Biography
Good Medicine came into being in 1993 as a collaboration of guitarist Debbie Hutchins and bass player Frank Sipes. Nearly from their inception, Good Medicine was on the road playing every kind of venue from television and radio studios through restaurants and coffee houses to being concert openers for the likes of U. Utah Phillips, Rosalee Sorrells, Kim Robertson, Shawn Colvin, Peter Rowan, David Nelson (formerly of the New Riders), Box Set, Merle Saunders, Alice Stuart and Prune Rooney, and the Waybacks.
Hutchins, a Bay Area native, began playing guitar after moving on from the piano and clarinet in 1965. She performed her way through the ranks with bands like Frumious Bandersnatch, Lisa Kindred, Ascension and the Les Tension Band as well as opening for the Mothers at the Fillmore as part of Frumious Bandersnatch. During that time she first came in contact with the Grateful Dead. In 1968-69, Hutchins recorded with a number of acts including vocal work on the Grateful Dead's album Aoxomoxoa, in San Mateo with her teacher and friend, Jerry Garcia.
The early 70's found the talented musician opening for Cat Mother with the Ace of Cups at the Family Dog at the Beach, opening with Ascension for Peter Yarrow and David Bromberg at the Boarding House, for Hot Tuna and the Jerry Garcia Band in Golden Gate Park, and for various other Bay Area venues. In the mid-70's, Deb and Lisa Kindred opened at the Great American Music Hall for Etta James and Ramblin' Jack Elliot. She began employment at Stars Guitars which lasted until 1980. A move to Coarsegold in 1987 would eventually facilitate the connection with Frank Sipes and Roger Gonzales who came together in '92 to form Good Medicine. Family matters forced harmonica player Roger to move on leaving a brilliant duo behind. Since finding each other enjoyable on more than just a musical level, the two were married in Santa Fe, New Mexico in early 2000.
Frank Sipes is a Sanger native whose influences include James Jamerson, Willie Dixon, Harvey Brooks, Omar Sharriff, Bee Spears, Duck Dunn, Paul McCartney, Phil Lesh and Jack Cassidy. His first performance was in 1967 which landed him with bands like Rattlesnake Hatband, A Cast of Thousands, Chicago Stick Band, Bimbo Walker & the Mighty Shuffalos, the Cruisomatics, the Scream City Wailors and Imam Omar Sharriff.
Sipes also backed up Tex Williams, Rusty Draper, Molly Bee, Freddie Roulette, JJ Malone, Guitar Shorty, Pee Wee Crayton, Charlie Musselwhite, Glen Delpit and Roger Perry. In addition to his illustrious background, Frank performed with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Taxxi, the Motels, Queen Ida, Johnny Rodriguez, Ray Price, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Chuck Berry, Little Milton, John Hammond, Charles Brown, The Coasters, Bo Diddley, and Albert King.
The accomplished bass player's discography includes, but is not limited to, The Raven with Omar Sharriff in 1990 which was nominated for the prestigious John Handy Award, The Prodigal Sun with Glen Delpit in 1984, The Roger Perry Band Live in 1994 which was a video, B.F.D. with the Mighty Shuffalos in 1983, The Cruisomatics in 1987 and Get A Real Job with the Scream City Wailors in 1990.
The union of Frank and Debbie Sipes has produced what has been called 'blues in technocolor' or Pholkadelik. Dirty Linen magazine also called Good Medicine, "refreshingly non-trendy!" According to Frank, Good Medicine is a combination of blues, folk, country, rock, and improvisation kind of jumbled together and reproduced in their own way on six and twelve-string acoustic and six-string electric guitars, four and five-string bass guitars, percussion, tin whistles and cedar flutes and vocals.
Good Medicine is a band that transcends time and reaches audiences of all ages who appreciate amazing guitar and bass licks accompanied by the strongest vocals gifted to any group. Their extreme diversity both musically and culturally makes Good Medicine an outstanding choice for any venue or recording opportunity!
