The King

In the movie “School of Rock”, Jack Black’s character says; “The first thing you do when you start a band is discuss your influences”. It’s funny because it’s true, musicians talk a lot about their “influences”. Actually, they talk a lot about who they try to sound like. Anything or anybody can be a creative influence or affect your interpretation. Influences can be negative or positive, conscious or subconscious. If you are speaking about something like a musical influence, the ones that occur naturally around you are as strong as the ones that you seek out.

Thinking along these lines, I once remarked that, “I’ve probably been influenced as much by Ernie Hays as anybody else because, I’ve probably heard him play more than anybody else”.

Who is Ernie Hays? Ernie Hays has been the stadium organist for the St. Louis Cardinals since 1971. I have heard him play at every Cardinals home game I have attended, watched on T.V. or listened on the radio.

Ernie is not just about, “Duh Duh Duh Duhhh-Charge!!!” Ernie can play, he has some chops; some hip chords. He is an icon in St. Louis, part of the tradition.

While driving around today, I was listening to the Cards game on the radio and there was Ernie in the background, ever present a sound that has stood the test of time. I started to think that I’ve been listening to this guy since I was a kid and I really don’t know anything about him.

When I got home I did a little looking and found this great, 2005 article by Chad Garrison of the Riverfront Times entitled “Dirty Ernie”. I kind of figured that Hays had spent some time in beer joints and piano bars and that is confirmed. What I did not know is that Ernie Hays is the king of dirty old men and is outspoken, somewhat philosophical and an all around very interesting guy.

Here are a couple of Ernie’s one-liners.

“What’s better than a rose on your piano?” he asks. “Tulips on your organ!”

“Hey, Rick, you know how to tell if a woman is ticklish?” inquires Hays. “You hit her with some test-tickles.” Pause. “You know what a Cardinal can do that a Cub can’t? Whistle out of its pecker!”

It is a fun article so, do check it out.

Here is a video of Ernie playing “The King of Beers”.

By the way, the Cards beat the Pirates 16-4 this afternoon and are once again only one game out of first. Rick Ankiel hit two home runs and drove in 7 runs.