In 1974, Count Basie and his big band booked a free concert at Auburn University in Alabama. My friend and mentor Bobby D and I had a cover band rehearsal planned for the night of the Basie show. We had an upcoming gig and needed the practice. I tried to reschedule the rehearsal to a different day so that I could see the Count, but the rest of the band refused to change the date.
Continue reading “Moten Swing”
Category: Music stories
Stories involving guitars, bands, etc.
Are You A Musician? Part 2
I love music. I remember loving music when I was very young; it touched my soul somehow. I wanted to play music, but I didn’t know how to make it happen.
Continue reading “Are You A Musician? Part 2”
Are You A Musician? No, I’m A Guitar Player
I was exposed to guitar playing early in life. I have memories of my father playing guitar in the 1950s. During the Great Depression, Dad’s father bought a used Gibson L5 acoustic guitar for the family to play. Dad loved the sound when his sisters played minor chords on the Gibson. Soon he picked up the guitar and learned some chords.
Continue reading “Are You A Musician? No, I’m A Guitar Player”
On Call
I worked for decades in Information Technology. I was on call for years but rarely was called, our systems were very reliable.
I was booked with the band Kidd Blue to play a Saturday afternoon outdoor show for a big event several years ago. Thousands of people were expected to attend. I was looking forward to the event. Some friends visited us that weekend; they were planning to appear at the gig/event the next day. I was on call for my regular job that weekend but wasn’t worried.
Continue reading “On Call”
The Ring
I don’t like wearing rings; they’re uncomfortable, and I sometimes get nervous about cutting off circulation in my ring finger. Plus, I’m worried I’ll injure my ring finger if the ring catches on a hoop while I’m dunking a basketball (kidding). Still, most married people wear rings, so I follow the rules and wear my ring.
Continue reading “The Ring”
The Drunk Bride
I was hired by an unnamed party band to play guitar for a wedding reception in North Alabama. I arrived and discovered a first-class venue, with a chapel next door to a large party room. We set up in the party room, and then three members of the six-piece band went next door to the chapel to perform at the actual wedding.
The three band members returned after the wedding, and they told us that the bride was drunk. Seriously, she was drunk? They were adamant; she was very drunk.
Continue reading “The Drunk Bride”