Johnny Modesto spent his childhood rattling around the Central Valley towns of Turlock, Bakersfield and Modesto. Formerly known as Johnny Modest, he changed his name to Modesto when he took a shot at speedway motorcycle racing and later competition Barbecue. He refined his grilling skills working for a caterer cooking Tri-tips in the Santa Maria style. During this time as a journeyman musician he played bass in various bands for weddings and took some music classes at the junior college.
Songwriting had always been a part of the picture. Johnny would Listen to people and write down some of the crazy things they said. He would be taking notes on his phone to start the writing process for songs. From one of those notes, sprang "Rhubarb the Rodeo Clown." The tale of the tragic accident was heard on a roadtrip to Albuquerque. After a significant gestation period, Johnny crafted the song. A tale of a tragic accident, questioning core beliefs, visions in a dream and a call to action. ”Rhubarb The Rodeo Clown” is a redemption story that rodeo fans, dog lovers and everyone else can enjoy.
