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| Christopher Cross |
Christopher Cross
I opened for Chris in 2003 with
4 on the Floor on the River Stage in Paducah, KY. One of the prettiest voices on Earth. Just doesn't quite have
that leading man body. If he were built like Johnny Depp he'd be one of the best known performers anywhere.
| King of the "Mississippi Saxophone" |
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| Snooky Pryor |
Snooky Pryor I
only played with Snooky one time at nightclub in Carbondale, IL which wasn't there very long and whose name has faded
into the deep recesses of my memory.
Bob Pina was playing keys with Snooky and had suggested I drop by and sit in.
I got up on stage when I got there after another gig nearby and stood by Pina across the stage from Snookums. I figured
I'd just play an occasional solo with some tasty fills. Well. Snookums kept saying "play your saxophone" and I'd jump
right in with a solo every time. Later, when I got off stage, he kept saying "Play your saxophone!" and then he'd play
a harmonica solo. I had not been aware of the "Mississippi Saxophone" nickname for harp. I'd been stealing
solos from him for the full three or four songs I played along with him.
That gig was videotaped and included the tunes I played along on. I requested
a copy from Snooky's son, who is my friend Richard Pryor, (stage name Rip
Lee ) who is also a blues singer/harmonica player. (I had met him a
couple years earlier when he bought my old Chevy and an extra bumper). I guess they thought they needed to protect
Snooky's professional integrity or something because the consensus was that I couln't have a copy. I didn't want to
mass produce it or anything like that, I simply would have liked a copy for my archives. Maybe someday I'll get a copy,
since Snooky's dead now. Any wonder why "Rip" changed his name?
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| SNOOKY, "JUNIOR" Richard "Rip Lee" Pryor |
Willie Dixon
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| Willie Dixon, the GIANT of blues song WRITERS |
I'm probably proudest of having done a show with
Willie and his son Willie, Jr. in
Peoria, IL.
Sadly, NOBODY showed up, and I got stiffed on my wages. Still, to have met him and shaken his hand, spoken to
him and he to me...Willie Dixon, the most prolific of ALL blues songwriters, is one of my most memorably awesome experiences.
We (Dr. Bombay) had the dressing room stage left wing. The Dixons, et al, were across the stage in the
other wing. Before the curtains went up I walked over to their dressing room and walked in. I was surprised to
see this large black man seated and holding a cane. Not knowing for sure if that was him, I extended my hand and
asked, "Are you Mr. Dixon?" He looked at me quizically and said, "Er, I am WILLIE Dixon." as if he were unaccustomed
to being addressed as "Mr." I found it kind of charming but I was a little embarrassed.
Little
Feat
In 1968 on one of several collapsible stages set up along the South wall of the
S.I.U. Student Center's "Roman Room". My band Coalkitchen was the first act of the afternoon at a show that went on
until mid evening. The "Feat" went on right after us. I had never heard of them before. My impression was
that Bill Payne, their pianist was trying to look like Leon Russell with his long white (bleached?) hair.
They
were probably the most famous band to play all day, but next to go on after us came...
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| Lowell George |
Duke Tumato along with
his side kick on harmonica, "Dr." Seuss. I heard his name once... Seuss Something-or-other...but I don't recall the
surname now and haven't been able to find it on line either.
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| Duke Tumato |
Coalkitchen was my band. We went
on first and then Little Feat and then Duke Tumato and the All Star Frogs. I never spoke to him. I hear
he is still performing around the Mid West.
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| Woody Herman |
Funny thing about my only two Woody Herman
encounters is that they (The Thundering Herd) were just finishing up their final song of the performance when I heard them.
The first time was at Disneyland in about 1972. I heard this great big band from across a courtyard, playing under
an open-air gazebo. Linda and I approached the bandstand and stood watching and listening. Woody goes to the mike
and says, "Thank you for coming", etc. and then he walks off stage. I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't get to hear
more.
O.K. Then in about 1980 I was playing in St. Louis at 3rd Street Alley with Dr. Bombay.
We heard that Woody and the Herd were playing over on Third Street at some other bar and were playing later than us.
Well, Dave Stahlberg and I get off stage and walk leisurely over to that venue and entered. We stood behind the stage,
as it was orientated such that the entrance to the club was right there. We stood listening for about one minute and
Woody makes the same announcement, "Thanks for being here, we hope you enjoyed yourselves", etc. and then walks off the back
of the stage right past me and Dave. I said to Woodie, "Seems like every time I hear you you're playing your last song".
Woody says to me, "You're going to have to start coming earlier.".
I saw the Paul Winter Consort at
the S.I.U. arena in about 1969. After the show, I heard he was going to show up at the "hippy house" on W. Main Street
where I had friends living. When I got there, his drummer and he were there. My sister, Vickie, was there
along with maybe fifteen other partiers. His drummer was a compulsive talker, going on and on speaking to Paul about
various rhythms he had in mind for some songs. Paul seemed interested in my sister and when he found out I was her brother,
he made some comment about what I thought of maybe him asking her out. I remember saying, "I am not my sister's keeper",
which elicited a hearty laugh, with him repeating the phrase. He did not ask her out, however. I was faintly disappointed
when he wouldn't smoke any pot with the revelers. I think his drummer did.
I was quite disappointed in the next few years also, when Paul dropped the Consort and concentrated on playing his beautiful
alto saxophone to only whales. I'm glad he finally got back to recording. He's still doing great stuff.
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