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He's the One: Dwight Yoakam headlines at the Mountain Winery Aug. 13. Photograph by Brad Bowman Villa Highlights The Mountain Winery and Villa Montalvo announce performing-arts series this week By Al Roberts IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY to start planning for the annual performing-arts series at the Mountain Winery and Villa Montalvo. More than 150 concerts, starting this April 13 and running through April 4 of next year--will be announced this week. Many of these shows--thanks both to the top-caliber artists and the natural and architectural beauty of the two Saratoga venues--sell out well in advance, so ordering tickets early is a must. Among the bigger names on this year's schedule is perennial country star Dwight Yoakam, who appears at the Mountain Winery on Aug. 13. Yoakam has achieved a level of success rare for a California-based country artist (of course, being born in Kentucky doesn't hurt his country cred). The multi-Grammy-winning performer has recently released a greatest-hits albums covering his best numbers from the 1990s, including "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" and his hit ballad "You're the One" from his If There Was a Way album. Just to rile the mix up a bit, the album ends with a version of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Proof positive that Beatlemania will never die is the continued success of drummer Ringo Starr, who plays Villa Montalvo (with his All Starr Band, including Dave Edmunds, Jack Bruce of Cream fame, Eric Carmen, Simon Kirk and Mark Rivera) on June 14-15. Chances are that he won't be playing any numbers from his most recent album, I Wanna Be Santa Claus, a collection of seasonal songs ranging from Winter Wonderland to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Raindeer. Seventies rockers Cheap Trick are scheduled for June 30 at the Mountain Winery. Randy Newman, who has made some of the most memorable movie soundtracks of our time, appears Sept. 8 at Villa Montalvo. Fresh from some excellent reviews for his performance as artist Diego Rivera in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock, salsa star Reuben Blades plays the Garden Theater at Villa Montalvo on Sept. 14. All of this activity comes on top of Villa Montalvo's already busy spring series, which features the likes of Brenda Wong Aoki (March 17), the Pat Metheny Trio (March 31) and monologuist Spalding Gray (April 13-14). In a classical vein, the series also includes Trevor Pinnock and English Concert (March 14) and the Beaux Arts Trio (March 21). Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting April 16, but you can call the box office--408.961.5858--now to get on the mailing list. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]