Jan Depner wrote:
On Thu, 2006-09-07 at 07:10 -0400, Dave Phillips wrote:
... Are you familiar with Willis Alan ?
Nope. I'll look him up on allofmp3.com when it comes back up ;-)
Part of the reason that I like JJ Cale may be connected with the fact
that I first heard him on my first surfing trip to Cape Hatteras...
A friend and I were discussing Slick Ballinger's performance at last
year's Soulshine festival. He was listening to the tapes and remarked
that the music was pretty dismal without the visual. However, I must
confess that I like the Cale songs you mentioned (he's certainly not
dismal), those must be among his best.
Oh, and IIRC he plays on Willis Alan's recording. It's a Shelter
release, so the guests include Leon Russell and Greg Allman. You've
heard at least one Willis Alan song, I'm sure: Muskrat Ramble aka
Muskrat Candlelight, done to death by the Captain & Tenille. They really
ruined a beautiful tune, just listen to Willis Alan's original. Buffett
recorded the awesome Ballad Of Spider John, and other Willis Alan songs
have been recorded by America, Rusty Young, and Lyle Lovett. Pat Green
was working with him a few years back.
A friend of mine, Terry McClanahan, played quite a lot with Willis in
Colorado. He said the rumors were true, Willis is a sweet guy who can't
stand to play in front of a crowd of more than a few hundred people. He
made a boatload of bucks with Muskrat Candlelight, but he made only one
album (we call 'em albums in my neck of the woods), and every song is a
killer. Do check him out, let me know how you like him.
Btw, are you familiar with Radney Foster's work ?
It's not blues but have you listened to James Hunter? He's a "new"
guy out of England. R&B. Sounds just like Sam Cooke. I don't normally
buy music (I hate the RIAA) but I bought his CD (he's on Rounder so
there's no RIAA connection).
Cool, I'll check him out, thanks for the recommendation. I've always
thought that Peter Gabriel and Steve Winwood had truly great "blues"
voices, regardless of style or fleshtone. I know they're not bluesmen,
but they have the sound that moves me the way the great bluesers do.
I've stopped purchasing RIAA music too. There's simply no need anymore,
there are so many alternatives.
I got to listen and talk to RL and Robert Pete Williams in 1980 at
the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. A friend of mine grew up in
Leland MS and knew RL. My sharpest memory of the event is RL and my
friend standing behind RLs Cadillac taking a leak on the tires ;-)
We have acces to a lot of the players who perform at the Soulshine
festival, many of whom are pretty idiosyncratic. Their vehicles are
always noteworthy. Fishing is a large factor in the overall accoutrement. :)
Btw, what's happening with your group ?
Best,
dp
