the lost interview PAUL T. RIDDLE; FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND
by Michael Buffalo Smith About ten years ago, I found myself
working on a radio project that would deal with the history of Southern Rock. For my first guest interview, I enlisted one of my old- est and dearest friends, someone that I looked up to as a member of a band that became my hometown heroes. Tha band was the Marshall Tucker Band, and the man was drummer Paul T. Riddle. While that project never came to fruition, I thoroughly enjoyed my conversa- tion with P.T., one of the nicest, most sincere guys on the planet. As time marched on, I got busier and
busier with my magazine and book writing, and totally forgot that I had this interview with Paul recorded, just waiting to be tran- scribed. So at long last, we are happy to share with you the “view from the drum throne” of one of Southern Rock’s all time top groups, The Marshall Tucker Band.
First of all, thank you for doing this. I’ve known you for many years now, and it’s past time to do a proper inter- view. Well thank you Michael B. We are overdue.
We were born in the same town, Spar- tanburg South Carolina. Of course, you grew up here and went to school. When did you first became interested
in playing music. Who were your pri- mary influences? Any local influences? I always say I'm the drummer from Drayton - the drummer from the mill village, you know.
Yeah. Gosh. You know, I saw the The Gene Krupa Story, with Sal Mineo playing Gene Krupa. He even looked like Gene. I actually got a lit- tle practice pad even before that, and sort of kind of started bang around on it. Then I saw
13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66
