Archives for category: Uncategorized

Nashville’s Charles Butler Daft Punk Cover Blows Past 800,000 Hits

May 29, 2013 //

Very Entertaining Records Artist Charles Butler took his banjo for a ride on Daft Punk’s “ Get Lucky” a few days ago and posted it to YouTube on May 25^th and after a few links by random bloggers, Huffington Post took notice and now the East Nashville banjo style version is nearing a million hits.

Charles Butler posted May 27^th on YouTube, “A heartfelt thanks to everyone who left words of encouragement! And thank you to Daft Punk. Random Access Memories is amazing, go get it. I am going to cut a new version of this to offer as a free download, and produce some banjo tab for those who are interested, probably within a week or so.”

There are now videos of people watching his version on YouTube.

Very Entertaining Records Bill Davis is excited about the light being shined on his label mate and friend.

How far can this go? How about a kickstarter campaign to press a back to back 7 inch of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk and Charles Butler? For information on Charles Butler and Very Entertaining Records contact info@veryentertaingrecords.com.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Charles Butler photo courtesy Very Entertaining Records

Tags Bill Davis, Charles Butler, Daft Punk, East Nashville, Very Entertaining Records

Categories Americana Music, East Nashville, Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

My Camera Eye Faves So Far

May 24, 2013 //

All photos © Brad Hardisty

The Nashville Bridge was rolled out in 2010 at the suggestion of my sister who said that I needed to share my rock and roll and country and rhythm and blues Americana post punk California life with the rest of the world. My first blog printed photo was a portion of a shot I took of The Cumberland River and the bridges crossing into downtown that I took with a 5 mg Fuji auto focus while visiting Nashville in 2006 and wondering if I would ever move here. It is a picture that means a lot to me. I visited Nashville quite often from Birmingham before deciding to move up here and make roots in January of 2008.

Although I did want to just editorialize and conjecture my thoughts on all things music since becoming a music conduit starting at the age of four when I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show and then cemented when I banged on garage doors beginning at age five to get in and listen to Count Five (“Psychotic Reaction”) and other San Jose area bands practice their next hit singles. Now,with the blog, I knew I needed pictures to tell the story.

back then, yy eyes were wide open and my neuro senses were in overdrive at age five and six watching a bunch of teenage guys hammer through guitar amps making loud music with girls hanging out until the cops would arrive and shut the whole thing down. I got to get mad at having to quiet down with the rest of the band and older kids.

Well, that’s how it started and this is where I am at right now: Nashville! There is a story behind of every picture that means anything to me.

When I started the blog, I just had a Nikon 12 mg auto-focus camera which was difficult sometimes, especially on band close-ups with lots of lights. Mike Farris was kind enough to let me shoot him down by the Cumberland River after talking about the Nashville Flood and his then current album. Mike Farris & The Cumberland Saints project to benefit flood victims at Crema in 2010 with the Nikon.

Needless to say, I had to rely on kind contributing support of great photographers in and around Nashville and Birmingham for photos when possible for the blog and my articles in Performer Magazine.

Next, I got an HTC Evo 4G phone that actually got some decent shots now and then. Sometimes, it was the only camera available and it would have to do. The pics I took of Jeff Beck at The Ryman actually turned out fairly interesting.

Finally, it was time to get a reliable camera to get some decent concert shots, so, I gathered my limited budget and bought a Canon EOS Rebel T3i about six months ago. It really paid off on Record Store Day this last April when I was shooting multiple bands at several locations. The photo of Tyler Davis of Chrome Pony at The Groove was all you could ask for. The red hair contrasting with the blue sky was superb.

The Nikon camera could be difficult with a lot of action, this shot of Peelander Z at Exit/In during Next Big Nashville 2010 made the best of the cameras limitations, tracers and all, while Peelander Red crowd-surfed, bass guitar in towl.

Okay, here was a tough one for the Nikon. Paul McCartney in Palm Desert, California at Coachella 2009 from 30 yards away, my only usable shot of a real Beatle so far. I wish I was the guy shooting that picture down front.

The Americana Festival 2010 was a real eye opener seeing fans traveling from as far away as Australia to see Hayes Carll play a set at The Basement. Ray Wylie Hubbard was hot that year and the Nikon played with the light a little bit and this photo only worked with some grit in it. I figured it was an “Americana” picture. Maybe it’s just all the facial hair, but, he looks like a smiling Jerry Garcia to me.

Infinity Cat Records had a 10th Anniversary celebration last year and Heavy Cream headlined the second night at The Zombie Shop. The HTC Evo did some kind of funky light thing when a flash went off at the same time from another camera across the room. There is no photo editing. You can’t duplicate that. That’s a real motha fo ya!

IBMA fans and musicians are absolutely some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Rodney Dillard was one of The Darlings on The Andy Griffith Show and is still laying it down on the Martin Guitar with The Dillards as he did here at the 2010 conference taken with the Nikon.

Kenny Vaughan is probably one of the most iconic guitarists in Nashville today with a portfolio of work includes Marty Stuart, Lucinda Williams and other varied projects including his recent solo record. Mike Farris had one of the biggest bands ever at Grimeys for this in-store with Kenny Vaughan on guitar. I was standing right next to him holding the care above and behind my shoulder to get this one with the Nikon. He kind of reminds me of Angus Young’s other brother from a different mother the way he is holding that SG.

Tristan Dunn is a musician from Birmingham, Alabama that I have known for several years now. He can play guitar, keys like his favorite – Billy Powell and blows harp like Topper Price. I got some great shots of him in front of the Johnny Cash wall before it got damaged and then updated. He is autistic, but, he doesn’t use that as a conversation piece or to get sympathy, he just lets the music do the talking. I have ran into so many big name Country Artists when I run around with him when he visits that I am beginning to think he has a high profile Guardian Angel like Hank Williams or Buck Owens.

Frank Fairfield did an in-store at Grimeys in 2011 and I kind of pushed the HTC Evo as far is it could go with antique sepia tones being the theme. I think Frank is from California’s Central Valley where I grew up. His music is best heard on vinyl 78’s. I have yet to talk to him about Fresno’s famous Di Cicco’s Pizza. Okay…now I’m hungry.

Jeron “Blind Boy” Paxton made the cover of Living Blues Magazine even before any kind of real record release and just a lot of You Tube buzz. He specializes in music from the early 1900’s and is a master on old banjos, guitars, ragtime piano and just about anything he touches. He was hanging out in Murfreesboro at Uncle Dave Macon Days last year jamming with people that had no idea who he was. I guess they thought he just wandered in from some boxcar in a train yard. The photo was taken with the HTC Evo.

Okay, here is backstage with my newer phone, the Samsung Galaxy S III. This is Marion James, Nashville’s “Queen of The Blues” getting ready to go onstage at Nashville’s Metro 50th Celebration downtown. Marion had a top 10 Billboard hit back in the 60’s with “That’s My Man” on Excello Records. She has multiple connections to Jimi Hendrix. Jimi played guitar for her when he lived in Nashville in the early 60’s. Also, she recorded two more singles back during that time with Hendrix tie-ins. One song was written by Billy Cox, bassist for Jimi Hendrix and Marion as well as another song written by Larry Lee who was the second guitarist in Jimi Hendrix’s band, Gypsies, Suns & Rainbows that played at Woodstock. She knew and knows them all. Marion works hard to keep the Rythm & Blues scene alive in Nashville.

Okay, back to some newer shots with the Canon. Reverend Peyton at his recent show at Exit/In provided the opportunity to learn more about the camera’s capabilities. The Rev’s management contacted me after seeing the post to email photos for their use.

Right before Christmas, when I was just breaking the Canon in, I met Mississippi Rosealee aka Rosalind Wilcox who lives in Clarksdale, Mississippi i.e “The Crossroads.” Rosealee is well known in the community as both an artist with her space called Sun House right near Ground Zero and as a musician that includes playing drums for two historic Mississippi Blues musicians, L.C. Ulmer and Robert Belfour. In fact, L.C. Ulmer wrote a song for her called “Rosalee” and is on the M Is For Mississippi soundtrack. She let me set up a shot of her at Hopson’s Commissary that reminded me a little of the first Crosby, Stills and Nash album.

Okay, I personally think this is the best candid of Tristen, that I just happened to take at The Groove, Record Store Day 2013 with the Canon. The most important thing is that she liked the picture too. Man, I want to shoot Nikki Lane. Wait, I did get a couple before they closed the set a couple of nights before Record Store Day.

There it is…man, I could do better, Nikki thinks about what she is wearing, the shot, everything, I would love to do a couple hours of shooting with Nikki. Well, Nikki, if you e-mail me, I’m there! Nikki, your neo-classic country meets retro cool thing is sublime.

Okay, the earliest shots with the Canon were the Bang Ok Bang set at the High Watt in August of 2012. I was still learning how to work with the frame speed and all that. Now, just for knowledge of the game: I did shoot 35 Millimeter on a Canon back in the day. This photo was taken in auto-mode and it caught some drum moves all in the same frame from drummer Abby Hairston. I still think it’s cool, in an art crawl kind of way.

Okay, I have been out to a couple of tapings of the Mando Blues Show. That is an adventure in itself, most notably, talking to Futureman about Return To Forever’s Romantic Warrior album and the merits of Lenny Williams’ drums on that. It is one of the famous Wooten’s favorite examples of drums. He said Lenny’s drums sound like a Timpani. Alabama drummer, Dave Crenshaw played drums for Debbie Bond that night and it looks like I set up this shot, but, I didn’t. The Canon again.

Okay, one more and I will let you go. There is a story behind this one too. I ran into Tyler Bryant at Cafe Coco before Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown were going to play at Exit/In. We talked about when he opened for Jeff Beck at The Ryman and he knew I was going to be down front shooting some photos. When I arrived at The Exit/In, Brad Whitford from Aerosmith was talking to his son Graham Whitford, the other guitarist in the Shakedown near the merch booth before everybody started showing up. He was wearing a baseball cap and being very incognito. He looked at me and realized I knew who he was. I could tell he was there just to support his son and didn’t want to draw any attention to himself. So, I just gave him the “Nashville” nod of recognition and didn’t approach or say anything. I kept his cover for him. You see, that is how we do it in Nashville. We let each other relax and feel at home. I got some great shots of the band and got one of the best color shots ever with the Canon of Graham on stage.

I’m happy with the pictures I am getting with the Canon T3i and so is my Editor at Performer Magazine. Even the bands and artists have given me kudos. Maybe next year, I’ll go for a full frame Nikon or Canon.

Well, The Nashville Bridge is almost three years old. I have been writing for over two years for Performer Magazine and a few other scattered published articles. Thanks for indulging me with my lifetime passion for music. Thanks for reading The Nashville Bridge on your laptop, iphone, ipad or droid. I make it as easy to view and read as possible.

“It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll!” – AC/DC

All photos © Brad Hardisty

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Abby Hairston, Bang Ok Bang, Chrome Pony, Dave Crenshaw, Debbie Bond, Frank Fairfield, Graham Whitford, Grimey's, Heavy Cream, Jeff Beck, Jeron Blind Boy Paxton, Kenny Vaughan, Marion James, Mike Farris, Mississippi Rosealee, Nikki Lane, Paul McCartney, Peelander Z, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Reverend Peyton, Rodney Dillard, Rosalind Wilcox, The Beatles, Tristan Dunn, Tristen, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, Tyler Davis

Categories Music, Nashville, photography, Uncategorized

Cyndi Hanley at Lucy’s Tiki Bar

May 4, 2013 //

Cyndi Hanley was at Lucy’s Tiki Bar in Castalian Springs, Tennessee last night sitting in with Third Shift in a full throttled jamming session of Trisha Yearwood songs and other delights.

Session ace bassist, Roger Lewis was in on the action where everybody’s minds were on the recent passing of George Jones.

Ken Barrett did some seriously good renditions of George Jones classics as well as some Merle Haggard.

It was a “Country when it was Country” night at Lucy’s Tiki Bar at the Shady Cove Resort & Marina just about 30 minutes outside of Nashville on a decidedly chilly evening.

Winter seems to be hanging on for a long time this Tennessee year, even though Cyndi was able to warm up the crowd to 98.6 degrees.

Cyndi Hanley has recently started sitting in with serious Country musicians in and around Hendersonville after being on hiatus for several years.

Cyndi was discovered in the 90’s while gigging in Missouri and won several vocal contests and ended up performing on Ernest Tubb’s “Midnight Jamboree” back then.

Third Shift at Lucy’s Tiki Bar, photo – Brad Hardisty

Matt Walker played some classic Don Rich style lines on his flowery rather than Paisley Tele. Amazing what the Bakersfield sound did to Country music back in the 60’s.

After moving to Nashville, Cyndi ended up moving into normal life as many do, raising a daughter and going through a relationship or two before finally deciding it was time to get back up on stage.

With the support of the music community, Cyndi Hanley is getting her groove back on and rocking the house.

There is no time like now. Cyndi’s song choices were right on.

Cyndi will be playing with members of Ray Stevens’ and Merle Haggard’s band during the coming summer months.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

–

Tags Cyndi Hanley, Lucy's Tiki Bar, Third Shift

Categories Country Music, Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

George Jones Passing Hits Music City

April 26, 2013 //

“I believe if you ask any singer who was the greatest country music singer of all time, they would say ‘George Jones‘. He was without question and by far the BEST! I first met and worked with him when I was 13 years old; I am so very grateful that he was my friend.” – Barbara Mandrell

Reaction to the passing came quick and fast on the news that Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and Kennedy Center Honoree George Glenn Jones died Friday, April 26, 2013 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. He was hospitalized April 18 with fever and irregular blood pressure.
Born September 12, 1931, Jones is regarded among the most important and influential singers in American popular music history. He was the singer of enduring country music hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “Tender Years” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the latter of which is often at the top of industry lists of the greatest country music singles of all time.

“A singer who can soar from a deep growl to dizzying heights, he is the undisputed successor of earlier natural geniuses such as Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell,” wrote Bob Allen in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Encyclopedia of Country Music.”

Jones was born in Saratoga, Texas, and he played on the streets of Beaumont for tips as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before returning to Texas and recording for the Starday label in Houston, Texas. In 1955, his “Why Baby Why” became his first Top 10 country single, peaking at number four and beginning a remarkable commercial string: Jones would ultimately record more than 160 charting singles, more than any other artist in any format in the history of popular music.

Jones’ first number one hit came in 1959 with “White Lightning,” a Mercury Records single that topped Billboard country charts for five weeks. He moved on to United Artists and then to Musicor, notching hits including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Race Is On,” “A Good Year for the Roses” and “Walk Through This World With Me.”

Jones signed with Epic Records in 1971 and worked with producer Billy Sherrill to craft a sound at once elegant and rooted, scoring with “The Grand Tour,” “Bartenders Blues” and many more. Sherrill also produced duets between Jones and his then-wife Tammy Wynette, and in the 1970s they scored top-charting hits including “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Golden Ring” and “Near You.”

By the time “Golden Ring” and “Near You” hit in 1976, Jones and Wynette were divorced, and Jones was battling personal demons. His solo career cooled until 1980, when he recorded “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” a ballad penned by Curly Putman and Bobby Braddock that helped Jones win Country Music Association prizes for best male vocal and top single. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” revived a flagging career, and Jones won the CMA’s top male vocalist award in 1980 and 1981. He also earned a Grammy for best male country vocal performance.

In 1983, Jones married the former Nancy Ford Sepulvado. The union, he repeatedly said, began his rehabilitation from drugs and alcohol and prolonged his life. He signed with MCA Records in 1990 and began a successful run, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992. His guest vocal on Patty Loveless’ “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” won a CMA award for top vocal event in 1998, and it became his final Top 20 country hit.

In 1999, Jones nearly died in a car wreck, but he recovered and resumed touring and recording. He remained a force in music until his death, playing hundreds of shows in the new century and collecting the nation’s highest arts award, the Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime achievement, in 2008. In late 2012, Jones announced his farewell tour, which was to conclude with a sold-out, star-packed show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 22, 2013. Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Sam Moore, The Oak Ridge Boys and many others were set to perform at Jones’ Bridgestone show.

Jones is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Nancy Jones, his sister Helen Scroggins, and by his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews

Ricky Skaggs – “THE Country Music singer of all time. The words ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes’ has never been more true than today.”

Larry Gatlin – “Years ago someone asked Coach Bum Phillips if Earl Campbell was in a class by himself. Bum replied, ‘Well if he ain’t, it sure don’t take long to check roll.’ I say the same of the late great George Jones. Rest in peace POSSUM. You were always kind to me… THANKS.”

Sammy Kershaw – “George Jones has been a major part of my personal and professional life for a long time. I have been inspired by his music for the last 50 years and for 42 of those, I had the pleasure of knowing him personally and professionally. He was IT to me. George was and will always be my guy. I am luckier than a lot of people on this Earth because God let me be a part of George’s life and him a part of mine. And on this day, his song couldn’t be more true: ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today.'”

Mel Tillis –“I met George when he came to Nashville and we became good friends. I’m really going to miss him. The world has lost the greatest singer to have ever lived.”

Ray Stevens –“George Jones may be gone but his music will live on forever. What a great voice and a great friend.”

Pam Tillis –“Country music as we know it would be vastly different if it weren’t for George Jones. He’s in our musical DNA. All country artists will have to figure out how to even begin to live up to his kind of legacy. ‘Honky Tonk Heaven,’ here he comes… though we’re not ready to let go.”

Restless Heart –“The greatest most soulful voice in history is gone. RIP George Jones… the guys of Restless Heart will miss you greatly.”

The Marshall Tucker Band –“We met George many times over the past 50 years. This is a terrible loss for his family, friends, the country music industry and the world. He’s the most identifiable and inspirational country artist that has ever lived.

-Doug Gray

Billy Dean –“George Jones was a mentor and a giant to my generation of country singers. He was there for my first Ralph Emery Show appearance. Backstage I was so nervous and expressed concern to George that if Ralph Emery didn’t like me, my career may never get off the ground. The first thing George said to Ralph when they went on air was how nice of guy he thought I was. George Jones was our country music soul singer, no doubt. Who’s gonna fill those shoes?”

The Bellamy Brothers –“We’ve lost one of the greatest voices in history. Prayers and condolences to his family.”

Sweethearts of the Rodeo –“Sharing the same vocal booth with George Jones on ‘Traveller’s Prayer’ was without a doubt THE highlight of our career. He was a true legend, generous and supportive and he will live on and on in our hearts.”

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags George Jones

Categories Country Music, Country Music Hall of Fame, Country Radio, Music, Music City, Nashville, Uncategorized

Deadstring Brothers at High Watt

April 21, 2013 //

Kurt Marschke brought his current incarnation of Deadstring Brothers to the High Watt just after releasing Cannery Row on Bloodshot Records . Kurt moved here with the Sao Paulo era band back in 2010 and after some personnel and a few years, one could really tell the effect on his songwriting working with Nashville musicians.

The music has moved away from the decidedly Mick Taylor – Rolling Stones vibe to more of a Flying Burrito Brothers- Bob Dylan / Nashville Skyline thing going on. It’s not that it sounds exactly like that; Kurt is just good at creating that vibe. It’s hard to say if the songwriting is stronger on Cannery Row or just different.

Sao Paulo will probably be an underground classic. The Sao Paulo set at The Basement brought out a bunch of curious musicians back in 2010 and now some Nashville cats are making things happen with the new album.

The night started off with Lexington, Kentucky natives Fifth On The Floor with the Shooter Jennings produced Ashes & Angels material which has a raw backwoods outlaw country feel that was less southern comfort and more Kentucky corn squeezin’s goin’ on.

Nashville’s own The Smoking Flowers, brought a rather organic but different if not a little East of Nashville groove with the vocal duet of Kim & Scott Collins that fits with what the future Nashville reality is. Especially if you listen to the cuts being recorded for the Nashville TV show under the watchful eye of T. Bone Burnett, Buddy Miller and Colin Linden.

If that type of Nashville moves forward, then songs like “Someday” should be huge hits.

Kurt started off the Deadstring set with some new cuts playing a Strat rather than his trusty beat-up Telecaster Deluxe. The new vibe is rather akin to the Charlie Daniels/ Pete Drake – Dylan sessions with some excellent pedal steel work. The B3 swells Mike Webb was throwing down kind of kicked a little Heartbreakers territory into the mix.

When Kurt took off the Strat and put on the beat up Tele , it was a whole vibe change. It was time for the Sao Paulo material which meant changing out Pete Drake Pedal Steel for another great local musician to bring a little of that Mick Taylor lead vibe.

It felt like the crowd was ready to here the Sao Paulo material. It may be the hooks, it may be that it just has that rock swagger. Nashville is kind of getting hit over the head with roots country rock Americana right now. There is so much of it and only a few skilled leaders at it.

When I think of roots country rock, Hayes Carll and Ryan Bingham come to mind. Ryan Bingham is a good case in point. Ryan’s new album has a lot of great atmosphere in the sonics, but when I saw him at Marathon last year, the crowd connected with “Hard Times” from three albums before. In fact, the three or four cuts from that previous album brought the biggest crowd response.

Obviously, the title Cannery Row is a nod to Nashville and Kurt’s new found friends, but, it seems that the music is trying to too hard to sell itself on the new album. It really sounds good, but, I didn’t walk away with a particular new cut that stuck in my head. The Strat was almost a prop, kind of like Dylan when he went electric, but the Sao Paulo Tele hooks with his combination of single lines and slide guitar seemed effortless to connect with the audience.

The new album will probably connect Deadstring Brothers with the Americana Music Festival crowd, but, how many writers can write Stones vibe tunes without ripping them off? Maybe somewhere in the middle would be a good place to be.

Cannery Row material seems like discovery material or an in-betweener. The next album may be the real Nashville era showstopper.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Deadstring Brothers, Fifth On The Floor, The Smoking Flowers

Categories Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

Nashville Jazz and Blues Awards Goes Down Smooth at Bourbon Street

April 13, 2013 //

“Some who have made their way to Music City think that it is all about country music…OH NO!!!”

The Nashville Jazz and Blues Awards started up about 4:30 in Printers Alley just a few doors down from Jimi Hendrix’s old gig with Billy Cox back in the day at The Black Poodle inside Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar which boogies all week long with Blues, Jazz and plenty of fretboard sweat.

Gil Gann was hot and MC for the night cuttin’ it up and gettin’ down on the guitar.

Phase 6 acted as house band, while the all-stars rotated on and off the stage like a Pancake Buffet Breakfast at Shoney’s.

The awards show is sponsored by The Marion James Musicians Aid Society which helps musicians in need, especially from the rich rhythm and blues heritage that was on and off Jefferson Street from the fifties through the mid-seventies.

Tina Brown really started getting things going like Tina Turner on an Etta James afternoon. Tina has a strong voice and personality to match.

Phase 6 features two generations of serious players; Samuel Dismuke on bass and Samuel Dismuke Jr. on dual duty as vocalist and Trombonist. Long time collaborator Eddie Carter still kicks it on the drums.

Alabama Blues master, Debbie Bond, played her first set in Nashville at The Jazz and Blues Awards warming up the crowd with a teaser song early on before coming back and playing a set later on in the show. When Debbie Bond took the stage for her full set with Moe Denham sitting in on Hammond B3, she brought some serious Alabama roots with a little of her Willie King experience as well as some Eddie Hinton style Muscle Shoals groove to the local Blues venue. It was a welcome change to what could be considered a get your game on attitude among Nashville’s players.

Awards were given out in several categories to artists that gig in and around Nashville. Jefferson Street Sound Artist, Don Adams won best Bassist while Regi Wooten won best Jazz Guitarist of the year.

Regi Wooten did a barnburner abbreviated set starting out with a laidback jazz version of “Crystal Blue Persuasion” taking the band as far as he could with some John McLaughlin sans Vernon Reid go where you wanna go Lead guitar work that turned it up a notch. Regi’s band, The Wooten Brothers, which tear down the house every Wednesday night at 3^rd & Lindsley, took home Best Live band of the year.

Lola Brown sang backup for Marion James before taking the spotlight herself later with her backup band Area Black featuring Jerome Preston on Bass after Jerome finished a set with Regi Wooten. Lola put it all out there after winning R&B Vocalist of the Year. Lola really brought the church into the boogie bar.

Marion James took home a pair of awards which were judged by local Blues and Jazz Artists as well as some special attendees for Female Blues Singer of the Year as well as her recent Ellersoul release, Northside Soul for album of the year. Northside Soul has garnished some national recognition with rave reviews in several publications as well as awards from B.B. King’s Sirius Radio Channel and a Top Ten on the Living Blues Charts.

Marion James’s set was a barnburner with her singing from her gut, old school, Otis Redding reborn experience thrown into, “I Just Want To Make Love To You.” Marion is the heart and soul of Nashville R&B history having released three singles on three different labels back in the day, one written by her husband Buzz Stewart on Excello, the top ten hit, “That’s My Man” as well as two other songs by two individuals tied to Jimi Hendrix who used to play guitar for her back when, Billy Cox and Larry Lee.

In more recent times, Marion has released three solid albums in the last dozen years that not only spotlight her voice, but, some excellent songwriting that would not only put her in the spot as “Nashville’s Queen of The Blues” but within an elite group of two or three as Queen of The Blues from a last Blues woman standing viewpoint since the passing of Precious Bryant in January.

The Nashville Jazz and Blues Awards is something a very down home event in complete contrast to the glitz and glam of the Country music industry. Marion James almost singlehandedly has wanted to support recognition for the Blues and R&B community of Nashville.

Marion James has this to say: “Down through the years, everyone has come through or stumbled upon Nashville, Tennessee to either visit or make their mark in the music industry. Some who have made their way to Music City think that it is all about country music…OH NO!!!

R&B, Jazz and the Blues have been around for more than just some time. Matter of fact Jazz and Blues are all around you in all of the music. So we are actually not hard to find.

There have been a number of very good musicians that come through Nashville. Some could read, some couldn’t, some could write it down on paper, and some only needed to hear your idea and could play it the first go round. It really didn’t matter because they were very well seasoned and could accommodate any artists that needed them.

Most of our Legends like, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Jones, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Charles Dungey, Milt Turner, Ted Jarrett, just to name a few, have passed on and we must turn the baton over to some of the younger generation, who are worthy, to carry the torch and pave a new way out of what they were brought up on…Jazz, R&B and Blues, and carry on the tradition of the root of it all and with some new and original twists added.

We must continue to raise funds and support these new comers as if we taught them ourselves, as if we have rubbed off on them and put a little of our soul into their soul so that WE may live on in them. Knowing that they will continue in what we love so much and that is “THE MUSIC.”

This is why I love giving the Jazz and Blues Awards event every year. It is an annual event that shows our younger people that we see them, we recognize them, we are watching them, but most importantly we are encouraging them.

So move over Country music and make room for our up and coming talent and artists. Offer them a hand up and a way to succeed. Allow them to keep the music coming and growing. Let’s keep them in the spotlight, because there is a Jazz, Blues and R&B artist standing in the wings, waiting for you to reach out and give them a helping hand.”

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Area Black, Debbie Bond, Don Adams Bass, Eddie Carter, Gil Gann, Jerome Preston, Lola Brown, Marion James, Moe Denham, Music, Nashville, Samuel Dismuke, Samuel Dismuke Jr., Tina Brown

Categories Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

Sam Bush and Marion James Headline Nashville Metro 50th

April 12, 2013 //

Last Saturday, Nashville celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of Metro Government with a little get together of several thousand people on a rare warm spring day for this year with a celebration of music that included everything from Barbershop Quartet to a Night Train To Nashville All-Star Tribute for the grand finale.

The park in front of the courthouse has proven to be a good place to gather downtown just a few blocks north of Broadway.

Emmylou Harris kicked things off before Barbershop and String Quartets took a turn at the microphone.

Things finally kicked up a notch with one of the twin highlights of the afternoon as Sam Bush and Del McCoury jammed for several numbers trading off flat-picking and mandolin on well-known standards.

For some, this was the reason for hanging at the front of the stage while for others the rare appearance of many of Nashville’s classic R&B era was the reason to party.

Before that, Brenda Lee walked up to the podium and addressed the crowd on what Nashville has meant for her and her career. It’s a great place to live as well as a chance ticket to stardom.

Jimmy Church kicked the Night Train section off with Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny” which is the quintessential song from the classic Jefferson Street years.

Marion James’ did the classic, “24 Hours A Day” with Michael Gray from The Country Music Hall of Fame talking about each song that was chosen and the artists that made them big.

The Valentines made a rare appearance as well as the McCrary Sisters.

It was a great afternoon break and an opportunity for parents to expose their children to some great live music.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Brenda Lee, Del McCoury, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Church, Marion James, Mayor Karl Dean, Nashville, Sam Bush

Categories Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

Alabama Blues Queen Debbie Bond Set to Play at Blues Awards Tonight

April 7, 2013 //

Debbie Bond, photo – Thomas Z’Graggen

“The last thing Willie King said to me was, “Keep on pushing Debbie!” – Debbie Bond

Debbie Bond will be playing for the first time tonight in Nashville at The Nashville Blues and Jazz Awards that begins at 4PM with a $10 door at Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar and is presented by The Marion James Musicians Aid Society to benefit the heritage musicians that lived and worked around the Jefferson Street community in the R&B heyday from about 1950 through the mid-70’s.

Debbie’s most recent album Hearts Are Wild got a thumbs up from the Nashville Blues Society last year after its release. Hearts Are Wild is Debbie’s second solo album and her first since Willie King passed away in 2008.

Debbie, as well as her husband Rick had been a part of Willie King’s band for several years playing in and around Alabama as well as touring Europe.

Debbie Bond has also spent several years developing The Alabama Blues Project that educates young and not so young children about blues music and gives them the opportunity to develop the skills to play blues music.

Debbie feels that Alabama has never received the recognition that it deserves in relation to the development of Blues and American music. Essentially, Alabama really is joined at the hip with Mississippi and there was a lot of cross-state-lines intermingling goings on from the very beginning.

Brad Hardisty/ The Nashville Bridge: How long have you been living and playing the Blues in Alabama?

Debbie Bond: Thirty years. I actually came here in 1979.

TNB: Was it originally to work with Johnny Shines?

Debbie Bond, photo – Robert Sutton

DB: It wasn’t. It was just to visit some friends and I was kind of going through some heartache stuff in England and I…uh…originally it was just to come for the summer to get away. But, one thing lead to another and well… included hooking up with Johnny Shines (A contemporary of Robert Johnson).

TNB: You were playing guitar at the time?

DB: Yeah, I was playing guitar. I really started off playing acoustic guitar. I was playing folk songs and I love the blues. I was in a band in England when I was in College in ’75 through 1978 and we played that music in Brighton, England. So, when I came here, you know, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I had a lot of prejudices about Alabama and Alabama culture and the south. I had my mind blown by the music and the food and the southern culture. I was humbled. I was brought to my knees. I ended up staying.

TNB: I was kind of the same way. I thought the south would be a certain way and it was totally different than I figured. So, the last project that you were in was a group before you went solo and that was playing with Willie King, right?

Debbie Bond onstage with Willie King

DB: Yeah, the last band and probably the most serious musical situation that I was in was with Willie King for the last seven years of his life. I toured and recorded with him. Rick, my husband is British and before I married him he had hooked up with Willie and Willie introduced me to Rick. Willie was the best man at my wedding and we married at Freedom Creek and so I have Willie to thank for that big time besides the musical experience and so that was a really big blues experience in my life.

TNB: Did Willie meet Rick overseas?

DB: No, he met Rick here. This is a crazy story but Rick was in Clarksdale, Mississippi and went into Jim O’Neal’s little shop downtown and asked where there was he could hear some blues tonight and they said, “Well, there’s no blues here.” But, because of the connection to Jim O’Neal, a lady who ran the record store and also sold kind of voodoo stuff, said, “There is the Freedom Creek festival over in Alabama tonight.” Rick actually drove all the way to Pickens County, Alabama, which was four and a half hours away. He ran into somebody who didn’t know where The Freedom Creek Festival was and sent him all the way to Tuscaloosa which was another hour out of the way. Rick happened to see my notice and directions in the local record store, Oz Records in Tuscaloosa, then drove all the way back, I mean, then ended up driving into the Festival. His mind was blown. He ended up…Willie said. “Stay.” Rick stayed with Willie camping out there and staying in his trailer and went on the road with Willie and toured just like that. Rick plays harmonica and keyboards.

TNB: What year was that?

DB: That was in 2002 and then we met. I think we went on one date then moved in together and then we got married and Willie was our best man. We married on Freedom Creek and had our wedding ceremony there and then had our party at the local juke joint.

TNB: So, in 2008 you started working on Hearts Are Wild?

Debbie Bond, photo – Robin McDonald

DB: Yeah, I just started focusing on my own music. I was running the Alabama Blues Project. I founded the Alabama Blues Project and I really just wanted to do my own thing for a change. The last thing Willie King said to me was, “Keep on pushing Debbie!” I just really wanted to do my own music. So, I kind of got the Blues Project on its own feet. We still do things with the Blues Project, but, we just tried to focus on my own music and eventually we ended up putting out Hearts Are Wild. I think our official release date was 2012.

TNB: Have you toured overseas since the release date?

DB: Yeah, we played over in the Tarragona Blues Festival and also we played in England and France actually. When it first came out we played a show in France and also at a radio station then a show in England. The Tarragona Blues Festival is in Spain. We are actually going back to play the festival again in November. I’ve written a song called “Tarragona Blues.”

TNB: So, that is where you are establishing your crowd?

DB: Well, it just so happens, you know how things kind of fall into place. I don’t have a booking agent, so, I am just kind of doing things myself as they come along through Facebook really. Facebook has been really great for me. So, it just so happened that we were going to be in Spain and we were going to be in Europe and The Tarragona Festival just fell into place. I mean it was so synchronistic on the only dates we could possibly do it. So, we did it and they really loved the show. They loved us and are having us back. We are definitely building an audience there and I’m hoping I can release the song, “Tarragona Blues” which I wrote the night before the festival and played at the festival. They really enjoyed it. I want to record it and release it in Spain as a single.

TNB: Are they getting into buying vinyl in Europe like we are in the States?

DB: I don’t know.The fact of the matter is times are hard in Spain like they are in other parts of Europe. Maybe not as bad as Greece, but, it still is hard times. So, I don’t know the answer to that.

TNB: As far as releases. Are they buying songs on the web or do they want product?

DB: I find most people are buying CD’s at shows. You know the web is great for promoting, but, I haven’t found that with my audience. My audience seems to like the real CD.

TNB: Yeah, it seems like here in the states we have a lot of hardcore vinyl collectors now.

DB: I’m hearing that. If I could get just a little bit more on the map and more successful, I would definitely consider putting out a vinyl recording.

TNB: Yeah, it seems like even in limited runs a lot of bands are doing it here in Nashville because we have United Record Pressing. They used to press all of Motown. They have a Motown Suite upstairs in the plant. They are pressing a big portion of what is being done right now.

DB: That’s good to know. I know there is a way to go back to vinyl and I have all my records and we do listen to our records on our record player.

TNB: I’m actually buying more vinyl than I do CD’s right now.

DB: I am hearing that from the record stores. I am going to definitely take that into consideration. But, at this stage in the game I just think it’s so affordable to do CD’s.

TNB: Okay, you have never played Nashville before. Have you played in Tennessee before, maybe, Memphis?

DB: I have not played in Memphis.

TNB: So, this is your first gig in Tennessee.

DB: Yeah it is.

TNB: You are also going to be playing on the Mando Blues Radio Show on Monday.

DB: I’m really looking forward to it. I’m hoping you can make it.

TNB: What are you looking forward to the most about being in Nashville?

Debbie Bond, Rick on keys, photo – Robin McDonald

DB: I feel like it’s an adventure. I have great sympathy for Nashville because I think it is kind of like Alabama. People don’t think of the blues when they think of Nashville and the fact that there is this really cool blues culture is exciting to me. I fell like it is an honor to be part of the line-up at The Nashville Blues and Jazz Awards that includes Marion James and all these veteran blues musicians. I’m really thankful and excited to be part of it.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Blues Music, Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, Debbie Bond, Nashville, Tarragona Blues Festival, The Alabama Blues Project, Willie King

Categories Uncategorized

Reverend Peyton Stop In Nashville

March 29, 2013 //

Rev. Peyton greets the crowd, Exit/In, Nashville, photo – Brad Hardisty

Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band brought The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour to Exit/In after playing SXSW last Wednesday night to an enthusiastic Nashvillian crowd along with Jimbo Mathus and opener Alvin Youngblood Hart.

Alvin Youngblood Hart, Big Damn Revolution Tour, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo- Brad Hardisty

The Rock Block became on old fashioned blues stomp beginning with Grammy award winning Alvin Youngblood Hart, born in Oakand, California with West Coast roots, Alvin spent a lot of time in Mississippi hearing stories about Charlie Patton and has some firm roots in early blues traditions as well as going nasty on the electric when he wants to be.

Jimbo Mathus, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

The whole show had a Mississippi feel to it when Jimbo Mathus hit the stage with The Tri-State Coalition on the heels of his latest release White Buffalo. Jimbo is well known for mixing it up with a line between traditional country, Mississippi Blues, Southern Rock and anything he feels like mining for his own song structures. A true southern boy, his band burned through a set of Mississippi Country Blues.

Rob McCoury on banjo with The Big Damn Band, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Breezy Peyton, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Rob McCoury came in as a surprise guest during The Big Damn Band set with Breezy kickin’ it on the washboard and Aaron “Cuz” Persinger on the skins.

Jimbo, Alvin and The Rev, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Late jam session, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, The Big Damn Revolution Tour, photo – Brad Hardisty

Alvin Youngblood Hart, Electric Warrior, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo- Brad Hardisty

Towards the end of the set, Jimbo and Alvin came on for an all-out jam, first as an acoustic trio, then the full Big Damn Band with Alvin switchin’ to a big ol’ heavy Les Paul.

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Breezy and The Rev, Exit/ In Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

Reverend Peyton makes Nashville a regular stop. He can cross lines between the Americana, Roots, Country and blues scene which means he fits right in with the rest of us.

Rev. Peyton, Exit/In, Nashville, TN, photo – Brad Hardisty

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Alvin Youngblood Hart, Fat Possum, Jimbo Mathus, Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition, Rev. Peyton, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour

Categories Exit/In Nashville, Music, Nashville, Uncategorized

Reverend Peyton Testifies About Grimey’s and Charlie Patton

March 17, 2013 //

photo – Scott Toepfer

Somewhere in Texas, The Nashville Bridge caught up with Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band as they geared up for SXSW following a successful first leg of the Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour with Jimbo Mathus, purveyor off all things “Southern” and Alvin Youngblood Hart.

The latest album the Side One Dummy Records release Between The Ditches which debuted at Number One on the iTunes Blues Charts the week of its release, has caught on all over the country after 250 shows a year that has left blood, sweat and tears on stages all over North America

The first single, “Devils Look like Angels,” featured a great video and has been popular on YouTube and Blues and Americana radio.

photo – Scott Toepfer

Nashville has been a regular stop for Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band after finding a solid supportive crowd with their mix of Country Blues that sits somewhere between Blues, Country and the local Americana Scene. The Reverend will be stopping through Nashville March 20^{th at} Exit/ In on Nashville’s Rock Block with wife, Breezy Peyton on washboard and his cousin Aaron Persinger on drums continuing The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour with a full entourage and possible special guests.

Reverend Peyton shared some insight about why they have been doing so well this year.

Brad Hardisty / The Nashville Bridge: Where are you guys at right now?

Reverend Peyton: We are two hours from Dallas. Texarkana, I Believe.

TNB: Well you are in the south.

RP: Yeah. We were in Little Rock, Arkansas last night and now we are heading out towards our SXSW shows.

TNB: That is coming up here pretty quick.

RP: Yeah, we just did the first leg of the Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour. It will pick back up in Nashville (Exit/In March 20^th) after SXSW.

TNB: You make Nashville a regular stop.

RP: We have. We have played a lot of different venues in Nashville. We’ve played so many of ‘em and I think Exit/In is the best one. I love that place.

TNB: I have heard a lot about you guys around town. I’m sure you’ve done the Grimey’s in-store.

photo – Scott Toepfer

RP: Oh Yeah, we’ve played a Grimey’s in-store…two or three of ‘em. I just love Mike. He’s a fan and The Basement’s really cool too! It’s an intimate place and you know Grimey’s is just such a great place. Mike is such a music fan, you know. Like, all the bands that come through there and all the people that he deals with and he’s still a fan, you know. He’s cool.

TNB: The Basement is pretty cool, that is where Justin Townes Earle used to play there all the time when he first started with The Good Life and all that. Even Metallica did a Live At Grimey’s disc at The Basement. They wanted to play Grimey’s but it was too small so they played at The Basement below the store. I was going to say, your band is at an interesting crossroads. You can play straight up blues festivals, Bonaroo and The Americana Music Festival. You are kind of in an interesting position, don’t you think?

RP: Yeah, we are looking that way. It’s kind of weird because sometimes people don’t know what to classify us as or where to put us, but, it has really been a blessing because we can play anywhere, you know. There are certain bands, like a punk band, they can play a punk rock club and that’s it, you know, or if you are even just a straight up Country Honky Tonk band you’re running that way. We can play everywhere, you know. We can play a regular rock fest and blues fest and folk fest, country fest and you name it. It is sort of funny too. A lot of people, they don’t even quite understand what kind of music it is that we play; it’s country blues, you know, that’s what it is.

TNB: I’ve got some friends out in Mississippi. I can see your sound is mostly what they would call Boogie Blues if it was coming out of Mississippi. It’s not straight up Hill Country; it’s got a little bit of Hill Country. What do you guys think where you are coming from? What are you after?

RP: Well, I just call it Country Blues. For Hill Country, there is a certain trance aspect. It’s kind of raggedy. Old Delta stuff. We are a little bit of that mixed up. I have been a student of it all since I was a little kid. I sort of have my way of playing and it kind of mixes it up all together and also, a lot of times we are playing straight up blues and blues stuff, but, the difference is nobody’s writing songs anymore. They just focus on being guitar gunslingers. You know. I want to be someone who writes song from the heart. You know what I mean. That is the most important thing.

TNB: I think that is what keeps the blues alive. Have you met “Blind Boy” Paxton?

RP: No, I don’t think I know him.

TNB: He made the cover of Living Blues Magazine. He plays old time Charlie Patton style or earlier. He’s probably the best acoustic blues musician right now, but, he won’t write anything. It’s like the music was written in a certain time period and that is where it fits. You are one of the only songwriters that I can see where, it’s like you are not copying Burnside, Kimbrough. You really are not copying anybody even though it has that aged feel. It’s your own stuff. Do you get that feeling?

photo – Scott Toepfer

RP: Here’s the deal, man. If you are not making new music then go home. Because, nobody is going to do it as good as Charlie Patton did it anyway. You know what I mean? Nobody can play Charlie Patton better than Charlie Patton. You are not going to play Son House better than Son House. So, my songs are what I am going to play, you know, otherwise you are just kind of like a museum piece, like a throwback like someone in costume that is just showing up to play a part in a movie or something. I think music should be from the heart. I’ve always believed that. That is why Muddy Waters was so good. That’s why John Fogerty is so good. The best music comes from a personal place. Some people copy things and change the names, I don’t even do that. You know, for me, that’s what it’s all about. Music that’s fresh and new but maybe it sounds like it’s old, like timeless music that’s new. I guess so, if that makes sense. It’s hard to do. Blues has been around for almost a hundred years and I’ve been playing it for you know, most of my life. It’s hard to sort of write new stuff because so much has been done, but, it’s a quest that I will be forever on; to write new songs that are timeless still. Songs that still fit in with the annals of blues going back to Charlie Patton, you know.

TNB: It’s interesting; you do go back and do Charlie Patton covers, which is way back.

photo – Scott Toepfer

RP: He is my patron saint. I did that record, Peyton on Patton because I want people to know who he is because I feel like I have a problem with the blues world. Not enough people know who Charlie Patton is. I think if you know who Charlie Patton is then you have to start with him. I think that music in general starts to get more into focus. You start to understand where people like Muddy Waters and where I am coming from. I just want to make sure people know about Charlie Patton. In his day, he was super famous you know. In his day, he was the guy. It’s sort of like he influenced Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. In his day, Charlie was the hero; He was the one they all wanted to be. He drove around in good cars; he played a Gibson Guitar with a hard case. He was the one that was truly successful, you know and the music is amazing. In my opinion, he was the best there ever was. I think the reason his playing is not that well known is because the recordings were so raw. That’s why I did that record that way. I wanted to do it his way. I kept it sort of raw. I didn’t put too much of myself into the record. Anyway, I wanted to try to use his rawness and play it the way he would play a song. I wanted to play the way he played them so people could hear his guitar pickin’. So they could have appreciation for what he was on guitar. He was just about songs you know.

TNB: You guys have been around for about four or five albums now?

RP: Yeah, we have made five records I think.

TNB: Things are really starting to pick up the last couple of years.

RP: Yeah, it has been a slow and steady ride. I think the last records have got a lot more attention it has been exponential, especially after the Charlie Patton record. People in like the traditional blues world sort of heard that one and started saying, “maybe we should have been paying attention to these fellas.”

TNB: That is kind of how it happens sometimes. What is ground zero for you guys?

RP: Well, I don’t know. We have pockets all over the place where it’s big. The West Coast is really good: lots of stuff there. It has kind of blown up in Cincinnati and, of course, southern Indiana, Burlington. Indianapolis; big time there. Kansas City has been a huge place. I think for us it has always been just one fan at a time. More word of mouth than anything else. It has been fans just coming out and telling their friends and then they buy the record and they’re spinning it. A lot of barbecuing or whatever and I think has been the secret for us.

TNB: One of the most interesting things was that I saw you played a big motorcycle rally. Was that at Sturgis?

RP: We have done Sturgis a couple of times. We did a Bike fest in Arkansas. It’s no big deal. We do a Biker fest and then we will turn around and do the Vans Warped Tour. The kids on the Warped Tour are like 13 and those kids are fun to play for! They go nuts! Then we will go and play a festival at Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado. Denver is a big town for us. It might be one of the biggest. They are such a great crowd.

TNB: They do have a good acoustic scene.

RP: That’s true.

TNB: Real quick, any new albums this year or just touring what is going to happen.

RP: I’m not sure. We will be touring on the Blues Revolution Tour which has been going strong. There are going to be festivals. We’d like to get in there and do some recording. I think it’s something I just we’ve made, kind of like, once a year for a while, so, I foresee us doing something.

TNB: Have you had any guests come up and jam on encores?

photo – Scott Toepfer

RP: Oh yeah on the Blues Revolution Tour we have been doing jams where it’s just the three of us those two guys and me then the Big Damn Band and Jimbo’s band. I think in Nashville… I don’t wanna say who…but, there is likely going to be some specials guests coming up that are Nashville locals.

TNB: When you jam, are you doing old time blues or…

RP: Yeah, we have been jamming on stuff like that and just trade it up, like, maybe one or two Jimbo songs or like some Charlie Patton stuff. Different things. It changes every night.

– Brad Hardisty, Nashville, TN thenashvillebridge@hotmail.com

Tags Alvin Youngblood Hart, Charlie Patton, Jimbo Mathis, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Reverent Peyton, The Big Damn Blues Revolution Tour

Categories Americana Music, Blues Music, Exit/In Nashville, Uncategorized