Singer Heads For Grad School at 53

Name: Rev. Rabia, 53

Occupation: Singer, guitarist

Where do you play around the Bay Area? I play every week at Café Mediterraneum. It’s in Berkeley on Telegraph—that’s kind of a famous place. A lot of people know me—sorta. I played at the San Francisco Blues Festival years ago. I’ve toured Italy.

How often do you play at the El Cerrito Farmer’s Market? Once every month or every other month. Right now I’m going to school; I’m trying to finish college.

What are you studying? I’m at Holy Names (University). My major is creative arts and cultural studies: I self-designed it. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of work. Then I’m getting ready to get into grad school (laughs). Why stop now?

This is my husband (next to me) and partner in crime, Keizo Yamazawa. He’s a famous photographer.

Keizo Yamazawa: Used to be!

Rev. Rabia: Infamous, too. He’s from Japan, but he’s been here many years. We’re wannabe hippies, but we’re slightly too young to be real hippies. We’re followers. We actually have several really good friends who are major musicians of the hippie era, like Big Brother. I’m going to write a paper eventually called, “I Married A Deadhead.” I wasn’t a Deadhead until I met (my husband). 

What kind of music do you perform? Blues, if you hang around. Mostly blues and some rock, a little jazz, kind of mixing it up. Right now, I’m known mostly for blues: that’s what I started out with. 

To see other installments of our occasional "Who's Who" series, click .