Sandii’s Story
Women In Music
Sandii Castleberry grew up in the small college town of Claremont, CA. During the late-60’s, she began her guitar lessons on a beginner guitar her father gave her when she was 8-years old. “I loved watching the bands play on television,” she recalls, “I wanted music to be part of my life.”
Sandii recalls her mother singing quietly to her as a child. “My mom loved to listen to all kinds of jazz, and still does to this day. She use to watch my uncle play saxophone in jazz bands as a teen-ager during the 40’s,” said Sandii. “It was from her that I inherited my “musical genes.”
At age 15, Sandii was already forming duos and trios with high school pals, and some of the college students from the nearby Claremont colleges. It was during her Sophomore year in high school that she began singing professionally. “My first job was at a restaurant in San Diego. I was visiting one of my musical friends for the week-end, and we were riding the bus all over the city looking for a gig. The house band happened to cancel their performance that evening, and we got the job. I didn’t smile much during the show, because I wanted to hide my braces so I would look older,” she says.
Sandii knew in order to make music a successful career, she would also need a background either in business or in promotions. She sought the path of Public Relations, and a degree in Journalism, which she earned from San Diego State University. “I was a staff writer for the entertainment section of the school paper, and got to go to local concerts and interview some of the touring acts.” I met Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Doc & Merle Watson, Pete Seeger, and songwriter Jack Tempchin who wrote a lot of the Eagles early hits.” Sandii also sang 3 nights a week for the Cask n’ Cleaver dinner chain while in college. That’s where she met her future brother-in-law, a restaurant manager who later married Sandii’s older sister.
During college in San Diego, Sandii met other local musicians to perform with. A public relations internship at a local music theater led Sandii to perform as an opening act at the theater for touring blues singer Maria Mulduar. An audience patron approached Sandii after the show and asked her she'd like to sing the National Anthem at a Clippers basketball game. “It was a fun and exciting time for me, “ Sandii says. “Everything I did had to do with music.”
After college, Sandii moved to Orange County, California and went to work part-time for the airlines, a career that would allow financial stability and a flexible schedule while she pursued her music career. She continued to sing 60’s-90’s styled pop music in local venues in the evening, while working her airline job during the day. It was while working at the Orange County Airport ticket counter that Sandii met Ron Daigh, a guitar and banjo player whom she would eventually marry. Ron’s roots were in bluegrass, and he introduced Sandii to the music in 1986.
For the next 10 years, Sandii sang in coffee houses, city events, “Taste Of” festivals, weddings and the Laguna Beach Sawdust Festival. It was at the Sawdust Festival where Sandii first met Pat Wayne, who later became the manager of the Orange County Performing Arts Center “From the Center” schools outreach program. Impressed with Sandii’s ability to entertain and relate well with children, Pat contacted her several years later and offered her an audition that would lead her to join the performing artist roster. She teamed up with Disney-seasoned entertainer Gary Francisco (“Farley the Fiddler”). They created the show: “Music Born in America.” (MBIA is an educational and entertaining American folk music show that tours Southland schools through the Performing Arts Center. ) Sandii went on to write two more school assembly shows which she, Gary and Celtic musician Richard Cook perform. (Happy Birthday America, and Celtic Connection.) She is now enjoying her 7th year on the roster for OCPAC.
In 1995, Sandii left her 15-year airline career to pursue an elementary education teaching credential, which she completed in May, 97’. She taught 2nd and 3rd grade part-time in Irvine for 7 years, which left schedule open to tour schools with her folk music assemblies and to perform with one of her many musical groups on weekends and during the summer.
In 2002, Sandii released two music CD's: "Folk Chronicles", a collection of old-time beloved folk songs and "Castleberry Christmas", her favorite holiday songs which she performs with her friend and fellow musician violinist, Paul McIntire.
Sandii and her husband Ron moved from Orange County, CA to the small mountain community of Idyllwild, CA in 2004. There, Sandii has met and collaborated with other local musicians, and is seeking out new venues for her musical ensembles. Her latest project (the "Joni Project") is a five-piece band performing the early music of Joni Mitchell.
Sandii is currently a full-time musician with 8 or 9 different ensembles ranging from bluegrass to blues and swing. Be sure to click on Sandii's Music Menu to see all the musical options she offers, and her Performance Schedule so you can catch one of her shows.