he did,” agreed Carney. “He really enjoyed introducing so many artists to San Diego audiences.”
The Feb. 20, 2020, performance by Willie Porter marked the swan song for AMSDconcerts before the pandemic shutdown. Driscoll chatted with singer-songwriter Ellis Paul as recently as last year about booking him to relaunch the series.
“Carey was like a pit bull,” Paul said in an admiring tone.
“If an artist didn’t draw well, he would lean in, bring them back and build an audience for them. He made artists feel loved and respected and he sometimes berated audiences when there was a small turnout. When musicians find a promoter like that, it’s gold.”
Driscoll was cremated shortly after his death. Costello and Carney hope to hold a celebration of life in the fall that may feature some AMSDconcerts musicians. In addition to Costello, Driscoll’s survivors include his sister, Patti Cooksey, two stepchildren; brothers-in-law Cliff Cooksey and Richard Wentzell; nephew Brian Wentzell; and niece Meredith Wentzell.
