Soulful Troubadour Back at Myrtle Beach Train Depot for SxSE Show

Randall Bramblett and his band will play the South By Southeast Music Feast on Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m. This will most like be a sellout. To reserve your spot, send an email to southxsoutheast@aol.com. (Michael Kelly Guitars)

It’s become a wonderful tradition for South By Southeast concert goers in Myrtle Beach. Right about this time of year,  the Randall Bramblett Band – and we’re talking the full band here –  head to the Grand Strand for a fast-paced, high energy show at the historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot. And when I tell you they blow the roof off the place, that Davis Causey’s guitar work defies description, that Michael Steele is a monster on bass, I’m not exaggerating.

John Keane of Widspread Panic fame will perform with RBB for the Myrtle Beach show.

Randall Bramblett has performed and recorded with Sea Level, the Allman Brothers, Steve Winwood,Traffic, Levon Helm, Bonnie Raitt, Widespread Panic, Gov’t Mule and more. His tunes have been covered by scores of others. In fact, Bonnie Raitt is covering his “Used to Rule the World” from Randall’s 2008 Now It’s Tomorrow CD on her next release. It’ll be the lead track and the second single to be released. Plus, they co-wrote another tune together that will be one of Starbucks’ free releases.

Randall Bramblett is a multi-talented icon in the music business. He’s more than proficient on guitar, saxophone and keyboards. His raspy vocals are passionate and soulful to the bone. But songwriting for this Jesup, Ga. native is akin to breathing, and that’s what I wanted to talk to him about during our telephone interview last week.

He was happy to oblige.

“I have a lot going on,” he tells me. “I’ve been writing, getting ready to put out another album. I’m in the process of demo-ing songs that I’ve written since The Meantime [his beautifully sparse 2010 recording that featured Randall on grand piano, Gerry Hansen on drums and percussion and Chris Enghauser on upright bass].

“I think I have enough for a record. I have to figure out a direction now.”

Did Randall write his songs as a concept album, I wanted to know.

“I’ve never done a concept album. They have a ‘feel’ after the fact, and I always like to  think of it as an ‘album’ even with single downloads.

“The thing with me is I have so many different styles. My songs can be folkie or funky gospel or something else. But I don’t want the album to be too disjointed. A lot of it comes together from the players.

“But [for this next album] I’ve got a lot of strong bluesy R&B going on.”
It makes sense, when you consider that Randall grew up in the heart of soul country in southern Georgia, where he counted James Brown and Ray Charles among his musical heroes. Further influenced by artists such as James Taylor and Carole King, Randall began writing songs while still in high school.

In college at the University of North Carolina, he studied religion and psychology. But shortly after graduating, he moved to Athens, Ga., where he made contacts and honed his skills in the “Liverpool of the South.”

I’m always curious to learn how songwriters work at their craft … whether it starts as an idea or a line or a piano riff…

“I don’t write like Tin Pan Alley writers do,” Randall told me. “I don’t have an angle. Basically, I sit at my computer, two actually. One is for lyrics and one is for music.

“I’ll have sheets of paper with ideas from journaling written all over them.

“I usually write with a vignette or scene in mind. It’ll have some meaning, but I hardly ever write a story. I write more mood stuff.

“It’s similar to poetry, I think, hard to define … it has some openness to it.”

Intelligently written lyrics are a signature for Randall. His 2004 album Thin Places, much of which he co-wrote with guitarist Jason Slatton, is one of my faves.

“Jason usually gets it started and I finish. He comes up with some great lines,” Randall laughs as he explains. “We still write together, on two acoustic guitars.”

“No More Mr. Lucky [released in 2001 and produced by John Keane of Widespread Panic] was my first record for New West Records,” he continues.

Another beautifully written album, it served notice that Randall Bramblett had achieved a new level of songwriting. Soulful blues, jazz, funked up rock and a Southern sensibility meld together in a standout recording.

The album’s opening track, “God Was In the Water,” feels dark and desperate, a spiritual longing or questioning, a feeling of being lost ­–  recurring themes in Randall’s work. Written by Randall and Davis Causey, Bonnie Raitt covered the tune on her 2005 Souls Alike album.

Other notables include the uptempo “Get In, Get Out,” “Lost Energy” and Aching For a Dream, a tune about life choices, Neal Cassady and the Beat generation.

“I called Carolyn, Neal Cassady’s wife,” Randall says. “I found her on the Internet. She had a website devoted to Neal. She objected to my lyrics. She said he didn’t die counting the railroad ties in Mexico. She says Ken Kesey started all that.”

One thing all Randall Bramblett songs have in common is their emotion. I find it impossible to listen without feeling something.They push, they pull. They ask questions. They insinuate. They make me feel. Something.

The date for this year’s show is Saturday, March 10. The show starts at 8 p.m. And it will be SRO. If you don’t have a reservation yet, stop reading and shoot off an email with the number in your party to SouthxSoutheast@aol.com.

Music Feasts are $25 per person ($20 for SxSE annual concert series members).

Admission fees include a range of potluck meals and often homemade dessert (to which you are invited to contribute), wine, beer, soda and coffee. The Myrtle Beach Train Depot is located at 851 Broadway in Myrtle Beach. For more information, or to join the nonprofit group, log onto http://www.southbysoutheast.org.

Barefoot Movement – Old Time With a Twist

 

 

SxSE presents Barefoot Movement at the Myrtle Beach Train Depot,  8 p.m. Feb. 18.

The folks over at South By Southeast have planned another wonderful night of music for us. The Barefoot Movement  is a group I haven’t seen live yet, but I’ve been listening to

The Barefoot Movement: L-R, Tommy Norris, Hasee Ciaccio (local Myrtle Beach-ite and SxSE sweetheart), Noah Wall, Quentin Acres .

their music and I’m looking forward to the show. They’re a quartet of accomplished acoustic musicians who seamlessly meld old-time Southern music with Americana, jazz and even modern rock.

Players are Noah Wall (lead vocals, songwriter, fiddle); Tommy Norris (mandolin and harmony); Quentin Acres (guitar, vocals, songwriter); and Hasee Ciaccdo (upright bass and harmony).

The group’s sweet energetic vocal harmonies are supported by topnotch instrumentation. I was tempted to label them as bluegrass or maybe “new grass,” but after talking to Noah on the phone earlier,I’ve changed my mind.

“In the world of bluegrass,” she explained, “people are very particular about what’s included. We like to experiement. We call ourselves an eight-legged bench with our feet going in different directions. We don’t want to close the door to any kind of sound we might make.”

Whatever you want to call them, this group is on the rise, one to watch. So, once again, Trust the Frog.

The opening act, which starts at 7 p.m., is folk duo Debbie Daniel and Jack McGregor  from the Columbia, S.C. band, Slap Wore Out.

Music Feasts are $25 per person ($20 for SxSE annual concert series members). Admission fees include a range of potluck meals and often homemade dessert (to which you are invited to contribute), wine, beer, soda and coffee. Reserve your spot by sending an email to southxsoutheast @aol.com, with the number of tickets you need and your zip code. They’ll put you on their A list.

The Myrtle Beach Train Depot is located at 851 Broadway in Myrtle Beach. For more information,log onto http://www.southbysoutheast.org.

SaRon Crenshaw: SxSE Brings Blues With a Soul Twist to the Beach

SaRon Crenshaw with the red Gibson. (Photo courtesy SaRonCrenshaw.com)

South By Southeast, the not-for-profit music organization in Myrtle Beach will open its 2012 season with a show appealing to blues lovers, soul fans and R&B aficianados alike.

Powerhouse guitarist SaRon Crenshaw will be bringing his electrifying band all the way from the Big Apple to the Myrtle Beach Train Depot on Jan. 7, 2012.

SxSE board member Charles Newell, who is also the bass player for the Chainsaws, a local band, says, “I saw SaRon in Greenwich Village in October. We started working right then on getting him for a SxSE Music Feast.”

He’s a sought-after performer at spots like B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York and Terra Blues, a blues saloon in the heart of Greenwich Village.

Touring often, Crenshaw delights audiences with his fiery guitar licks and soulful vocals. The show at the intimate historic Train Depot will offer a unique opportunity to get an up-close look at his Gibson “Lucille” model guitar, which was signed by B.B. King himself.

Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro, who reviews live performances and recordings for the comprehensive online music resource, Mary4Music.com had this to say about SaRon Crenshaw in a review of the 2006 Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival in New Jersey:
“All music festivals have their surprises and this fest ws no different. There’s always that one act that you catch, get awed by, then think to yourself… ‘who in hell is this/” Well that such person was SaRon Crenshaw. At one of the auxilisary stages SaRon drew one of the largest and more enthusiastic crowds of the event (at leas of the acts I saw). Until now, this regular player at New York City’s Terrablues was virtually unknown to me a lot of the crowd. However, there was no way he was allowing his unfamiliarity to become an obstacle. SaRon stood up there and played like he was Buddy Guy (except, unlike Buddy, he finished all of his songs) and the crowd was a bunch of his fans. At one point he even came down into the crowd, strolling between revelers, while playing the guitar with his tongue. This guy was a hell of a showman and more importantly, a hell of a bluesman. That’s SaRon Crenshaw, keep your eyes and ears open for him.”

Members of the SaRon Crenshaw Band include Crenshaw (guitar and vocals); Junior Mack (guitar and vocals); Al Levy (bass and vocals); Barry Harrison (drums and vocals); and Bob Schlesnger (keyboards).

Music Feasts are $25 per person ($20 for SxSE annual concert series members). Reservations are suggested. Send an email to southxsoutheast@aol.com, with the number of tickets and your zip code. They’ll put you on their A list.

Along with an incredible night of music, your ticket includes a potluck dinner and dessert, wine and beer from New South Brewery, soft drinks and coffee. Feasting begins at six o’clock and the music starts at seven. Or sevenish.

Since South by Southeast is an IRS-approved 501(c) (3) organizations, memberships and donations are wholly tax deductible.
The Myrtle Beach Train Depot is located at 851 Broadway in Myrtle Beach. For more information about the SxSE event,log onto http://www.southbysoutheast.org.

Stocking Stuffers: Music Picks to Keep You Groovin’ Through 2012

This is the time of year when I sit back with a nog while all y’all tell me what’s cool, hip and happenin’ in the world of music. This year I’ve asked a mix of special friends to share their music picks with us. Enjoy!
Mike Farris
mikefarrismusic.com
Mike Farris. Intense, talented and on fire, this Nashville boy is one of the most exciting performers I’ve ever seen. Check out his picks.
Various Artists
Cosimo Matassa Story (import)
Proper Box (2007)
If you really want to take a peek inside the birthing room of rock & roll, look behind this curtain! Between the 40s and 60s everything that came out of New Orleans was recorded at Cosimo’s J&M Studio. Way too often overlooked, New Orleans and her amazing musicians laid the foundation for rock & roll. If you don’t like this box set, we can never be friends.

Various Artists
Goodbye Babylon (Box Set)
Dust-to-Digital (2003)
Sacred music grown in the hot southern dust. One of the greatest box sets ever put together. Makes me proud to be a southern boy.
From Amazon: Goodbye Babylon is a 6 CD gospel reissue collection. 5 CDs contain 135 songs from 1902-1960 and the 6th disc is comprised of 25 sermons recorded between 1926-1941. Also included is a 200 page book complete with Bible verses, lyric transcriptions, and notes for each recording, plus over 200 illustrations … Sound restoration and mastering by Airshow Mastering, the team that restored the “Anthology of American Folk Music” (Smithsonian Folkways, 1997), and won a Grammy® for their work on “Screamin’ and Hollerin’ the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton” (Revenant, 2002). – Reverently packed in raw cotton and housed in a deluxe 8″ x 11″ x 2.5″ cedar box. Notes and essays by musicologists and scholars, including several Grammy® winners. – Contributors include Lynn Abbott, David Evans, Ray Funk, Anthony Heilbut, Kip Lornell, Luigi Monge, Paul Oliver, Opal Louis Nations, Bruce Nemerov, Guido van Rijn, Ken Romanowski, Tony Russell, Doug Seroff, Dick Spottswood, Warren Steel, David Tibet, Gayle Dean Wardlow, and Charles Wolfe.

Bill Withers
Still Bill (DVD)
New Video Group (2011)
Still Bill (documentary)- I know this is not technically a record. It’s a film….and I haven’t even seen this yet, but I can still safely say that it’s a must watch. Bill Withers is one of the great songwriters of our time and a true artist intent on steering his own wheel. Ride on, Bill……ride on.

Brian Rutenberg
brianrutenbergart.com
Brian Rutenberg. Before he grew into his true self as a sought after N.Y.C. artist, this Myrtle Beach boy was a drummer. I knew his picks would be cool, but I had no idea how cool.

Youssou N’Dour
The Lion
Virgin Records (1989)
My first recommendation is the fabulous Senegalese singer/ percussionist Youssou N’Dour whom I saw in concert at S.O.B’s in N.Y.C. in the late 80s. His soulful rhythm, smooth ambient keyboards (somewhat akin to Brian Eno), and musical voice are fabulous. I enjoy many of his albums but my favorite is 1989’s The Lion (Virgin), songs like “Bes” and “My Daughter (Sama Doom)” make me smile. His music also takes me back to the blissful days when I met my wife Katie. Now we have children and they like the same songs.
Robert Shaw & the Robert Shaw Festival Singers
Rachmaninoff Vespers
Teldec (1990)
If you want to be transported through music then Rachmaninoff’s Vespers are a must. They are sublime. Go somewhere you can be totally alone for an hour, shut the lights off, and listen. I also enjoy just looking out a window (preferably on a gloomy day) or a long drive with this recording. My ongoing studies of the late Canadian pianist/philosopher Glenn Gould involve long stretches of driving in Ontario and the Vespers are a perfect soundtrack. Another listening place might be the parking area that juts out onto the beach by the Cherry Grove Inn around 54th/55th Ave N. in North Myrtle Beach. I am not sure if it is still there but watching the surf to these Vespers would be nice; “Bless The Lord,” “O My Soul” and “O Serene Light” reaffirm what it means to be a human being.
Robert Plant
Principle of Moments
Rhino (1983)
Finally I am listening a lot to Robert Plant’s second solo album Principle of Moments released the year I graduated from high school in Myrtle Beach,. Although the drums are not Bonham they are played by Phil Collins with some heavy down beat and the unadorned clarity that Bonham mastered. There was a remaster released in 2007 which I play in my studio a lot. “In the Mood” and “Big Log” are still fabulous songs.
Clair DeLune
bluesmoonradio.blogspot.com
Clair DeLune. Music historian, writer and professor, producer and host of Blues Moon Radio … I love all that Clair does, and I’m grateful for her participation.
Various Artists
Bummed Out Christmas
Rhino (1989)
The Bummed Out Christmas CD seems an odd choice because it is topically dreary, not cheery. As the host of Blues Moon Radio, I talk with a number of people each year who are not upbeat about the holidays. Contrary to popular belief, blues music does not depress one, it is one’s “ticket” for climbing out of a pit of despair and can improve your mood, so I recommend Bummed Out Christmas to all.
This CD fits the bill two ways: For most, it is an over-the-top array of songs so wildly absurd they are laugh out loud funny, thus a welcome break from standard treacly holiday pap . For those in a deep funk, it has been known to provide a balanced perspective – even if only from a “misery loves company” or “someone has it worse” perspective. The most requested holiday song on my radio show each year is “Christmas In Jail,” by the Youngsters, which begins with the ominous “I was in the wrong lane, feeling no pain.” It acts as an ersatz public service announcement – reminding us of our duty to not drive if drinking, but entertains as it informs.
Demetria Taylor
Bad Girl
Delmark (2011)
Bluesman Eddie Taylor’s much-covered classic, “Bad Boy,” is given a twist by his daughter, Demetria. Eddie Taylor, who was not as well-known – yet was integral to the Chicago scene as Jimmy Reed’s guitarist – introduced Reed to that now-famous shuffling style. Eddie Taylor has influenced more people than know his name, including his own children, three of whom work actively in Blues music. This year Taylor’s daughter, Demetria, rises above the “Blues Legacy” tag with her vocals on “Bad Girl,” earning her place in the blues world as a powerhouse of song. It is nominated for Best CD of 2011 Lunie Award on Blues Moon Radio.
Laurence “Luckyman” Beall
The Huntsville Sessions
Turbine Incredible (2010)
Last but not least… indeed this is most likely my absolute favorite find of the year…
Laurence Luckyman Beall is the freshest, most invigorating artist to appear on Blues Moon Radio this year. His work is highly energized and he puts more sound out solo than most artists with backing bands. Sporting the Western-style dress and duck-tail hairstyle that emerged when Rock’n’Roll was young, Beall (pronounced ‘Bell’) is serious about his folio of Blues, Rockabilly and Americana that would get any mule kicking in its stall. Those who see Beall perform are impressed and charmed by his vibrant personality as well as his intense musicianship, comprised of powerful lyrics and melody, and a unique approach to electric chicken-pickin’ guitar work. His CD is the most commented on by Blues Moon Radio’s listeners this year… and many have become enthusiastic converts to “the Luckified.”
Sam Hannaford
SouthBySoutheast.org
Co-founder and past president of the nonprofit South By Southeast music organization, this guy is responsible for making top drawer music (and musicians) accessible to the Carolina coast. Love you, Sam.
Otis Redding
The Definitive Collection (4CD set)
Rhino Records (1993)
After having half finished reading “Bill Graham Presents,” the autobiography/biography of Bill Graham, I realized that he and I have two things in common. One, we have helped put on music concerts (not that I put myself 1000th in the same company of this great Rock Icon), and number two, that Otis Redding was our favorite all time performer. Unlike Bill, I never had the pleasure of seeing Otis live, but this four-CD set is a very definitive representation of his short but significant contribution to popular music – helping to bridge the racial and music genre gaps that existed until the 1960s.

There are outtakes of many of his more popular tunes that I find very interesting, as well as enjoying the songs heard on the radio back in the day and now. He is timeless. Unfortunately, he died the week after he recorded “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” and never got to hear his biggest hit on the radio.

Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro Live At The Bottom Line
Cypress Records (1989)
Always a huge fan of Laura, I was gifted this out of production CD a few years ago (it’s available on eBay). Known mostly for her pop hits recorded by The Fifth Dimension, Barbra Streisand, Blood Sweat and Tears and others such as “Stoney End,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “And When I Die,” and “Stoned Soul Picnic,” Laura’s emotive piano playing and vocal phrasing have always touched me. This is a great example live of those qualities as exemplified on songs such as “The Confession,” “My Innocence/Sophia” and “Broken Rainbow.” She also mixes in R&B covers of “High Heeled Sneakers,” “La La Means I Love You” and “Up On The Roof.” She has influenced many singers.
The Duhks
The Duhks
Sugar Hill Records (2005)
Having seen these multi-talented young musicians at Merlefest in 2005, I bought their CD immediately. I have rarely been as impressed by a group that offered so much a diversity and cultural music mixture. Running the gamut from Celtic, Portuguese, Cajun, Rock N’ Roll, as well as Black Sea Island Gospel music, these folks tear it up. Jesse Havey’s vocals are unreal, along with fellow band member Tania Elizabeth. “Death Came A Knockin”, “Dance Hall Girls”, “True Religion”, and “ The Waggoner’s Lad” stand out to me especially. I am unsure if they are still playing, but even with a change in membership, they put on a great show.
Mike Taylor
HolidayBand.com
Singer/songwriter and band leader for Southern soul/variety group, the Holiday Band, Mike has lived and breathed music since he was a kid. One of my faves.
Chicago
What’s It Gonna Be Santa?
Rhino (2003)
Twenty of the best arrangements of Christmas songs ever. Every song has a unique flavor, the changes are NOT traditional and the playing and singing is off the chart. I don’t usually like Christmas CDs much, but I love this one. You must listen two or three times to get used to the vibe.

Pete Lauro
Mary4Music.com
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro reviews blues and indie music at Mary 4 Music, and I’m always happy to listen to his picks. Yeah!
Hubert Sumlin
Healing Feeling
Blacktop Records (1990)
This is one of my favorite CDS simply for the fact that it introduced me to the person who has become my all time favorite blues vocalist – Darrell Nulisch. While at a friend’s house, he happened to be playing the CD and when the song “Play It Cool” came on I was blown away. I asked him to let me see the CD jacket and bought it the very next day. It’s almost 12 years old and I still listen to it very regularly.

Roomful Of Blues
That’s Right
Alligator Records (2003)
You could easily put on a three-day blues festival just using the great musicians that have been a part of Roomful of Blues over the last 40 or some years. Through it all, the band has remained in tact and is still headlining blues festivals themselves. This is one of my favorite discs of theirs because it featured the debut of Mark DuFresne who I feel gave them back the punch they needed in a front man. This is real good stuff.
Downchild Blues Band
I Need A Hat
Linus Entertainment (2009)
This is another one of those bands that’s been around forever. As the story goes, they were supposedly the influence for the Blues Brothers. This Canadian band, led by Donny Walsh, has more discs out than I care to count, and this – their latest release – is one of their very best.

Pat Patterson
LargeTime.net
The S.C. Internet radio station owner (along with wife Robin) of Large Time Network is one of my favorite deejays, and has a wonderful collection of obscure music.
Rickey Godfrey
Nasty Man
Serenity Hill (2010)
There is a lot of good music available right now, but I have three favorites. I am a Rickey Godfrey fan through and through. His latest release Nasty Man is “Nasty” but in a good way!! Rickey is so talented and his talent shines with each song from his vocal ability to his amazing guitar licks. This CD should be in your collection right now. I feel that only Rickey could get away with the title “Nasty Man” and then on top of that pull off “I Want Me a Nasty Woman,” one of my favorites, as well as “When You’re Cool (The Sun Shines All The Time).” Only Rickey can make the blues shine.
Craig Woolard Band
Main Street People
Sisbro (2010)
Also on my list is Main Street People on Sisbro Records from The Craig Woolard Band. Beside the obvious songs on the charts “Your Love Is Amazing,” “Impossible,” and “Beachaholic,” there are some other great songs as well. “Soulful Kind Of Love,” I’m In Love With The Girl Next Door” and “Main Street People.” You can’t go wrong with this CD.

Dip Ferrell & the Truetones
Along For the Vibe
Arcade Records (2011)

The new CD from Dip Ferrell And The Truetones, Along For The Vibe, on Arcade Records is awesome. The shag tunes “Hey Girl” and “Love Monkey” will make you lay some leather down on the dance floor. Two beautiful ballads “Baby Come Back To Me” and “I’m Way Too Proud” have great story lines, yes songs do have story lines and these certainly do. Not only that, but the music is fabulous and makes for a true slow dance.

Stuff the stockings with these CDs and you can’t go wrong!!! I simply put them in and hit “Play” without skipping to the next song, and that to me makes a great “Stocking Stuffer” and CD. Merry Christmas and happy listening!!!!
Sheila Cain
http://www.live365.com/stations/
beaumontblues
Head honcho and radio host for Blues City Radio, Sheila Cain found time to give us her faves, despite the fact that she was in the middle of moving her life to Denver. Check out her radio show.
Karen Lovely
Still The Rain
Pretty Pear Records (2011)
Being a blues enthusiast, my number one pick this Christmas has to be Karen Lovely’s latest CD, Still The Rain. I’ve listened to every track over and over again and still can’t get enough.

The title track “Still The Rain” is contemporary blues at it’s very best. But don’t overlook one single song on this CD. Every one is a winner in my book. Tracks from this CD have kept Karen Lovely at the number one spot on Blues City Radio for the past eight weeks straight with no signs of slowing down.
Karen Lovely has the potential to become a blues phenom!
Etta James
Icon
Geffen Records (2010)
I don’t generally buy “collection” type CDs, but Etta James is the exception to the rule on this one.
Her CD Icon, a 12-song sampler spans the best of Etta over her illustrious career.

From “At Last” to “I’d Rather Go Blind,” this CD highlights her many hits. There’s just something about her sultry, soulful voice and lyrics that takes one on a musical journey that is hard (if not impossible) to duplicate. This is a “Must Have” CD for anyone who loves, blues, soul and R&B. I guarantee it will not be re-gifted.

Thanks to all my pals who contributed here. Happy Holidays to all!

GRAMMY Winner Yonrico Scott Heads to Myrtle Beach for SxSE Show

Yonrico Scott. Check out the drum head.

On Jan. 31, 2010 drummer Yonrico Scott was onstage at the L.A. Convention Center for the pre-telecast award ceremony of the GRAMMYs accepting the award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the Derek Trucks Band. On Dec. 3, he and his own Yonrico Scott Band will hit the stage right here at the historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot for the final South By Southeast Music Feast of the year.

This is why I “Trust the Frog.” The folks at SxSE spend their time scouring the road not taken by the mainstream bandwagon to bring us some of the country’s most respected singer/songwriters and musicians, most of whom aren’t household names to the public, but are well-known to other musicians.

Yonrico Scott is one of this talented community of musicians. He played with the Derek Trucks Band from about 1993, he guesses, until the band went on hiatus late last year so Derek could form a new band with wife Susan Tedeschi. He has toured with Peabo Bryson and Earl Klugh and played with greats like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Freddie Hubbard and the Allman Brothers Band.

In a telephone interview earlier this week, we talked about his GRAMMY experience, his career and his passion for art.
As a child, Scott was greatly influenced and encouraged by his mother Ruth Naomi Scott, a gospel singer who grew up in Detroit. She was a member of the Detroit Harmonettes and it sounds like she cherished her son’s budding talent.

“She was truly an angel,” says Scott, “always encouraging me. I started playing drums at about five years old.”

By age 14, he was studying with Motown drummer George Hamilton. At 15, he recorded “Message From the Ghetto” with The Sons of Truth for the Stax gospel subsidiary.

He went to college in Kentucky, studying drums and percussion with Chicago Symphony classical percussionist Patrick Arnold and classical timpanist Dave Davenport. Scott says his classical study is the reason that he is the drummer he is today.

Upon moving to Atlanta, Ga. in the late seventies, he immediately met guitarist George Greer, who turned him on to the neighborhood arts center. Connections made there helped get his foot in the door of the jingle business, and he started doing work for Atlanta mogul Ted Turner.

Sometime in 1992 or 1993, he had a call from Col. Bruce Hampton (Gov’t Mule) with the news that then 14-year-old Derek Truck was looking for a drummer.

“The first time I heard him play, I knew this was big,” Scott tells me. “The first year we played 320 dates. We did all the small cities.
“A lot of people don’t know, but when I started with DTB, we were doing bebop … all sorts of stuff.”

Because DTB took a regular hiatus, Scott was able to play with his own Yonrico Scott Band, which includes Kofi Burbridge, keys/flute; Todd Smallie, bass; Mace Hibbard, sax; Nick Johnson, guitar; Laura Reed, special guest vocalist; and many other players on different occasion. YSB’s debut release, Turning the Corner, a 12-track disc of mainly jazz instrumentals, was released in January, 2004.

His first touring job was with Peabo Bryson and Patti LaBelle. Through Bryson, he connected with Broadway and spent several years working in productions such as The Wiz, Dream Girls, Les Misérables and Five Guys Named Mo, which featured the music of Louis Jordan.

What was it like getting a GRAMMY, I wanted to know.

“I loved it. I walked the red carpet with Ringo Starr on my right and Mick Fleetwood on my left.”

He continues, “Derek had been really cool with it, said he wasn’t going to go, so I said that I was thinking of going and Derek asked me to represent the band, so then it was official. I was going!”

Scott kept a GRAMMY journal about the experience that’s posted on the Derek Trucks Band site. It’s a great read. I love how much fun he’s having with it. Here’s just a snippet:

“I get the award and I’m trying to stay composed on stage but in my mind, I’m freaking out! A lot of the other winners seemed so relaxed when we won, but for me it was just such a huge deal. I had this Grammy in my hand and I was just blown over! Right now I still think it’s a dream and I just wonder when the dream will be over.”

Throughout all Scott’s stories (and he has many), I was impressed by just how jaded he is not. He is embracing every experience that comes along.

“After I got the Grammy, I decided I wanted to do another album. I started in March of 2010, and I finished about three months ago.”

Scott is very excited about the new recording, Be In My World, which he expects will be released in early 2012. Players include his sister Ronda Scott (they sing a duet); vocalist Laura Reed from South Africa; Derek Trucks; DTB bass player Todd Smallie; DTB vocalist Mike Matteson, jazz guitarist Grant Green Jr.; virtuoso bassist Joseph Patrick Moore; singer/songwriter Diane Durrett and more. Three of the tracks are written by funk keyboardist Reverend Oliver Wells. Scott himself wrote several tracks.

“There are 15 original songs and a cover of Buddy Miles’ “‘dem Changes,’” Scott says, “and this is the first recording with me as a lead vocal. So that’s me on vibes, percussion, singing and drums. The album, titled Be In My World is a tribute to Buddy Miles.”
Art is another passion for Yonrico Scott. “I was always drawing and making stuff, as a kid.”
Once again, his mother was at his side, encouraging him.

“‘You can have the upstairs. Do whatever you want,’ my mother told me,’ Scott laughs.

“Then, when I started with Derek, we were making up set lists and I started drawing on them. We would make color copies for the band, and then for some of the fans. And now they’re collected all over the place.”

Scott is a prolific artist, painting drum heads for his many gigs along with paintings.

“I’m not a trained artist,” he continues. “I’m making a statement . . . One of my biggest idols was Howard Finster [legendary Atlanta folk artist known for his 1980s album designs for groups like R.E.M. and Talking Heads].  He told me to keep doing my own stuff. Don’t take lessons. So that’s what I do.”

This past October, when  visionary artists Alex and Allison Gray, known for their psychodelic album covers, came to Atlanta’s inaugural Visionary Arts Fair, Yonrico was part of it.

“I was playing drums, wearing a crazy suit. I loved it.”

So much is  happening for Yonrico Scott these days, it’s  hard to keep up.

“The biggest thing for me right now is a new band. I’ve been invited to join the Royal Southern Brotherhood with Cyril Neville, Devon Allman and MIke Zito with Charlie Wooton on bass. The band will debut at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, and we have bookings through Dec. 2012.”

Joining Scott at the SxSE gig will be jazz keyboardist Buzz Amatto, guitarist Randy Honea, and Ted Peccio on bass. Something tells me this is going to be a genre-jumping adventure, and I can’t wait.

Music Feasts are $25 per person ($20 for SxSE annual concert series members). Reservations are suggested. Send an email to southxsoutheast@aol.com, with the number of tickets and your zip code. They’ll put you on their A list.

The Myrtle Beach Train Depot is located at 851 Broadway in Myrtle Beach. For more information about the SxSE event,log onto http://www.southbysoutheast.org.

Note: I loved talking with Yonrico Scott, and there’s a lot more to the interview, so I plan to organize my notes and add some of them to this blog post soon.

Eric Brace and Peter Cooper at SxSE May 14

Americana artists Eric Brace and Peter Cooper (courtesy photo)

South By Southeast has put together another tasty Music Feast and I’ve been craving it since the show was still in the discussion stages. For my money, no one has a better story to tell than the singer/ songwriter, and this time around there are two of them – Eric Brace and Peter Cooper.

This pair has been touring, recording and performing together since 2004, which is also the year Brace moved to Nashville. They have quietly created a loyal following of Americana buffs who share their love for songwriting and harmony.

They’re touring in support of two new recordings, Master Sessions and Cooper’s solo effort, The Lloyd Green Album.

I talked to them last week as they were heading from Portland Me. to Northampton, Mass. to open for John Prine. In addition to penning tunes, these guys are respected journalists. Eric Brace is a former columnist for the Washington Post. He covered the city’s night life and music scene. Peter Cooper is a music writer for the Tennessean, the daily newspaper in Nashville, Tenn.

“Many may decry this fact,” Cooper laughed during our conversation, “but we have day jobs. Most musicians have day jobs and mine puts me right there in the music every day … interviewing people like Kris Kristopherson and others … it keeps me thinking.”

Google his name and you’ll find blog posts, interviews and newspaper stories about some of Nashville’s biggest stars. You’ll also find some great quotes about the latest CD out from this dynamic duo, Master Sessions released last year on Brace’s Red Beet Records label.

“The harmonies are unforgettable, classic and touching. One of the irresistible surprises of the year,” said Jim Morrison with No Depression (Visit www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/eric-brace-and-peter-cooper for a great interview and video clip.)

“This album’s title is no misnomer,” says American Twang, which puts the CD at No. 8 on its list of Top Ten Not Quite Country Albums.

“Eric Brace and Peter Cooper sound as if there were born to play together,” comes from ToxicPete.co.uk. Oh wait, looks like that one’s about an earlier disc, You Don’t Have To Like Them Both ( Red Beet Records 2009).

Getting back to Master Sessions, the disc features two of the duo’s longtime musical heroes – Lloyd Green on pedal steel and Mike Auldridge on dobro. These two names may not be on the lips of America, but bluegrass, country and Americana fans know them well.  Green is one of the most respected pedal steel guitarists around. He’s played with the Byrds, Paul McCartney, George Jones, Charlie Pride and Alan Jackson.

Auldridge was a founding member of legendary bluegrass group, the Seldom Scene and more recently with Darren Beachley and the Legends of the Potomac bluegrass band.

“Eric and I used to go see Mike with the Seldom Scene,” Peter says. “He is the most inventive player!”

The album’s first track is “Wait a Minute,” a tune well-known to fans of the Seldom Scene. According to Cooper, it wasn’t a chart hit, but it was big. “We needed a third vocal,” Peter continued, “and we knew Kenny Chesney was a big Seldom Scene fan, so Eric texted him and he said he was honored to perform on a CD with Mike Auldridge.”

Longtime South By Southeast fans may recall Brace’s last visit to the Train Depot.

“I came with my band, Last Train Home, in 2007, and it was one of the best shows we ever did,” said Eric. “I mean that, it was one of our best shows ever … and Jeff Roberts … well, you can imagine some of the people you meet  … Jeff was one of the all-time greats.”

I can hear him smile as he thinks about the former director of South By Southeast, who passed away suddenly in January 2009. It still hurts, doesn’t it? I think that Last Train Home show was one of the ones that Jeff nagged me to see, but I missed it. And, once again, I should have Trusted the Frog, because I’ve heard some of their music and I would have loved seeing this rockin’ roots band.

However, I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll be at the Train Depot for this show!

Peter Cooper and Eric Brace at the Bluebird in Nashville, Tenn. (courtesy photo)

Tickets are $25  or $20 for annual SxSE concert subscribers. (Send an email with your name, number of tickets requested and your membership status to southxsoutheast@aol.com.)

Along with an incredible night of music, your ticket includes a potluck dinner and dessert, wine and beer from New South Brewery, soft drinks and coffee. Feasting begins at six o’clock and the music starts at 7 p.m.

Players on the Master Sessions CD are: Mike Auldridge – dobro; Richard Bennett – guitars, octave mandolin; Eric Brace – acoustic guitar, vocals; Peter Cooper – acoustic guitar, vocals; Lloyd Green – pedal steel guitar; Jen Gunderman – keyboards, accordion; Pat McInerney – drums, percussion; Dave Roe – bass; with Jon Randall – harmony vocals (2, 5, 11); Julie Lee – harmony vocals (4, 7, 8, 11); Kenny Chesney – harmony vocals (1).

Players on The Lloyd Green Album are: Peter Cooper (acoustic guitar, vocals), Lloyd Green (pedal steel guitar), Richard Bennett (guitars), Jen Gunderman (keyboards, accordion), Pat McInerney (drums, percussion), Mark Horn (drums) and harmony vocals by Kim Carnes, Rodney Crowell, Pam Rose, Fayssoux Starling McLean, Julie Lee and Eric Brace.

Also coming soon from Red Beet Records is I Love:Tom T. Hall’s Songs of Fox Hollow, a tribute and nod to the 75th birthday of Nashville’s iconic country songwriter Tom T. Hall. The disc is produced by Cooper and Brace, and features the monster talents of Buddy Miller, Patty, Griffin, Duane Eddy, and  Bobby Bare. Also performing are Lloyd Green (pedal steel guitar); Jen Gunderman (keyboard, piano, accordion); Mike Bub (acoustic bass) and Mark Horn (drums).

The Train Depot is located at 851 Broadway, Myrtle Beach, S.C. For more information, log onto southbysoutheast.org. And don’t forget to check out these upcoming shows: Saturday, Aug. 6 – Josh Roberts & the Hinges; Saturday, Oct. 1 – Steve Young & Jubal Lee Young; Saturday, Dec. 3 – Yonrico Scott Band.

Top Talents Head To the Beach

New York City, eat your heart out!

Not only is it sunny and warm here in the Carolinas, but Steve Bailey, Victor Wooten and Randall Freakin’ Bramblett are headed our way!

March 3 – Steve Bailey & Victor Wooten at CCU

Bass Player magazine said, “Steve Bailey is to the six-string fretless bass guitar what Columbus is to America.”

Internationally acclaimed bass wizards Steve Bailey and Victor Wooten will be at CCU’s Edwards Recital Hall on Thursday, March 3 at 8 p.m.

Do you know who these guys are?

Myrtle Beach’s own Steve Bailey practically invented the fretless bass. Well no, but he started playing it after he ran over a fretted bass with his car. Bass Player magazine said, “Steve Bailey is to the six-string fretless bass guitar what Columbus is to America.”

He’s played with a huge number of high dollar artists; including jazz greats, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D’Rivera, Claudio Roditi, David Benoit and more. He’s shared the stage and the recording studio with folks like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jethro Tull, Chris Duarte, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Kitaro, Carol Kaye, Billy Sheehan, and, of course, the other half of his double bill, Victor Wooten.

Five-time Grammy award winner Victor Wooten, no slouch himself, has earned the title of Bass Player of the Year award from Bass Player magazine three consecutive years and, according to his website, is the only player to have won the award more than once.

Victor is a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (banjo master Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten on bass, Jeff Coffin playing saxophone and Roy “Futureman” Wooten on his drumitar (drum/guitar developed by the innovative Grammy winner).

Together they conduct Bass At the Beach, a clinic/competition held in Myrtle Beach and attended by bass players from all over the world and the even more intensive Bass/Nature Camp held at Wooten Woods, just outside Nashville.

“It’s rare to be able to hear someone with creds like Victor here in Myrtle Beach,” says Bailey, who is an associate professor in music and artist in residence at CCU. “We found out early on that bass players getting together is an accident waiting to happen – it’s like trying to get two elephants to ballet dance together. But when we met each other in San Francisco in 1991, we had a chemistry that’s unheard of, and we’ve collaborated on CDs, clinics, DVDs and conferences since then.”

Five-time Grammy winner Victor Wooten takes the approach that music is language.

The show at Coastal Carolina  will feature music from the duo’s signature Bass Extremes project as well as their recent solo efforts. This much anticipated performance will be the second stop on the bassists’ Pushing the Limits Volume 3 Southeast tour. About the event, Bailey says, “Surprise guest performers are always a possibility, and ticket holders should bring a question or two, as we are prone to interact directly with the audience in intimate venues like Edwards.”

For more info, check out their websites: Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey. Tickets are $20 general admission or $15 for CCU/HGTC students, staff, alumni, seniors and kids 17 and under. Pick up your tix ahead of time from the school’s Wheelwright Box Office (843-349-2502) or at the Recital Hall that evening.

March 5 – Randall Bramblett Band at South By Southeast Music Feast

Right on the heels of Bailey and Wooten comes the rockin’ Randall Bramblett Band.

Randall Bramblett first came to the attention of music industry insiders (and some astute FM listeners) back in 1973 for his amazing saxophone work on Laid Back, Greg Allman’s first solo album. Allman tapped him again for his follow-up The Gregg Allman Tour, recorded in part at Carnegie Hall, for which Bramblett was again recognized by musicians and serious music lovers. One-time Allman Brothers keyboard player and more recently a backline fixture for the Rolling Stones, Chuck Leavell says, “Randall is, in my opinion, one of the most gifted and talented southern singer-songwriter musicians of the past several decades.”

Bramblett is a true musician’s musician, proficient on saxophone, keyboard and guitar. He is a skilled and highly regarded songwriter. His tunes have been covered by Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Sea Level,Rick Nelson, B.J.Thomas,  Hot Tuna and so many others. He’s toured or recorded with Steve Winwood, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Levon Helm and Cowboy.

His vocals are emotionally-charged and honest, stripped down to bare the soul. Born and raised in Jessup, Ga., Bramblett crosses genres seamlessly, melding rock, blues, soul and even pop to deliver a collection of heartfelt southern songs.

Honestly, it’s hard to imagine this much talent all crammed into one guy, and don’t get me started on his band. Longtime collaborator Davis Causey on guitar is a standout; drummer is Gerry Hanson, who often functions as the band’s producer; there’s Mike Hines, also on guitar; and bass player Michael C. Steele. These guys are all talented, successful musicians in their own right. Together, the Randall Bramblett Band is a powerhouse.

Randall recently released Live At the Rialto Room, a DVD recorded on Feb. 13, 2010 at the Rialto Room in Athens, Ga. This was the CD release concert for The Meantime (Blue Ceiling Records 2010), a sparse, sophisticated recording by Randall Bramblett with Gerry Hanson on drums and Chris Enghauser on upright bass.

Randall Bramblett Band (L-R) Gerry Hansen, Mike Hines, Davis Causey, Randall Bramblett, Michael C. Steele. (Photo Jason Thrasher)

About the concert, Randall says, “It was a great night of music, and one of the most beautiful performances of my career.”

I haven’t gotten my copy yet, but I know it will be stellar. And, happily, Randall says he’ll have some at the South By Southeast show, so bring your wallet. You’re going to want at least one.

The South By Southeast Music Feast takes place, as usual, at the historic Train Depot in downtown Myrtle Beach (851 Broadway). Tickets are $25/$20 and include potluck, pizza, homemade desserts, wine, beer, soft drinks and coffee. Feasting starts at 6 p.m. and music begins at 7. Email your reservation to southxsoutheast@aol.com by 3 p.m. Friday and pay at the door. Come early, this show will be SRO. See you there!

Singing Praise of Mike Farris

Mike Farris & the Roseland Rhythm Revue (Photo Ed Rode)

Gospel rocker returns for SxSE show Dec. 4

I’ve been following Mike Farris’ career since I saw his no- holds-barred show at the Myrtle Beach Train Depot in May 2008. Today, I’m excited to report that he’ll be back for another South By Southeast performance at the Depot on Saturday, Dec. 4.

Mike’s road to success has presented him with many obstacles to overcome. Probably in response to his parents’ divorce, he began using both drugs and alcohol while still a child, and almost died from an overdose at the tender age of 21.

After recovering, he went on to  form the Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, a southern rock & boogie band based in Nashville. They were signed by Atlantic Records and enjoyed what they refer to in the biz as a “sustained success.” A self-titled debut album in 1994 reached #40 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Subsequent singles and albums brought the rockers more success.

The talented vocalist would also serve as frontman for Stevie Ray Vaughan’s backing band, Double Trouble.

For Mike Farris, this wasn’t all good news. Easy access to drugs and alcohol was wreaking havoc on his personal life. With help from his family and his church, he was able to break away from a life of addiction. In 2002, he released a solo album titled Goodnight Sun. He was on a positive path.

Oct. 31, 2007 would prove to be a monumental turning point for Farris.

He had been scheduled to perform at a Porter Wagoner tribute during the Americana Music Conference. Sadly, Wagoner passed away on Oct. 28 and the tribute became a eulogy. A young Mike Farris walked on stage, sat down with his guitar and proceeded to bring a hush over the entire room with his achingly soulful rendition of Wagoner’s “Green Green Grass of Home.” The clip went viral on YouTube, and when Mike released his Gospel-based recording Salvation In Lights in June of 2007, little pockets of folks in the know all around the country were waiting for it.

Since releasing his benchmark recording, Mike has played the monster South By Southwest, Austin City Limits Festival Bonnaroo, and the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Response has been the same: people are speechless with delight.

And the kudos keep coming in.

In 2008, Mike received the American Music Award for New/Emerging Artist of the Year. In 2009, his next CD, SHOUT! Live earned a Dove Award for Best Traditional Gospel album of the year.

Singer/songwriter Buddy Miller has said, “Mike Farris has enough heart, soul, and power to light up a city. He mixes up the elements and turns them into something new, beautiful, and uniquely his own.”

From Peter Cooper of The Tennessean magazine comes: “It’s inspiring to hear so many people with glowing things to say about something, especially when that thing is too gritty and hard to define for flavor-of-the-month status. But it’s more inspiring to hear Farris sing. He’s one of the most dynamic, convincing talents to emerge from Nashville in years, and his Salvation in Lights album sounds like the gospel truth.”

Roots/blues musician Delbert McClinton, who welcomes Mike Farris to the Blues Cruise every year, said, “Mike Farris is magic – The Rejuvenator! You gotta see it to believe it!”

His most recent accomplishment is The Night The Cumberland Came Alive, a six-track charity recording that is already receiving rave reviews. I haven’t heard the EP yet, so I’m including this from Mike’s website:

A portion of proceeds from the new EP is going to Nashville flood victims.

“Mike Farris who recently was honored with a Dove Award for his 2009 SHOUT! Live release wanted to give back to his hometown who suffered during the May 2010 flood in Nashville. This six-song charity EP was recorded at the historic Downtown Presbyterian Church in one afternoon and proceeds will be used to help flood victims via the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The Night The Cumberland Came Alive features an all-star cast of musicians including: Sam Bush, Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart), Ketch Secor and Gill Landry from Old Crow Medicine Show, Byron House (Robert Plant), as well as Ann, Regina and Alfreda McCrary (The McCrary Sisters), Derrek Phillips and Eric Holt from Farris’ own Roseland Rhythm Revue.

The title track’s lyrics deal directly with the flood, and Farris penned “Dear Lazarus” along with Ketch Secor just days before the recording. Musically it is in keeping with the old roots Gospel flavor that Farris’ has been known for on previous releases but with a more blues and country feel.

“Stylistically, pre-war American music has long been a passion of mine,” Farris says of the project. “Before the flood, we’d been searching for songs that would evoke the struggle and the victory of the working class, a sound rising up out of flesh and bone, of spit and spirit. But then, as a city, we were hit square in the gut by this unbelievable flood. And that sound meshed with the spirit of resurrection we saw rise up all over this area. When we gathered in that historic church to lay it all down, what happened was beyond our imaginations.”

You need to experience the power of Mike Farris. You will be nothing short of amazed!

The Skinny On SxSE

South By Southeast is a nonprofit music organization formed in 2003 by a bunch of Myrtle Beach music lovers (including the late, great Jeff Roberts) who decided they wanted to preserve and promote American music not heard on mainstream radio outlets or performed in traditional venues. The result has been an incredible “listening room” that not only serves up some of the most amazing music you’ll ever hear, but also a complimentary feast of casseroles, pizzas, homemade desserts, wine, beer and soft drinks.

Here’s just a smattering of the musicians they’ve brought to town: Justin Townes Earle, Randall Bramblett Band,  Scott Miller, Stoll Vaughn, Robbie Fulks, Verlon Thompson, Wendell Mathews, Webb Wilder, the Susan Marshall Band, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jumper Cables, Diesel, Danger Muffin, Tommy Womack, Will Kimbrough, David Olney, Ericson Holt Band, Harry Manx and Bonnie Bishop.

Upcoming shows include Charleston’s rockin’ Rev. Johnny Mac & the Booty Ranch on Jan. 15, 2011 and the Randall Bramblett Band on March 5, 2011, giving us another taste of their first class blues, jazz, and southern rock.

Tickets are $25 ($20 members) and the good news is that SxSE has finally been granted 501 (c) (3) status, so the I.R.S. now recognizes your charitable gifts and donations as such. YAY!

Mike Farris at the SxSE show 2008. Trust the frog!

For tickets or more information, shoot an email with your name, number of tickets needed and your membership status to: southxsoutheast@aol.com. The Music Feast starring Mike Farris will be at the historic Myrtle Beach Train Depot, 851 Broadway, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Feasting begins at 6 p.m. and Mike Farris takes the stage at 7 p.m.

Trust the Frog. He hasn’t disappointed me yet!

South By Southeast Update

The big news, boys and girls, is that SxSE – my favorite nonprofit music organization – has finally received their 501 (c) (3) status. That means the I.R.S. formally recognizes them as a nonprofit organization and when you join or make a donation, you can declare it on your taxes. (Hey Jeff, we’re legal!)

Upcoming Shows (These will be SRO, so order your tickets yesterday!)

Mike Farris . (Photo Ed Rode)

Dec. 4. The amazing Mike Farris brings his rockin’ gospel back to the Train Depot. Mike Farris has been part of the Delbert McClinton Cruise (and will again for 2011). He’s played Bonnaroo, SxSW, Austin City Limits. I’m here to tell you, he’ll take your breath away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guitarist Rev. Johnny Mac

Jan. 15, 2011. Johnny Mac & the BootyRanch. You may know the Rev. Dr. Johnny Mac from the Jumper Cables. Well the Booty Ranch – made up of Johnny on guitar and vocals, Chris “Mega” Watts on bass and vocals, and Stevie “Fatback” Kent on percussion and vocals – have been burning it up in Charleston since about 1998. The genre-jumping trio covers electric blues, R&B, funk, rock and swamp. Exciting stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

Randall Bramblett (Photo Jeff Jeffares)

March 5, 2011. Randall Bramblett Band. Can you hear me shouting my excitement?  Randall is one of my favorite songwriters ever, and his band blows the roof off the Depot every time. If this is a name you don’t know, Google it and see what you’ve been missing. Randall Bramblett brings together blues, jazz and rock like no one else does.

Visit  the South By Southeast website  for more information on these shows, and then shoot an email to southxsoutheast@aol.com to reserve your spot. You can always Trust the Frog.

Chainsaws Still Carving Out Their Place In Myrtle Beach

The Chainsaws - tuned and lubed for your listening pleasure!

How can you not love a group that bills themselves as “tuned and lubed for your listening pleasure”? The Chainsaws have been playing around Myrtle Beach since 1995. The band includes Charlie Newell on bass, Sam Hannaford on percussion and vocals, Michael Perrucci on guitar, Nell Ciaccio on vocals, Keith Thompson on harp and vocals,  Jim Thomas on guitar and Curtis Richardson on drums. Craig Ciaccio is the group’s sound guy.

They’re gearing up for their tenth annual Scorpio Birthday Bash, which takes place at Bimini’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Café on Nov. 6. If classic rock, big lovable guys and birthday parties are your thing, you won’t want to miss this shindig. It’s gonna be a blast. 
The Chainsaws, who individually serve as volunteers and board members of local music organization South By Southeast, cover a wide range of musical genres. Sam Hannaford tells me, “We really like to massage some of these old tunes our own way.”
“The Ocean,” by Led Zeppelin is one of those tunes.  Willie Dixon’s “Good Mornin’ Little School Girl” is another. You can also expect to hear some  Van Morrison, Spencer Davis Group, Curtis Mayfield, Joe Cocker and Atlanta Rhythm Section.

For you lucky Scorpios, there will be a free raffle for birthday gifts. Happy birthday, Saul! Par-tay!

Bimini’s Oyster Bar is located at 930 Lake Arrowhead Rd., Myrtle Beach, S.C. If you need directions, call 843-449-5549.