SEPTEMBER 6,2006:
MY FRIEND FROM TUSKEGEE,ALABAMA IS A BIG FAN OF THE BLUES AND SOUTHERN SOUL MUSIC.SHE SHARES WITH US HER CONCERT REVIEWS. "LABOR DAY BLUZ SHOW" Hi Guys, Hope that everyone had an enjoyable weekend and Labor Day. DHBG member, Margie and I attended a bluz/southern soul show on Sunday. The show was held at the Frontstreet Entertainment Center in Montgomery, Alabama. The artists featured were Willie Clayton, Dave Mack and newcomer, Stevie J. After arriving at the show, Margie and I were able to get a table in the second row (directly in front of the stage). The atmosphere was very laid back with the dj (Dewayne from Montgomery's 97.1) playing lots of the latest bluz/southern soul artists. While Margie went to order drinks, Willie--surprisingly with Omar Cunningham at his side--entered the building. And, although these guys are well-known, established artists, they behaved in the club as "everyday people". Margie and I looked around the club and saw Willie and Omar playing pool with some of the local people. The show started @ 9 being hosted by American Blues Network air personality, Beverly McDowell (from Mobile, AL). If you've never seen/heard this woman, indeed, she is a character!!! As the audience waited for the show to start, Beverly hyped up the crowd with her explicit "tell-it-like-it-is" jokes. Newcomer, Stevie J performed numbers such as Still Called the Blues, Rock Me Baby and Can I Change My Mind. He did a number that he wrote called Do You Think You Can? But, the crowd roared when he did a rendition of Stoop Down. Stevie J has a new cd coming out in October titled Two Sides of a Man. By the time Mr. Willie Clayton went on stage the house was packed!!! His first number was his rendition of Marvin Gaye's I Want You. Naturally, the crowd went wild...giving Willie a thunderous ovation. His next number was--one of my all-time favs--Party Like We Used To Do, which prompted Margie and I to head for the stage. Since it was her birthday, a lady asked Willie to sing No Getting Over Me. The crowd screamed, yelled and clapped in agreement. I've always loved this song (even when Ronnie Milsap sings it). But, Willie obliged her by doing it in a capella form. The b'day lady was mesmerized!!! Then, I guess the audience figured they'd better get their requests in while Willie was fulfilling them. The building echoed as he did a portion of Boom Boom. Next, as he performed Simply Beautiful, he invited another pleasant surprise on stage to join in on the song. The crowd, particularly, the women, was electrifying as Sir Charles walked onto stage!!! Sir Charles is one of Margie's favs...and, I almost lost my right arm when she saw him walk onto the stage. Willie performed other numbers such as I'm Going Crazy, Unconditionally, Love Me Some You, Love Mechanic, Can We Talk, My Baby's Cheating On Me, Three People and If You Ever Get Lonely. The women screamed so loud when Willie rolled his tongue that I could barely hear my own heart beat. He's so nastee (LOL)!!! He let the audience join in as he did Meet Me Tonight. The audience was very receptive when he did Johnnie Taylor's Running Out of Lies. As a tribute to Tyrone Davis, he did Wish It Was Me and Give It Up. Everyone jumped to their feet to join in as he did the Wiggle. His son, Willie Jr., added a little hip hop flavor to the show. Willie ended his performance with his gospel cut titled He Has a Plan. The last performer was another newcomer, Dave Mack. As soon as he walked onto stage, the crowd started screaming for him to sing 13 Days. But, he would save that one for later in the show. His first number was a rendition of Ray Charles' Drown In My Own Tears. The crowd was very pleased as he did a wonderful job on this song. Next, he performed some of his songs such as Save Some of Mine For Me, Something Just Ain't Right and 13 Days. He also did Tyrone's Banging the Headboard. Additionally, he did a rendition of A Change Is Gonna Come with his sister who is blind and plays the keyboard. We should expect to hear more from the Mack in the very near future. Margie took some pics. I'll get K or Krip to post them. As K would say, hope that you enjoyed me taking you on this bluz/southern soul ride.
DOT a.k.a. BLUZLOVER
MY FRIEND FROM TUSKEGEE,ALABAMA IS A BIG FAN OF THE BLUES AND SOUTHERN SOUL MUSIC.SHE SHARES WITH US HER CONCERT REVIEWS. "LABOR DAY BLUZ SHOW" Hi Guys, Hope that everyone had an enjoyable weekend and Labor Day. DHBG member, Margie and I attended a bluz/southern soul show on Sunday. The show was held at the Frontstreet Entertainment Center in Montgomery, Alabama. The artists featured were Willie Clayton, Dave Mack and newcomer, Stevie J. After arriving at the show, Margie and I were able to get a table in the second row (directly in front of the stage). The atmosphere was very laid back with the dj (Dewayne from Montgomery's 97.1) playing lots of the latest bluz/southern soul artists. While Margie went to order drinks, Willie--surprisingly with Omar Cunningham at his side--entered the building. And, although these guys are well-known, established artists, they behaved in the club as "everyday people". Margie and I looked around the club and saw Willie and Omar playing pool with some of the local people. The show started @ 9 being hosted by American Blues Network air personality, Beverly McDowell (from Mobile, AL). If you've never seen/heard this woman, indeed, she is a character!!! As the audience waited for the show to start, Beverly hyped up the crowd with her explicit "tell-it-like-it-is" jokes. Newcomer, Stevie J performed numbers such as Still Called the Blues, Rock Me Baby and Can I Change My Mind. He did a number that he wrote called Do You Think You Can? But, the crowd roared when he did a rendition of Stoop Down. Stevie J has a new cd coming out in October titled Two Sides of a Man. By the time Mr. Willie Clayton went on stage the house was packed!!! His first number was his rendition of Marvin Gaye's I Want You. Naturally, the crowd went wild...giving Willie a thunderous ovation. His next number was--one of my all-time favs--Party Like We Used To Do, which prompted Margie and I to head for the stage. Since it was her birthday, a lady asked Willie to sing No Getting Over Me. The crowd screamed, yelled and clapped in agreement. I've always loved this song (even when Ronnie Milsap sings it). But, Willie obliged her by doing it in a capella form. The b'day lady was mesmerized!!! Then, I guess the audience figured they'd better get their requests in while Willie was fulfilling them. The building echoed as he did a portion of Boom Boom. Next, as he performed Simply Beautiful, he invited another pleasant surprise on stage to join in on the song. The crowd, particularly, the women, was electrifying as Sir Charles walked onto stage!!! Sir Charles is one of Margie's favs...and, I almost lost my right arm when she saw him walk onto the stage. Willie performed other numbers such as I'm Going Crazy, Unconditionally, Love Me Some You, Love Mechanic, Can We Talk, My Baby's Cheating On Me, Three People and If You Ever Get Lonely. The women screamed so loud when Willie rolled his tongue that I could barely hear my own heart beat. He's so nastee (LOL)!!! He let the audience join in as he did Meet Me Tonight. The audience was very receptive when he did Johnnie Taylor's Running Out of Lies. As a tribute to Tyrone Davis, he did Wish It Was Me and Give It Up. Everyone jumped to their feet to join in as he did the Wiggle. His son, Willie Jr., added a little hip hop flavor to the show. Willie ended his performance with his gospel cut titled He Has a Plan. The last performer was another newcomer, Dave Mack. As soon as he walked onto stage, the crowd started screaming for him to sing 13 Days. But, he would save that one for later in the show. His first number was a rendition of Ray Charles' Drown In My Own Tears. The crowd was very pleased as he did a wonderful job on this song. Next, he performed some of his songs such as Save Some of Mine For Me, Something Just Ain't Right and 13 Days. He also did Tyrone's Banging the Headboard. Additionally, he did a rendition of A Change Is Gonna Come with his sister who is blind and plays the keyboard. We should expect to hear more from the Mack in the very near future. Margie took some pics. I'll get K or Krip to post them. As K would say, hope that you enjoyed me taking you on this bluz/southern soul ride.
DOT a.k.a. BLUZLOVER