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OF THE MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS WITH WHOM I’VE WORKED.
It
would be impossible to list all the great players who have
crossed my path and made me play a little better. So many
were positive influences on me when I was young and lots
of them mentored me as I grew as a recording and live musician.
I will mention some and hope that the ones I miss will call
me so that I can add them to the list. You may not recognize
some of the names, but then you may not know me either.
No matter. We all were a part of music history from the
early days at Sun Records, Hi Records, Triangle Sound, Motown
and in the evolution of Rock, Country and Gospel music.
In
the early days (mid 1950’s) there was the first band
I ever joined: James Wood, John Gassaway, Bozie Hutcheson,
Virgil Hutcheson and I were the Rockets and I still have
fond memories of those days. Sun Records released some of
our previously lost tracks a few years ago on a series called
“That’ll Flat Git It”. There was Gene
Simmons (Haunted House), John Mehalic, one of the best trumpet
players I ever knew, Bucky Hutcheson, Jessie Carter who
always said, “I don’t know much about anything,
but I know a little about everything.” Perhaps he
did. He knew how to play bass for sure. Jimmy Gilreath,
who wrote “Little Band of Gold” and Jimmy Morgan
who never wrote anything, but was my first drum student
and made me proud.
In the studio, 11, 17, 2006 at SMS Recording, Hendersonville, TN
On stage at a Desert Fire show in North Carolina
With Razzy Bailey on Broadway, downtown Nashville, TN in the 90s
I
was privileged to work a few times informally with Ace Cannon,
Billy Lee Riley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Mann. At the Chickasaw
Lounge I worked with the genius of John Wigginton, Larry
Eades, Ron Twitty, and several others who came through.
During those days the great Lightning Chance, one of Nashville’s
best known bass players, produced several sessions at Triangle
and I was the piano player on them all.
Another
great was producer Robert “Bob” Riley who produced
for Starday-King. We worked on several sessions together
including album projects of Sir Latimore Brown, Freddie
Hubbard and Mighty Joe Young. Afro Soul Review was also
one of the acts on whose sessions I worked. I was the only
white face in that 23 piece soul band and I loved it. While
I was doing blues and soul sessions in Tupelo I was also
making the 100 mile drive to Memphis to play on sessions
produced by Carmol Taylor for a variety of artists which
included the unique “Wild Bill Emerson”. Some
of the session players on those sessions were Gene Chrisman,
Reggie Young and a few other well known players who later
moved to Nashville and helped make the music better. Most
of those sessions were done at MGM Sounds of Memphis and
Chips Moman’s American Studio.
My
early days in Nashville put me in the studio with Little
Jimmy Dempsey, Larry Sasser, Bobbe Seymour, Tom Wilkerson,
Johnny Gimble, Buddy Emmons, Kenny Malone, Benny Kennerson,
Weldon Myrick, Billy Linneman, Kenny Buttris, Hal Rugg,
Gary “Smoke” Crosset, Dave Kirby, Mike Johnson,
Bruce Watkins, Dirk Johnson, D. J. Fontana (Yep, Elvis’
drummer), All of the original Drifting Cowboys: Jerry Rivers,
Don Helms (Hank Senior’s band), Leon Rhodes, Vassar
Clements, Jimmy Capps and several hundred other great guys
whose names will hopefully come to mind later.
It’s
been my distinct pleasure to work sessions with some of
the greats: Byrd Burton (The Amazing Rhythm Aces), Tommy
Wells, Greg Galbreath, John Hughey, Mike Schrimpf, John
Root, Mark Beckett, Duncan Mullins, Eddie Glass, Mike Dunbar,
Razzy Bailey, Bobbe Seymour, Mike Johnson, Joey Stuckey,
Steve Floyd, Bob Angelo, Larry Beaird, Mike Baker, Jimmy
Carter, Butch Davis, John Heinrich, Doug Jernigan, David
Russell, Fred Satterfield, Kenny Sears, Charlie Vaughn,
Hugh Waddell, and the list goes on.
I’m
sorry again that I can’t list everybody, but if you’re
one of those I missed and you want your name here, please
contact me and I’ll get it in. A heartfelt thanks
to all of you. You all helped me grow as a musician and
writer. Hopefully, I still have a few licks left in me and
we can do it a few more times. Call me, I need the money.
A few of the artists who had pity on me and let me work
with them
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