In March 1989 Big Town Playboys played at the inaugural "Burnley National Blues Festival". As well as their own set they played two more backing Little Willie Littlefield and Champion Jack Dupree. The following night Sanchez played a solo set. In May 1989 Big Town Playboys went into Hope Bagot Village Hall that had been converted into a recording studio. This was the start of the recordings that were later released as the album "Now Appearing". Dave Baynton-Power played conga on the recordings as well as engineering the sound, and he then joined the band as their permanent sound engineer. The day after the initial recordings, Big Town Playboys played at a wedding party organised by Peter Richardson. Richardson saw the band many times, and introduced them to Jeff Beck. In July 1989 Andy Fairweather Low asked Sanchez to stand in on piano at a charity event in Brighton as the regular piano player Gary Brooker was unavailable. In late August 1989 Big Town Playboys flew to Los Angeles for the tour promoted by Mick Fleetwood. This included an appearance on the Pat Sajak show, as well as shows in Boulder, Aspen and San Francisco. The tour was marred by saxophone player Al Nicholls contracting altitude sickness and being hospitalised for two days, although the tour continued without him.