Who We Are…
Southern Star Productions is a booking agency that takes a different approach toward our artists and bookings. We believe that the personal touch is what builds relationships and trust in a difficult business. Southern Star productions deals on a one to one basis, as we do not send out mass recorded messages to potential talent buyers. Our goal is to put the right artist with the right venue for maximum ticket sales. Southern Star Productions is proud to be the exclusive booking agency for country music superstar Jeff Cook, a founding member of country supergroup Alabama and Jake Castro. We also are proud to to present the most requested and one of the most respected bands in the business, Hotel California A Salute to the Eagles.
Jeff has been playing lead guitar and keyboard since the age of thirteen. In addition to his rich vocals, Jeff Cook, the “Mr. Musician” who served as Vocals, Lead Guitar, and Fiddle for the group Alabama, has just about done it all. Alabama signed a recording contract with RCA records on April 21st 1980, launching a career that to date has resulted in 21 gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums, 43 number one singles, and more than 78 million records sold! Alabama has received over 150 industry awards including Eight (8) Country Music Association honors for “Entertainer of the Year” and 2 Grammy awards, 2 People’s Choice Awards and their very own star on the Walk of Fame. They were named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music in 1989 and Country Group of the Century by the RIAA(Recording Industry Association of America in 1999. In November of 2005, Jeff and his band mates were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2001, Jeff received the Orville H. Gibson Award as Guitarist of the Year by the Gibson Guitar Company. Jeff is back on stage again, singing some of his 25 years of hits plus his own special blend of “Country, Soul, & Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jeff plays and electrifying lead guitar, and all those ”hot licks” on the fiddle you hear are Jeff. Between the guitar and fiddle, you would think Jeff stays pretty busy. Well, “Mr. Energy” also plays keyboards, bass, mandolin and drums. Jeff is currently not touring due to the effects of Parkinson's Disease. We love Jeff and continue to keep him in our prayers. We can't wait to welcome him back to the stage.
This Southern California group is the ONLY show to have official authorization to perform the Eagles catalog of music. Authentic instrumentation and world class acapella has made this compelling group as powerful as it is unique. A spirited blend of originality and the pursuit of excellence have taken Hotel California A Salute to the Eagles to a level normally reserved for gold and platinum recording artists. For more than three decades, Hotel California A Salute to the Eagles has been playing to sold out venues and has touched the
hearts of fans all over the world by respectfully and accurately reproducing the Grammy award winning sounds of this great American songbook. Call us to book your show today.
Take your audience on a trip down a dark desert highway...cool wind in your hair...check in to the
Hotel California A Salute to the Eagles. Anything else is just a tribute.
Jake is an explosive live artist, his blistering guitar and powerful vocals channel the blues-rock dynamism of the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Gary Moore, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. As evidenced by his playing, Jake’s musical influences range far and wide. Notably, he started with Chuck Berry’s Johnny Be Good, performing it with the unlimited energy of a 6-year-old, and ultimately finding his soul in the blues. Mentors Jeff Cook of ALABAMA, Larry Hanson (Righteous Brothers, ALABAMA, Texas Tenors), Tim Conway (Joan Jett, The Drifters) have played pivotal roles in Jake’s growth as a musician. And he has flourished under the direction of Manager, Cyndee Boelkins.
Turning professional at the tender age of 9, Jake honed his performance chops sharing the stage with musical icons Jeff Cook, Rick Derringer, Steve Vai, Bryan Lee, Marty Balin and Bertie Higgins, to name a few. Jake doesn’t just play music, he also studies it through a comprehensive, hands-on curriculum encompassing theory, rhythm, harmony and more, under the tutelage of LA Composer, Arranger, and Producer Byron Fry.
A multi-instrumentalist, Jake is putting his versatility to good use as the lead guitarist, slide guitar, pedal steel, banjo player and vocalist with Hotel California – A Salute to the Eagles. Thrilling audiences Nationally with over 150+ dates annually at Casinos, PACs, Festivals (Summerfest 2021) and Symphonies to sold out shows, This dynamic band is in high demand.