all to be proud of that.
Michael Cartellone, who is now playing drums with Skynyrd, was dating a girl I knew in Atlanta and she called me and asked if I wanted to get together with her and Mike. We went out to a club where a friend was playing and Michael and I ended up on stage playing and having a blast. When we were done, Michael said, “Man,
So how did you feel when you got home and woke up the first day and there was no studio time booked or bus wait- ing for you to hit the road on? It was kind of scary. You know, I had done that for so long and everything was different. I took some time to spend with my daughter as she was very young and it was a great time to be at home, but that longing to play was still burning in me and I wanted to play again.
So when did that happen and with whom?
that was fun! I am not doing anything (so) let's put something together.” I figured it was one of those things musicians say to each other but we got back together a few weeks later. In the time between the first jam ses- sion and this second get together I had run in to Derrick St. Holmes, who Michael and l both knew, so we asked him to join our band and he said, “Sure, it sounds like fun.” We decided to add another player or two and make it a well-rounded band. I had always been a Cars fan so we got in touch with Ben Orr and he agreed to joins us on bass. Next, we asked Pat Travers to take on the other guitar spot so we had a group of world- class players and a well-rounded sound that included many different styles that would be blended into our own sound. The first time we got together as a group to practice, Michael said, “I just got the call to try out for Skynyrd” and we knew he would be leaving us. I remember thinking, “Man, we just got going and the guy whose idea it was is leaving!” So Pat said he would call Liberty De- vitto and see if he was interested. I thought he was kidding - I mean Liberty was playing with Billy Joel but Pat said, “That tour is ending and who knows when Billy will go back out,” so Liberty decided he would join us also. This group of guys is the best I have ever played with and I have never had so much fun.
How did you get the name Big People? We were looking for names and nothing stuck, Pat was talking to some guy back home and the guy asked him what he was doing and Pat said, “I am playing in this new band with
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