Apologies for the recent trend of sporadic posting. I’ve been pretty busy, honest. I’m not complaining ’cause a lot of guitar player/songwriter/record producers aren’t. Especially around these parts this time of year. The old booking agent, Ken Summers, once called me and asked; “What are you doing?”.
“Just sitting around watching TV”, I replied.
“I suspect that’s what most blues guitar players are doing today”, said Ken.
Ken always found it amusing that I made a decision to forsake the line dance bars in pursuit of a career path that involved playing anything but top 40 or country cover songs. He thought of jazz as an incurable, un-treatable disease. He told me of a bass player that “was a pretty good guy until he got that jazz”.
A partial list of Kenisms…
1. “Who are you and what do you do”?- If a performer could not answer this question in a matter of a few seconds, Ken would have no part of working with them.
2. “You’re breaking the rules”.- Ken had a 17 page list of rules that included, no smoking or drinking on stage, no dancing on break, no long hair. At any given time, you were breaking a rule and therefore, he always had grounds to fire you.
3. “Jack’s girlfriend said she likes his hair so, I’m going to mail it to her”.
4. “Don’t dip your quill into the company ink”.
5. “12 guitar players called me this morning. They all sing and they are all better looking than you”.
I miss that guy more than anyone would ever know. He was crusty and crude but a man of his word. He kept me working, six nights a week, 50 weeks a year. There were several times when the band broke up, in the middle of the night, after a gig; one call to Ken and I was on my way to a new “circus”. We could use more like him but, it’s doubtful that we will ever see the likes.
The Bill Dees record is going well. Joy Steele and Robin Reese came in last night and Tuesday night to do background vocals. What a pleasure to work with these gals. Man, they can sing. They have a great work ethic as well. They just have a knack for it that is sometimes spooky. On one song they sound as country as biscuits and gravy on the next one they sound like the Sweet Inspirations. Listen to the songs “Soul Searching” and “Two Trains” from my record for an example of their work.
I have been doing rehearsals with this new band and I will write more about that in the very near future. My friend Mark (no last name because I’m not sure of the current one he’s using. I think we need to straighten him out on this Darlene) called me the other day to scold me about my lax attitude towards self promotion. He is of the opinion that I need to announce every gig, which I have been pretty bad about, and sell t-shirts and such, which I’m leery of ’cause the Winnebago is brimming with CDs and there isn’t room for additional merch storage.
Darlene wrote,
after 48 years, you think I can straighten him out???Ha ha!
I love to read your blog…verry in-ter-esting. You really go every direction–music, politics, sports, and even some Christianease in there.
Haven’t seen any art critics tho…You are going to have to see my latest work. It’s pretty funky, for an old lady.
The Clinton/Kennedy thing was a hoot! Pretty spooky.
I have been praying for healing for you. I know how hard it must be to try to do something that you love, and have your hands freeze up. But, Jack, God is good and he does answer prayers. So I’ll keep praying and you keep playing.
Love ya, bro
Darlene
Link | January 10th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Pribek wrote,
Thanks so much Darlene. Glad you took the bait. Is your new stuff sculpture? I’d love to see it. Funkier the better.
Link | January 11th, 2008 at 12:34 am