We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe “City” Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe “City”, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
For me there is no choice! I gave up many times for lack of recognition, self-destruction, age, etc., that combination of something we internalize as failure for not having met the projected standards of success. But the impulse to create songs and perform them for audiences small and large, known and unknown, has always returned. I even lived a relatively monastic and peaceful life for several years only to find myself pulled back into the curious mystery of songwriting and performing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
While still living in L.A., I emerged from my years-long hiatus with the concept of Urban Desert Cabaret (UDC). At first as a monthly event with songwriters, poets and artists from the city and also the Joshua Tree high-desert scene. I curated and hosted it in the back room at the Pig ‘n Whistle on Hollywood Blvd. Out of that we ended up moving to the desert full time where under the UDC banner I’ve recorded and released four albums, play regularly, and even embarked on 3 DIY tours in Europe. So somehow, in spite of many setbacks, I’ve found my way to a thriving creative life in a supportive community at a relatively advanced age. And that’s what success is for me—surviving and being able to passionately transform the long struggle into songs and music that I can perform and record. I see songs as dreamlike windows out of which the listener may look upon a changing landscape that reflects their own interior journey in ways I may never know. Or hopefully they’re just entertaining? 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many, it’s been a long road! But immediately, my wife Joanna Fodczuk-Garcia. Originally from Poland, she’s a brilliant visual artist and educator who keenly perceives the artist in others, even when they feel at their most invisible. L.A. native journalist/author/performer Rubén Martinez has always been a great friend and collaborator. Also, long-time friend and collaborator Ted Quinn in Joshua Tree. And of course the entire high desert creative community for the vibrant energy and support they give with no judgement for how or from where you arrived. Everyone here is a creative migrant!

Website: urbandesertcabaret.com

Instagram: @urbandesertcabaret

Facebook: facebook.com/udcab

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@urbandesertcabaret6383

Other: urbandesertcabaret.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
first single photo: Iwona Stachura

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.