If you’ve seen a friendly rock guitarist around town with long, curly hair and a thick gray beard, it was probably Dale Johnston. He plays at Plant City’s open mic events, such as at O’Brien’s Irish Pub each Wednesday and frequently at Big Dog’s Patio and Uncle Mike’s Smokehouse Grill.
But Johnston had to temporarily cut back on his gigs a few weeks ago when the expensive equipment he uses to play live was stolen from his car.
Friends and connections he’s met through his involvement with the local music scene are throwing a fundraiser benefit for him beginning at 12 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at Big Dog’s in the downtown district.
Big Dog’s owner Kat DeRossa announced more than a week ago that the bar would be hosting the night of appreciation for Johnston. But he won’t know the event is actually a fundraiser for him until he picks up this week’s issue of the Plant City Times & Observer.
Though Johnston performs about five nights a week, he keeps himself busy during the day with a full-time job. He mostly works from home, but sometimes goes to his office in Oldsmar.
Johnston had a gig in Brandon one night, but he had to go to his office that day. He packed up his equipment and took it with him because it would have cost him so much time to drive back to Plant City in between work and the performance.
That day, Johnston went out to his car around lunchtime. Nothing was out of place. But when he returned 20 minutes later, it was not as he had left it.
“Everything was gone,” Johnston said. “They stole every single one of my mics, every single one of my cables, my guitar effects processor, amps and main speakers.”
In total, Johnston estimated the stolen equipment to have been worth about $2,000. Johnston contacted the police, but they haven’t been able to figure out what happened.
“They thought they had a lead, but it must have dried up, because I haven’t heard anything since,” he said.
Johnston has regularly kept his equipment in the car at work for two years, because the parking area is gated. But the security wasn’t enough.
“Looking back, I wish I had been more cautious, but you never know when these things are going to happen,” he said.
Some of Johnston’s friends have lent him equipment so he could still play. One item at a time, he has been able to replace most of the stolen items using money he makes from gigs.
But he still needs a looper and high-quality speakers, which he estimates will cost about $600 total.
Fortunately for Johnston, Plant City’s music community has jumped on an opportunity to give him a hand.
A Plant City band of young rock musicians, The Peacemakers, owes some of their success to Johnston’s help over the past few years
“He’s helped us get gigs. He gave us advice on what to do and what kind of equipment to buy,” Colton Conrad, a member of The Peacemakers, said.
The band got together to think about how they could help Johnston fully replace his stolen equipment. They decided to organize a fundraiser at Big Dog’s, where Johnston frequently performs and has fostered relationships with employees and regulars.
In addition to The Peacemakers, other bands have offered to donate their time to play at the event. Johnston will receive proceeds from a cook-out, a cornhole competition and some raffles.
“We figured we could try to give back to him a little bit and show him that we appreciate everything he’s done for us,” Conrad said.
If You Go
When: 12 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
Where: Big Dog’s Patio, 103 N. Palmer St., Plant City
Activities: Live music, raffles, cornhole competition
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.