This story is part of WBUR’s “The Third Act” series, highlighting people who worked full careers and re-invented themselves later in life, often in surprising and inspirational ways.

In 1967, the all-girl band Ace of Cups burst onto the San Francisco rock and roll scene, attracting a big following and touring with some of the most famous musicians of the era. They earned a rave review from Jimi Hendrix.

It was a dream while it lasted. A documentary called “Revolution” about the 1960s West Coast counterculture shows the five bandmates playing barefoot as they rip through a raucous rendition of their song, “Stones,” before a crowd of ecstatic, dancing fans.

The Ace of Cups were having their moment — and then they disappeared.

Now, more than a half-century later, the band members are back together, with an unlikely third act proving rock and roll dreams never die.

Some of the stories in WBUR’s “The Third Act” series are about people who reinvent themselves later in life because they’re not ready to stop working. Some are about people who have no choice but to keep working. This story is about musicians who are using their third act to reconnect with their past and pursue a passion.

Ace of Cups was born at the end 1966, when 19-year-old Denise Kaufman, a singer who played harmonica and guitar, met guitarist Mary Simpson-Mercy at a New Year’s Eve party hosted by the psychedelic rock band, Blue Cheer, in Haight-Ashbury.

“She was jamming some blues up in this bedroom, and I wandered in, and I pulled out my harmonica and we started playing together,” Kaufman said.

Simpson-Mercy asked Kaufman if she wanted to join an “all-girl band” that she and her friends were starting.

“My first reaction was, ‘Well, that sounds really weird,'” recalled Kaufman. She had played in plenty of groups in which she was the only woman, but had never even seen a band made up only of women.

“I’d never thought of it, truly,” she said.

Of course, there were plenty of women rock stars at the time, from Janice Joplin and Grace Slick to Tina Turner. But they all fronted bands of male musicians. An all-girl band that played barefoot and rocked their own instruments? That was something different.

Ace of Cups from the 1960s. In back, from left: Mary Simpson-Mercy, Diane Vitalich and Marla Hunt. In front, from left: Denise Kaufman and Mary Gannon. (Courtesy High Moon Records)

Along with Kaufman and Simpson-Mercy, Ace of Cups included drummer Diane Vitalich, keyboardist Marla Hunt and Mary Gannon, who played bass and called the chance to play in the band “miraculous.”

“I grew up in New York and girls just didn’t play guitar in my era,” Gannon said. “What could I do to perform and be the artist that I was?” Ace of Cups provided the answer.

In bootleg tapes from the ’60s that captured Ace of Cups practice sessions and performances, you can hear the band’s energy — as it embraced folk, soul and unbound rock and roll with edgy grooves and sharp songwriting.

Ace of Cups performing in Dolores Park, San Francisco. (Courtesy High Moon Records)

“It’s bad for you but buy it,” the women chanted in one of their songs that poked fun at the commercialization of 1960s America, adding, “If you had our product, everyone would love you.”

“They were great players and played some great music,” former Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen told Rolling Stone magazine in 2022. “They put it all out there.”

It didn’t take long before the group gained an enthusiastic following around San Francisco, while getting to know some of the biggest names on the rock scene.

“We were just living sort of a dream in a way,” Simpson-Mercy said. She recalled seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

“I had never heard anything like this,” she said. And she had never seen anyone set a guitar on fire, as Hendrix did to conclude his performance.

“I couldn’t believe it, because I had learned that you always treat your guitar with respect,” Simpson-Mercy said. “When he did that, I just thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s flipped out.'”

A week later, at Golden Gate Park, Ace of Cups opened for Hendrix, who, while touring abroad a few months later, told Melody Maker, the British music magazine: “I heard some groovy sounds last time in the States, like this girl group, Ace of Cups, who write their own songs and the lead guitarist is hell, really great.”

To the band members, it felt like they had reached a kind of pinnacle. Simpson-Mercy said after that experience she dreamt about Hendrix for years and imitated the way he played barred chords, using her thumb to cover the sixth string.

“I still play that way,” she said.

The late rock guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix during a performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in August 1970. He called Ace of Cups “groovy,” and said lead guitarist Mary Simpson-Mercy was “hell—really great.” (Evening Standard/Getty Images)

From there, Ace of Cups continued to take off. They toured with Jefferson Airplane, played shows with Joplin, Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead and opened for The Band’s first show ever.

But for all their young success, they never recorded an album. Some record companies expressed interest, but nobody offered them a contract.

“I think that they weren’t quite sure what to do with us, how they were going to market us,” Gannon said.

Even landing gigs could be a challenge, like when they tried to book San Francisco’s Peppermint Lounge.

“Our manager called there and talked to the booking guy,” Kaufman recalled. “And he goes, ‘Yeah, an all-girl band — absolutely — we’ll book them. But they have to play topless.'”

The Ace of Cups passed on that gig. Sexism was a real challenge in the business, Kaufman said. By 1972, the band was pretty much done.

“We started having children, so that kind of changes your whole situation if you want to go out of town for a gig,” Kaufman said.

“Before too long, a little baby is gonna be born,” they sang in “Life in your hands,” one of the last songs they performed before splitting up.

Simpson-Mercy lived off the grid for a while, embracing the back-to-nature movement in northern California, and eventually became a mental health counselor. Vitalich worked as a massage therapist. Kaufman co-founded a school in Hawaii, worked as an EMT, and then moved to Los Angeles, where she went to music school and taught yoga to celebrities, from Quincy Jones and Jane Fonda to Madonna and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

As a single mother, Gannon found the transition difficult, and for a time relied on odd jobs and food stamps. “I was pretty lost when the band stopped playing,” she said. “That was really my dream of everything, the band.”

Eventually, Gannon got a degree in special education and launched a new career. But the music dream never died. The band would get together every now and then, until finally, in 2011, George Wallace of High Moon Records saw them perform and was bowled over.

Wallace became a mentor and a backer for the group. He encouraged Kaufman, Simpson-Mercy, Vitalich and Gannon to go into the studio and record some of their old ’60s songs and develop new material. (Hunt did not continue with the band.) In 2015, he offered them a contract. Three years later — more than 50 years after they first played together — the four remaining members of Ace of Cups released their debut album.

Ace of Cups, together again: Mary Gannon, Diane Vitalich, Denise Kaufman and Mary Simpson Mercy in the studio. (High Moon Records/Rachel Wright)

“The Ace of Cups, why they weren’t signed — it’s unimaginable to me,” Wallace told KQED, the NPR affiliate in San Francisco, in 2018. “They were ahead of their time. And at the age of 70-something, they haven’t lost a step — in their playing and their songwriting and their spirit.”

Suddenly, the band was on NBC’s Today Show, playing their song, “Feel Good,” their first single since splitting up in the early ’70s. Older and grayer, perhaps — three of them are now grandmothers — but still playing with the energy of a half-century ago.

“Working in the studio was just the most incredible thing to happen to us at this time,” Simpson-Mercy said. “In some ways, it was just as incredible as what happened back in the ’60s.”

The record includes appearances by Taj Mahal, Buffy Saint Marie and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. And thanks to all the songs they wrote decades ago, there was no shortage of material to fill the double album. Kaufman said the recording finally proclaimed to the world that Ace of Cups actually existed — and is still going.

“We had nothing to show except for some posters,” Kaufman said. “We never got to go in the studio with our music and create it. It was like having children that never got to be out in the world and play.”

When the band started touring again, Kaufman would tell audiences, “We’re from the ’60s, in our 60s.” Now in their 70s, they’re reminding people that this stage of life can still be the start of something new, rather than the beginning of an unavoidable decline.

“I think there are new possibilities there to really make that last third of your life really as good as it can be,” Gannon said. “It’s something to look forward to now.”

Since their debut album, Ace of Cups has released a second album and an EP. They’re still rocking, well into their third act.

Mary Simpson-Mercy, Mary Gannon, Diane Vitalich and Denise Kaufman of the Ace of Cups. (High Moon Records/Rachel Wright)

Have you re-invented your life in a surprising or inspiring way? If so, we want to hear about it. Email us at thirdactstory@gmail.com.

The post Born in ’60s San Francisco, all-girl rock band Ace of Cups roars again a half-century later appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SONOMA (CBS SF) — While the fire only raged for 20 minutes, the blaze that roared through the barn-turned-tasting room at Sonoma County’s landmark Larson Family Winery earlier this week took a devastating toll.

Gone was a treasure trove of historic Sonoma Rodeo and Larson Family memorabilia. The winery dates back to 1899, was once the stomping grounds of Buster Millerick, the Petaluma native who helped train Seabiscuit and was among the first to open in Sonoma Valley.

READ MORE: Officials Warn Of Unstable Slopes On Highway 50 Above Echo Summit

On Wednesday at approximately 8:45 pm, the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District got a 911 call reporting a fire at the winery. Fortunately, the station wasn’t located too far away and firefighters quickly arrived at the winery.

The barn-tasting room was fully engulfed, but their quick action limited the spread of the flames to other parts of the winery. Video of the blaze was captured by a Sonoma County sheriff’s helicopter that was flying over the area after taking part in another call.

“The barn-turned-tasting room suffered irreparable damage and will be closed until further notice,” the family posted on the winery Facebook page. “No humans or dogs were injured in the fire. The adjacent barrel room and winemaking facilities were left unharmed.”

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“We are devastated by the loss of our business and priceless historic Sonoma Rodeo and Larson Family memorabilia.”

While the family was still coming to grips with the damage and loss, they promised to continue on.

“While we’re still very much in the recovery phase, we are moving forward with every intention of opening back up and being a place where you can continue to make great memories,” the family posted on the winery web page.

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Fire officials said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

The post Fireplace Roars By way of Landmark Sonoma County Household Vineyard – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (CBS SF) – A wall of flames from the Caldor Fire roared over Echo Summit on Highway 50 Monday night, hurtling down the mountainside toward the Lake Tahoe Basin, where thousands of residents were forced to evacuate their homes in a mass escape that clogged the few roads out of the region.

Flames burned on either side of the winding slope of Highway 50 – a popular stretch of road for visitors traveling to Tahoe – on Highway 89 and Meyers. There were reports that the fire shifted to the south end of Meyers on Monday evening.

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Meanwhile, South Lake Tahoe – a community of nearly 22,000 people – has taken on the appearance of a ghost town. For hours, evacuees forced out of their homes had slowly escaped to safety. Among them was Mel Smothers, who got out of his vehicle and serenaded the drivers with his violin.

While traffic exiting South Lake Tahoe slowed to a crawl as thousands of residents fled the area – many said it took several hours to move just a mile or two – the streets were eerily quiet early Monday night and traffic-free.

KPIX reporter Katie Nielsen was there when firefighters were digging their last dig and trying to keep the Caldor fire from coming over the Echo Summit into the Tahoe Basin below when the wind continued to stir up just before 6 p.m. on Monday night and the Ignited flames.

That happens at the #EchoSummit on the #CaldorFiee. Winds try to blow the fire over the summit and down to the #TahoeBasin. Red Flag Winds are happening now. @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/tvtdXap1HU

– Katie Nielsen (@KatieKPIX) August 31, 2021

Nielsen later reported from the mostly deserted streets of South Lake Tahoe when the fire broke out over the summit. The only people left were the residents who didn’t have cars to evacuate from the area. They were seen carrying backpacks and duffel bags with their belongings to the evacuation buses that would leave the area.

Evacuation centers have been established at the Douglas County Community Center at 1329 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville, Nevada and the Truckee Veterans Hall at 10214 High Street in Truckee.

In the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski area, teams turned snowmaking machines into makeshift fire hoses. Authorities said the fire charred part of the land and surrounding trees, but firefighters were able to rescue all of the resort’s buildings and believe all of the chairlifts are still intact.

On Monday evening, the raging fire grew to more than 186,568 acres and was 15 percent contained. Three firefighters and two civilians were injured and a Galt police officer who was on his way to the police in the fire zone was killed in an accident.

At 11 a.m., the evacuation of the lower Lake Tahoe Basin was ordered. All residents have been instructed to exit the area east on Highway 50 toward Nevada.

Caldor Fire evacuation order for 8/30/21 at 11:00 a.m. pic.twitter.com/g1WxBKeWds

– CAL FIRE AEU (@CALFIREAEU) August 30, 2021

Caldor Fire Chief Thom Porter said at a briefing on the state’s forest fires that the Caldor Fire has grown more than 20,000 acres since Sunday and the fire may have spread in all directions.

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“Difficult road conditions, difficult to access. It burns in heavy wood, just very, very difficult conditions, ”said Porter. “We made progress sometimes. Last week I reported on how we effectively have an inversion that kind of curbs fire activity. But when the air clears, it’s like taking the lid off a pot of boiling water. Suddenly this cloud of heat and steam comes out, the same thing happens with a fire. It also sucks in oxygen from all directions, sets fires and punctures fires in all directions. That happened yesterday. “

Porter said after the flames hit Twin Bridges and the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski area, the fire was now in the Tahoe Basin with point fires in the Lower Echo Lake, Aloha Lake and Desolation Wilderness areas.

It was also the second time a forest fire has crossed one end of the Sierra to the other, another example of the state’s unprecedented forest fire situation.

“We haven’t had wildfires from one side of the sierras to the other,” said Porter. “We did that with the Dixie [Fire], now we have with the Caldor. Twice in our history and both happen this month. So we really need to be aware that there is fire activity in California that we have never seen before. “

Porter urged those in evacuation warning areas to consider early evacuation before issuing a mandatory evacuation order.

“Be ready now. Be ready now before there’s a warning, ”Porter said. “If there is a warning, you pack everything in the car and drive off, or you wait for the order and leave. Be ready now. “

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department had issued mandatory evacuation orders Monday morning for the west bank of Lake Tahoe from Emerald Bay to Tahoma on the Placer County line and then west to the border of the Desolation Wilderness.

The contract also included the residential and commercial park that leads to the intersection of Highway 50 and Lake Tahoe Boulevard – a popular junction to the casinos in Stateline – and the area east of the Pioneer Trail and south of the Heavenly Valley Resort Ski Area.

The evacuations came because the fire was advancing at frightening speed.

“We had gained over 25,000 acres,” said Tim Ernst, Cal Fire chief operations chief. “Yesterday it moved the fire about 8 1/2 miles east due to the change in weather.”

The fire made a run on Sunday from Strawberry on Highway 50 northeast to Echo Lake, where it burned Monday morning.

“A number of structures have been lost in this area,” said Ernst.

The task of containing the Caldor fire will not be easier for the fire department in the next few days. A red flag warning with hot temperatures, low humidity and strong winds applies to the region until Wednesday evening.

“Red Flag Warning now in effect and has been extended”

Now – Wednesday 11pm
N. Sierra & S. Cascades
Bad wind & extremely dry

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Are you prepared for wildfire? Visit https://t.co/4PbDmtOuXj for tips on how to prepare. #CAwx #CAfire pic.twitter.com/X4UH8xntNw

– NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) August 30, 2021

To date, the flames have destroyed 472 homes – many in the fire-ravaged community of Grizzly Flats – and threatened an additional 21,451 buildings. In the small communities that line Highway 50 – a major artery between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe – over 24,000 residents have been evicted from their homes.

On Sunday night, residents of Myers, Fallen Leaf Lake, Kirkwood and Christmas Valley were told to vacate their homes immediately when shacks burned near Camp Sacramento. Flames threatened the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski area, where giant snowmaking machines were used to wet the terrain and 25 additional strike teams were sent into battle to prevent flames from roaring in South Lake Tahoe.

As a precaution, officers also used school buses and ambulances to evacuate Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe.

CALDOR FIRE:

“Today was a tough day,” said Jeff Marsolais, National Forest Supervisor of El Dorado, at a press conference on Sunday evening. “There are no bones. I think the team is doing an excellent job of staying ahead of a very developing fire … Today it let go. “

Erich Schwab, chief of Cal’s fire department, said the brightening of the sky on Sunday triggered rising pyrocumulus clouds that lashed the flames on the eastern edge of the massive flame.

“To put it in perspective, we’ve seen about half a mile of movement around the perimeter of the fire every day for the past few weeks, and today this has moved 2.5 miles with us with no sign of it so is starting to slow down, “he said at the press conference on Sunday evening.

And now a warning for gusty winds and bone-dry humidity should come into effect on Monday at 2 p.m.

The fire spread to the north side of Highway 50 and started on Ralston Ridge. The crews took defensive measures to protect the buildings south of the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski area, but night photos from the resort showed flames approaching the ski lifts.

Near Camp Sacramento, the fire burned several huts along Mt. Ralston Road on Sunday evening.

Firestorm near Camp Sacramento as fire crossed S-N Highway 50, causing significant property damage #CaldorFire pic.twitter.com/2YLvlbeAEW

– craig philpott (@CphilpottCraig) August 30, 2021

Tragic losses turn at least between Camp Sacramento and the Sierra Tahoe. Unknown E from there. #CaldorFire Hwy 50 looking north to east pic.twitter.com/8amM7NZ7cW

– craig philpott (@CphilpottCraig) August 30, 2021

Tahoe is an attractive vacation spot for Bay Area residents, especially with Labor Day weekend approaching, but South Lake Tahoe Fire Department chief Clive Savacool said if they’re in the area they must go.

“Tourists should be gone,” he said. “If someone is still here as a tourist, they have to pack and go. Everyone who doesn’t have to be in South Lake Tahoe has to get out now. “

Among the many other challenges faced by the 3,500 firefighters fighting the flames is terrain that creates its own wind.

“This fire is in an area with multiple deep, steep drains,” said Steve Volmer, a fire behavior analyst with Cal Fire. “We have a saying: ‘Where water flows, there is wind.’ So you can see all of the problem areas of the fire that we had problems in those deep, steep drains along Highway 50 … They (the winds) keep sending out point fires along Highway 50, down in Camp Creek and Slug Canyon. “

These spots are ignited 3/4 of a mile before the main fire.

Volmer said the flames were also fueled by the area’s fire history.

“Right now we have a lot of heavy, dead down material in this fire area,” he said. “The area has very little fire history dating back to 1940 and almost no recorded fire history prior to 1940. There are large numbers of extremely large diameter logs that are still on fire. They are still burning down and still producing all the smoke. “

The firefighters will also look at the weather conditions to warn of the red flag over the fire zone, which will develop early Monday and will extend into Tuesday.

Cal Fire meteorologist Jim Dudley said winds will reach up to 35 miles per hour at the upper elevations near Echo Summit.

“These will start Sunday night and increase the speeds on Monday and they will last through Monday night and Tuesday,” Dudley said of the winds.

Highway 50 is still closed from the Sly Park Road exit to the Highway 89 interchange in Meyers.

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The fire, which was first reported near the Grizzly Flats community on August 14, is unlikely to be fully contained until September 8. Officials said the cause is being investigated.

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