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Contra Costa Times
Cancer can't quash dream if Bill Bentley's involved
By Tanya Rose
Contra Costa Times.Posted: 03/17/2009 06:39:31 PM PDT
CONCORD — The cancer wrapped itself around Kurtis Shaver's vocal cords like ivy on a garden trellis. That the 41-year-old husband and father had just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer was bad enough news. But being a singer in two cover bands as well as in the middle of recording a dream solo album made it devastating. People described him as having a vocal range similar to that of Sebastian Bach — the lead singer of the 1980s metal band Skid Row, known for his reach-for-the-heavens vocal abilities. One nick of the scalpel during tumor-removal surgery and Shaver would never be able to sing again.
Many would have given up the album at that point, especially since some of the songs hadn't been written yet. But not Bill Bentley, of Bill Bentley Productions on Franquette Avenue in Concord. Bentley, who has worked in recording studios since the 1970s, decided this cancer wasn't going to get in the way of Shaver's album. The pair had two months to finish nine original tracks before Shaver had surgery last July. "I just wanted to get these songs in the can before the surgery," Shaver said while sitting in Bentley's studio Wednesday morning. "I said, if this is the last thing I do, I'm going to finish this record."
Fortunately, the surgery went well; Shaver is cancer-free and his singing is better than ever. Looking back on the recording experience, he and Bentley talk about how calm he was. He'd learned to cope with illness as a kid, with a mother who suffered from multiple sclerosis. "I don't know how he functioned the way he did, knowing he had this cancer," Bentley said. "I mean, you're a singer, and you have this cancer that could take away your voice — how do you cope? And he was like, 'Well, what choice do I have?'"
Bentley grew up in Lafayette, and as a toddler, he would sing "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head" while sitting on the countertop near his mom. He never doubted he'd be a musician. But he quickly learned that he liked being behind the scenes, helping coax talent out of other musicians. He spent a few years in Los Angeles, but he missed the Bay Area. He's had his Concord studio for 10 years, and quietly promotes the arts. He offers teaching space to struggling music teachers and recently bankrolled an album showcasing Contra Costa songwriters — the CD is available at www.ccsongs.com.
But mostly, Bentley said he loves helping "his dudes." Shaver is one of his dudes.
"Both of my cover bands had recorded demos with Bill and then one day I was telling him I wanted to do on my own CD, but had no songs written," Shaver said. "He told me that we'd do it together. People should know that if they have a dream do to something like this, they can come in and he'll help." Not all moments in the studio are heavy, with talk of cancer and nearly-squashed dreams. "The tube went out on this thing, dude," Bentley says. "Aw, man, that was my favorite microphone," says Shaver. They're just two guys who really click. On Wednesday, Bentley played music from another client for Shaver.
"Oh man, that is so cool — that is so 'Yes'-ish," Shaver said, referring to the 1980s band. It's a kind of musician shorthand, and Bentley understands exactly what he means by it.
To hear Shaver's music, go to www.myspace.com/thkurtis. His album is also available at CDbaby.com. To contact Bentley, call 925-827-2763.
