The Havalinas

The Havalinas are an American gypsy-folk-rock band from California, formed in 1989 in Los Angeles by Tim Scott McConnell and Stephen Dennis Smith (Smutty Smiff) - former bandmates in Levi and the Rockats, a punk-styled rockabilly group. and Charlie "Chalo" Quintana (Social Distortion, Cruzados) on drums and percussion (as well as back up vocals). Tim Scott played guitar and sang vocals as well as Harmonica, Mandolin, Bouzouki, Fiddle, Banjo, Keyboards, and Ukulele. While this album was critically applauded, it never gained traction on radio perhaps due to its stripped down sound.

Tim Scott had paid his dues in the music business having been a member of the Rockats (a pioneering rockabilly revival group featuring Jerry Nolan (ex-New York Dolls) on drums) in 1979. Tim has solo contract in the 80's and caught a break in the late-80's when the major labels started a bidding war over the Havalinas. Described as a raucous roots band who dressed like L.A. outlaws. They toured opening for the Beat Farmers which was a great double bill, They had a great sound.

Their opening track "High Hopes" is now become a Bruce Springsteen song which is why the band's album became popular again. Apparently, Scott first met Springsteen in 1991, at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, when he walked offstage into the darkness and held out his guitar for the band's road manager, as he always did. This time, though, the guy who took the guitar from him turned out to be Bruce. They became friends of sorts and that was that.

Tim lives in Norway today and occasionally records using his full name, Tim Scott McConnell, and has lately been performing as Ledfoot. A new album called "Black Valley Ballads" is due out in Germany in January 2014.

The band achieved some success and toured with the Beat Farmers, Bob Dylan, Chris Isaak, Tina Turner, and Crowded House.

In 2014, Bruce Springsteen covered McConnell's song "High Hopes"