and he said, "You've got the gig!" That made me feel really good, as I hadn't really had a chance to sing much since the Sea Level days. Eric was good to me, and good for me. And again, it was such an honor to be on stage with all those players. What a team it was! I miss all of them a lot.
Who were some of your major musical influences through the years? Jimmy Nalls said you studied some serious Dr. John. Well, yeah, of course. Playing with Mac was like going to the University of Funkology. I learned so much from him, and still do just by listening to his latest releases. I mean, he is THE MAN as far as I'm concerned. But my in- fluences started way before that. My mother was my first influence. She played for the family. She wasn't a professional or anything, just played for enjoyment. But she definitely influenced me, mainly by teaching me to think in terms of feelings and emotions rather than just notes. Later, I listened to a lot of gospel music on the
radio....both black and white. Then still later, artists like Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Nickey Hop- kins, Leon Russell, Elton John, Billy Preston, Otis Span, Pinetop Perkins...and still later, I started listening to some of the jazz guys, like Earl Hines, Monk, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, and Keith Jarrett is one of my fa- vorites of all times....I'll never be in their league, but listening to them is still being in- fluenced by them to some degree. Ian Stewart taught me about the boogie-woogie greats, like Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Mon- tana Taylor, Pete
Johnson...all those guys. Boogie-woogie is a real art form, and it's not easy to play, especially when those left hand figures get complicated...I love that stuff!
I believe I recall you playing for Presi- dent Carter. How was that? Seems like
19
that would be a kick. Toy Caldwell told me once that it was a big thrill. It was an honor to play for Jimmy Carter. And I'll tell you about a fantastic experience I had earlier this year. I went quail hunting in Plains with President Carter, former Attorney General Griffin Bell, and two of my friends in forestry. One manages Carter's forestland, and the other has a consulting forestry and investment firm in Atlanta. So it was the five of us hunting together all day. Wonderful! Carter is 75 years young, and Bell is 82 years young. I tell you, they were like kids. They are both in excellent shape, and both are inspira- tions to me. Such energy! Carter has done so much for humanity. As far as I'm concerned, he's way up there with people like Nelson Mandella, Martin Luther King, Jr., John and
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
