Not unlike the rich mixture of culture, music, nature and history that influence her, Tami Curtis-Ellis combines the textures of fabric, salvage, bright color and words to create vibrant, lyrical portraits. American Blues News spoke with Tami about being chosen to create this year’s BMA poster, meeting Irma Thomas,  and how she knows, above all else, that Hope Floats.

How exciting to be chosen to create the BMA poster! How did that come about?

Well, I’m from the New Orleans area and a picture of one of my paintings appeared in OffBeat Magazine in New Orleans.  Jay saw it and contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing the poster. So I said “absolutely!”

Was this painting made particularly for the BMA’s?

Exactly. When you go to my website you’ll recognize Pinetop Perkins, Louis Armstrong and people like that and Jay said the only thing he didn’t want was a recognizable person - so I just kind of fabricated a face and I put him on a Cadillac. When you look around the painting there’s a street sign to represent some of the major areas of our country that contributed to the Blues legacy- so it is representing all of our country and the different areas like Chicago and New York, all kinds of places that contributed to the Blues.

So I guess my question of “who is that guy on the poster?” is moot! He is the representation of all!

He is the embodiment – absolutely.

How long have you been an artist?  What is your background?

I have been drawing ever since I was two. My Dad was a self taught artist and I watched him go on and get his degree in art as I was growing up – it was just in the family and he wound up being my High School art teacher actually. It has always been in the gene pool I guess. It didn’t really explode for me until I moved. I was in N. Louisiana and I took my children and we moved to the New Orleans area in 2001. That’s when I really got exposed to the music and started getting really involved with it and of course it just shifted the axis of my art completely - I will be forever grateful for that.

How did that happen?

When I first got here my first job was as education coordinator for the New Orleans Museum of Art and I put together an art based curriculum for elementary students that starts with art and works its way to English or it starts with art and works back to Math or it starts with art and works its way back to the core curriculum. So I was implementing that and I was exposed to the New Orleans and the music and the culture at the same time that I was exposed to real Cezanne’s and real Gauguin’s and real Picasso’s- so I got to study them up close. The culture and the music and the energy kind of collided with my two favorites- Matisse and Cezanne – I was studying them and pulling the colors apart and letting the colors represent themselves side by side or pushing them together – that’s what happened -so it was kind of a serendipitous collision.

A very organic evolution…

It was…

There are a lot of primary colors in your art… what draws you to paint certain images, what is your inspiration?

I’ve always loved the outdoors – I do kayaking and biking- and so I am exposed to nature here and that flows through to the artwork because I take a lot of photographs – and of course there is a festival every other day down here and you get to know the guys and the ladies. That’s what’s so great about New Orleans music – down here you can see Fats Domino in the grocery store shopping – there are no stand- offish people, they are very accessible and friendly, so you can get up close and get to know them and study them and hear their stories.

Looking at your paintings, it looks like you give them auras…

I do and that kind of evolved too – I don’t even know when it happened – it just started happening.

It sounds like this has been quite a journey for you…

It has. I can’t even begin to tell you – my faith plays a huge role- I guess that’s why I’m drawn to the Blues. It’s funny – they call themselves deviants but they love God – they say it all the time, it’s kind of a crazy mix but these people are so transparent and honest. There’s no pretense - so maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to it. They are very down to earth and they love their families and they will be the first ones to tell you what they did wrong and when they did it wrong and how they did it wrong and how long they did it wrong- but they are always trying. I think that all plays a part in it – I can’t separate my faith and my art and my experiences and my relationships – it’s all one big ball of wax and maybe that’s why I’m drawn to it.

When you do these portraits are you painting from memory or from a photograph?

Well, both. Hopefully at this point, unless they are deceased, I work from photographs that I’ve been able to take which enables me to see them up close and if I’m blessed enough to get to talk to them and get to know them it’s even better. With Irma Thomas I did a painting of her and Hearst Corporation bought it and gave it to Ellen DeGeneres – I had seen her (Irma) perform but never got to meet her. They wanted to see if she would sign it for Ellen and so I said I would see if I could do that. I had her email and so I emailed her but never expected an answer but she emailed me back the next day and wrote “oh sure! Here’s my address come on by!” It absolutely floored me! So I went there and she was out in her tomato garden, so we sat down and we must have talked an hour. She loved the painting and I made a print for her. She was so funny!

You really seem to capture the essence of the artists that you paint. I see on your website “Hope Floats” – can you tell me about that?

When Katrina hit, tornadoes followed and everything was devastated – it took me two days to even get out to make phone call to my children (who were in safety). That was my taste of it, but as big as that story sounds there were so many other stories so much bigger – individuals and in the collective – so when I finally got to Baton Rouge to see my kids I was able to see on the television all that was going on – I had no idea because you are just trying to survive the moment, trying to find gas, trying to find clean water – so I was just dumbfounded. So that night I was on the floor in a sleeping bag and as I started to doze off these audible words woke me up – “hope floats.” I was so exhausted and I started to doze off again and sure enough – “hope floats” – it woke me up again. So I dozed off again and this time it was “hope floats” and “we are unsinkable” and I saw, written, just like when you write your name with a sparkler – “hope floats.”  So this imagery would not leave me alone and I went to LSU and started downloading images from Katrina and I made my way to Michael’s and I got a canvas. I couldn’t stop painting. I painted and painted and painted and when I finished I took a shot and posted it on NOLA.com where people were posting looking for each other. People began responding to it and then this contractor offered to do underwriting for posters and one thing led to another and they paid for printing and t shirts. Everybody loved it – and it wasn’t me, I was just the vehicle for it – but it did what it was supposed to do and we raised enough money that we built, from the ground up, a house for Habitat with that money. The people who do the Mardi Gras saw it and turned it into a Mardi Gras float and the first responders got to ride on it! It has been in 5 major Mardi Gras parades and that has never happened in Mardi Gras history because a float is in one parade and that’s it. And - this is exciting – the Library of Congress adopted this poster!

Could you have even imagined that all of this would have happened?

No, I was just trying to find a loaf of bread and a good bottle of water.

What a journey…

I just feel extremely blessed that the music and the culture of this area has embraced me like it has and that they allow me accessibility in a way that’s really gracious- and I’ve made friends through it.  I’m just very humbled.

Is there anything else that you would like to tell our readers?

I will say this about my color palette – one thing that a painting like this taught me is that no matter what ethnic group I am painting – it’s all the same color palette. With Miss Irma I may push more orange or with Mr. Pete I push more yellow but I always start at the same place…

A metaphor of who we really are…

Absolutely. I love when that happens – it never waivers.

“When people ask me ‘How long did it take you to paint that?’ I now respond, ‘All my life’. The confidence I have about my work is a result of a lifetime of joys and disappointments.

My palette has transformed into one that allows each color to stand alone to be recognized, while working to bring about the bigger picture with the hue that radiates along side it. That is the way of the South. Each person is a large character by his or her own right, but together, we find a way of building a culture that is unlike any other.

All the time, energy, and inspiration in my artwork are blessings from God. Art itself is a mirror of God’s gifts of family, friends, nature and culture. I thank Him for this journey and joyously give Him the credit for what I create.” 

– Tami Curtis Ellis

If you are interested in donating for a poster, please contact East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity at 985-639-0656 and ask to speak with Caitlin. The donation will be completely tax deductible and will be processed directly by Habitat.

The range of donation for poster is as follows:

Unsigned $75

 Numbered $150

 Signed and numbered $300

Signed, numbered and remarqued $550

To see Tami’s art go to: http://tamicurtisellis.com

(New York, NY)

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover…but when it comes to albums, this reviewer has found that in many cases the cover “kinda” says it all…and Anthony Gomes’ latest release, UP2ZERO, is a very good example.

An energetic, pedal-to-the-metal, guitar-driven blues/soulful rock extravaganza, UP2ZERO is sure to satisfy those listeners longing for the days of Stevie Ray. Sure, one could argue that Gomes’ tone and playing-style are at times a little too reminiscent of Vaughan’s signature overdriven Fender sound, but at this point the amount of SRV imitators out there is too high to count and if this reviewer had to make a judgment call, in this case it seems to be more of a loving homage than a rip-off. None the less, no matter what his motivation, the fact is that he’s doing it well.

With UP2ZERO, Gomes may not be reinventing the wheel or pushing any boundaries, but his talent is undeniable…and this new studio effort is slickly produced and totally worthwhile.

To purchase this album, click on the cover image below:

If you enjoyed this article, checkout The American Blues News’ review for Tom Hambridge’s BOOM!

NYC blues fans, check out J. Blake at www.jblakeblues.com and come see him play Thursday May 31st at 8pm at Local 269 (269 E Houston St; New York, NY).

Also, check out Little Richard (special Guest Matt “Guitar” Murphy) on 6/14 and Jimmy Vaughan 6/27 at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill.

Copyright © 2012 – J. Blake. All Rights Reserved.

I was able to attend some of the events, but as I live “in Memphis”, I actually had to work on Thursday and Friday, so the evenings ended earlier than most of those here from around the globe.

On Wednesday, the Memphis Blues Society hosted the Rattlebone Jones All-Star Jam at the Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street. The evening kicked off at 5:30pm with a band mad up of Memphis All-Stars.  The Plantation All-Stars were represented by Jeremy Powell on keys, new-comer Suavo on trumpet and the great Charles Campbell on sax. Drummer, Brian Wells who has been beating the skins for the Daddy Mack Blues Band, Matt Isbell from The Ghost Town Blues Band on guitar  and the one and only Leo Goff holding it down on bass guitar.

Throughout the evening Dave Keller, Vincent Hayes and Vince Johnson (who leads the Plantation All-Stars) all took the stage to lend their talent and support.

YES SUPPORT!

You see, this was a fund-raiser for RAISE THE ROOF! the fundraising arm to build the Blues Hall Of Fame at the home of the Blues Foundation on South Main Street in Memphis, TN.

During the evening we spoke about the Foundation and the efforts to raise the funds to complete the Hall Of Fame and Carson Lamm of the Rum Boogie offered a T-shirt in exchange for a $40.00 and Matt Isbell worked the crowd in an effort to encourage their participation.

The Memphis Blues Society issued a challenge to all Blues Societies and Associations around the globe last February at the International Blues Challenge.  Rattlebone Jones spoke to those assembled at the Orpheium Theater during the Finals.  He spoke of the legacy of the blues and the importance of Memphis to that legacy.  He spoke of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, which occurred a the Lorraine Mote, almost across the street form the Blues Foundation home and the future home of the Hall of Fame and he made the above challenge.

Pledges to this cause can be made by checking out the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame website

On Mother’s Day we give thanks for our Mothers who gave us life, nurtured us, loved us and comforted us.  We learn at our Mother’s knee what it means to be a Mom and it is through the gifts of our Mothers’ wisdom and  patience that we are able to welcome new life into this sacred house and become good Mothers ourselves. But not everyone grows up under the kindness and love of a Mom.  Orphaned as a young child,  Koko Taylor learned how to live in a world without that guiding hand.

On May 10^th Koko Taylor was honored with the 118^th Brass note on the Walk of Fame in Beale St. when the Memphis Music Foundation and the Blues Foundation held an unveiling ceremony at the Daisy Theater. Attended by family, friends and music industry representatives the blue Memphis sky provided a gentle backdrop for the words of those who had known and loved her.

And although the point of the ceremony was to honor her gifts as a musician, the real beauty of her life became apparent when her daughter “Cookie” began to speak. Referencing her Mother’s difficult life, Cookie tearfully acknowledged the gratitude she had for her Mother as she spoke with deep love and affection. Koko obviously became a great Mother to her daughter in spite of her own solemn beginnings.

The pride that Cookie exhibited as she unveiled her Mother’s Brass Note on Beale St. was only surpassed by the love and the tears that she shared.  She spoke eloquently- and although her Mother was not there to witness this moving event, there is no doubt that Kokowould be proud of the woman who spoke on her behalf, her beautiful daughter, Cookie.

My thanks to Lauren Sachs for her continued support.

Nelson G. Onofre
e-mail: nelson@electriceyes.us
my websites: http://www.electriceyes.us/
http://electriceyesphotography.blogspot.com/

all photos: Nelson G. Onofre © 2012 Copyright
All Rights Reserved
click on images for a larger view

http://www.indigenousrocks.com/

thanks for stopping by and supporting the Blues
you might also enjoy these posts-
Eric Gales here
Tyrone Cotton here
Mark May interview here

Congratulations to all the nominees and their good news!

Acoustic Album:   Conversations in Blue – David Maxwell & Otis Spann

Troubadour Live Eric Bibb

Brand New Eyes – Doug MacLeod

Misery Loves Company – Mary Flower

Shake ‘Em on Down – Rory Block

Acoustic Artist:  Eric Bibb

David Maxwell

Doug MacLeod

Guy Davis

Mary Flower

Rory Block

Album of the Year: Revelator Tedeschi Trucks Band

Chicago Blues A Living History The (R)evolution Continues – Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell, Carlos Johnson

Rock and a Hard Place – Eugene Hideaway Bridges

The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone

Evening – Sugar Ray & the Bluetones

Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

B.B. King Entertainer Tab Benoit

Candye Kane

Lil’ Ed

Ruthie Foster

Tab Benoit

Tommy Castro

Band Tedeschi Trucks Band

Bo-Keys Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials

Sugar Ray & the Bluetones

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Tommy Castro Band

Trampled Under Foot

Best New Artist Debut Samantha Fish

Choice Cuts – Big Pete

Bad Girl – Demetria Taylor

Runaway – Samantha Fish

Leave the Light On – Sena Ehrhardt

The Mighty Mojo Prophets – The Mighty Mojo Prophets

Contemporary Blues Album Medicine – Tab Benoit

The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too Johnny Sansone

Unconditional – Ana Popovic

Don’t Explain – Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa

The Skinny – Ian Siegal & the Youngest Sons

The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone

Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue–Live! – Various Artists

Contemporary Blues Female Artist  Susan Tedeschi

Ana Popovic

Bettye LaVette

Candye Kane

Janiva Magness

Susan Tedeschi

Contemporary Blues Male Artist Tab Benoit

Joe Louis Walker

Johnny Sansone

JP Soars

Tommy Castro

DVD Live at Antone’s Ruthie Foster

An Evening at Trasimeno Lake – Ana Popovic (ArtisteXclusive)

Live at Montreux 2010 – Gary Moore (Eagle Rock)

Live At Antone’s – Ruthie Foster (Blue Corn)

The Emporium to the Orpheum – Trampled Under Foot (Redwood)

All Jams on Deck – Various Artists (Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise & Mug-Shot Productions)

Play the Blues – Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton (Rhino)

Gibson Guitar Award Derek Trucks

Duke Robillard

Kirk Fletcher

Lurrie Bell

Michael Burks

Historical Album Chess Smokestack Lightning/The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 (Howlin’ Wolf)

Bear Family – Texas Flyer 1974-76 (Freddie King)

Delmark – Hoodoo Man Blues (Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band with Buddy Guy)

Electro-Fi – Teardrops Are Falling – Live in 1983 (George “Harmonica” Smith)

Virgin – The Essential Modern Records Collection (Etta James)

Instrumentalist Bass Biscuit Miller

Danielle Schnebelen

Larry Taylor

Michael “Mudcat” Ward

Patrick Rynn

Instrumentalist-Drums  Chris Layton

Jimi Bott

Kenny Smith

Robb Stupka

Stanton Moore

Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist-Harmonica Charlie Musselwhite

Kim Wilson

Lazy Lester

Rick Estrin

Sugar Ray Norcia

Instrumentalist-Horn  Terry Hanck

Al Basile

Doug James

Keith Crossan

Sax Gordon

Instrumentalist-Other  Sonny Rhodes Lap Steel Guitar

Ben Prestage, diddley bow

Lionel Young, violin

Otis Taylor, banjo

Rich Del Grosso, mandolin

Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Ruthie Foster

Diunna Greenleaf

Maria Muldaur

Nora Jean

Tracy Nelson

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player:  Marcia Ball

David Maxwell

Eden Brent

Jon Cleary

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

Victor Wainwright

Rock Blues Album  Dust Bowl Joe Bonamassa

2120 South Michigan Avenue – George Thorogood & the Destroyers

Greyhound – Mike Zito

Shiver – Too Slim and the Taildraggers

Man in Motion – Warren Haynes

Song “The Lord is Waiting the Devil is Too” – Johnny Sansone (The Lord is Waiting and the Devil is Too – Johnny Sansone)

“Appreciate What You Got” – Terry Hanck (Look Out! – Terry Hanck)

“Back to the Blues” – Hadden Sayers (Hard Dollar- Hadden Sayers)

“Memphis Still Got Soul” – Bob Trenchard & Johnny Rawls (Memphis Still Got Soul – Johnny Rawls)

“Thank You for Giving Me the Blues” – Grady Champion, Zac Harmon & Chris Troy (Dreamin’  – Grady Champion)

“The Older I Get the Better I Was” – Joe Shelton (The Older I Get the Better I Was – Big Joe Shelton)

Soul Blues Album:  Show You a Good Time:  Bobby Rush

Got to Get Back! -  Bo-Keys

Rock and a Hard Place – Eugene Hideaway

Bridges Dreamin’ – Grady Champion

Memphis Still Got Soul – Johnny Rawls

Soul Blues Female Artist: Denise LaSalle

Alexis P. Suter

Jackie Johnson

Sharrie Williams

Sista Monica Parker

Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado

Bobby Rush

Eugene Hideaway Bridges

Johnny Rawls

Otis Clay

Traditional Blues Album: Chicago Blues a Living History The Revolution Continues

Trying To Hold On – Diunna Greenleaf

You Better Listen – Lazy Lester

Evening – Sugar Ray & the Bluetones

Victim of the Blues – Tracy Nelson

Traditional Blues Male Artist:  Charlie Musselwhite

John Primer

Lazy Lester

Mac Arnold

Magic Slim

(Memphis, Tennessee)  On Sunday, May 6, Blues great Michal Burks died of a massive heart attack while traveling through the Atlanta airport after returning from a tour of Europe.He was 54 years of age.  The photograph above was taken as Michael and the guys in his band dropped by Doug McMinn’s bus during a Reba Russell tour at the first Ozarks Festival in Springfield, Missouri..  Michael was a wonderful, cheerful, upbeat friendly guy with tremendous talent and stage presence. Our sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolence go out to the family, band mates and friends of this world renown Blues artist.

Here’s Michael’s bio courtesy of Alligator Records:

“Michael “Iron Man” Burks earned his moniker by his hours-long, intensely physical performances, fearsome guitar attack, and tough, smoky vocals. He also earned it by the thousands of miles he personally logged behind the wheel of his touring van. Burks was a true modern blues hero whose music was driven by an intense, blue collar work ethic that had won him well-deserved national and international recognition. His instantly identifiable guitar sound and his live charisma earned him four Blues Music Award nominations. He won the 2004 Living Blues magazine Critics’ Award for Best Guitarist. Burks received a nomination for the 2012 Blues Music Award for Best Guitarist.

Born in Milwaukee in 1957, Burks grew up immersed in the blues, and learned to play guitar at an early age. His family moved to Camden, Arkansas in the early 1970s. There, Burks and his siblings helped their father build the Bradley Ferry Country Club — a 300-seat juke joint. By this time Michael was fronting his own band as well as backing several of the blues and R&B greats that passed through town. Burks left music to raise a family and returned to performing blues in the 1990s.

After self-releasing his first CD in 1997, Burks signed with Chicago’s Alligator Records in 2001 and released three critically acclaimed albums. GuitarOne named his debut album, Make It Rain, one of the Top 200 greatest guitar recordings of all time. He has toured the world, headlining blues festivals, concert halls and clubs. His status as an Arkansas musical hero was confirmed by his receipt of the prestigious Sonny Payne Award for Blues Excellence in 2006, presented by the Delta Cultural Center, and by his multiple headlining appearances at The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival. Burks had just finished recording his fourth Alligator CD, which is due for release at the end of July 2012.”

Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms

(Memphis, Tennessee)  Before Skip’s passing, the royalty of Memphis Music turned out to honor one of the world’s finest, most clever and inventive instrumentalists. Boo Mitchell of Royal Studio organized the effort, STAX provided a venue with their auditorium, Elmo Lee Thomas provided the PA system, and scores of Skip’s band mates showed up to perform to honor their friend.  It was a beautiful event.  Sadly Skip was too ill to attend.  He spent his last days in hospice. Skip died on May 1, 2012. He was 65 years of age.

The photograph of Skip above was taken in 2009 at the Elmo & the Shades CD release party on Beale Street.  That was a remarkably good night to be on Beale Street at the Rumboogie Cafe as Skip played with his usual incredible improvisational prowess.  His talent was monolithic.  This man, accompanied by so many of his friends who met to honor him at this event, were the original sculptors of what would become known as American Soul Music.

Skip’s guitar instrumental intro on Isaac Hayes’ 1971 release (and movie soundtrack) “Theme from Shaft” became a landmark of American music.  It was at once swinging, soulful, percussive and incredibly arresting.  It is the sound you think of when somebody says the words “wah-wah guitar.”  They should name the wah-wah pedal after the man.  Skip Pitts was interviewed for the documentary Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks the World alongside Slash, Buddy Guy, Eddie Van Halen and Kirk Hammet. This seminal recording marked a high water mark for Skip and the other members of the Isaac Hayes band with whom Skip would play alongside for the next 30 years.

Tommy Lee Williams

Mickey Gregory

Boo Mitchell, Dawn Hopkins, Jerry Williams

 Skip’s last recording, performed at Royal Studio was with Boo Mitchell and Jerry Williams at a project where I was fortunate enough to have the Hammond organ playing job. He was also recorded previously with the Bo-Keys. His performance on Elmo Lee Thomas’ Blue Memphis is likewise remarkable. Here an article on their 2009 CD release party on Beale Street: http://www.ameriblues.com/2009/10/26/elmo-the-shades-cd-release-by-robert-nighthawk-tooms/

Nico Lyras, virtuoso and longtime friend

Also present to play in honor of Skip was longtime friend, guitarist and owner of Cotton Row Studio, Nico Lyras.  Nico played alongside yours truly as we performed with Elmo Lee Thomas’ band.

Susan Marshall-Powell, superb singer

Howard Grimes and the author at STAX

Howard is currently working with the Bo-Keys and is a longtime band mat and dear friend.  He is one of the kindest people I have ever met.

The Blues Foundation’s Jay Seilman and Barbara Blue (holding Skip’s photograph)

Barbara cut her latest CD at Memphis’ Royal Studio with Boo Mitchell.  Here’s an article we ran about the making of the CD:

 http://www.ameriblues.com/2010/09/20/cutting-tracks-at-royal-studio-for-barbara-blue-by-robert-nighthawk-tooms/

Archie “Hubby” Turner of Hi Rythm Section and the Bo-Keys.  Hubby played on the Martinis’ hit, “Hung Over”

Hi Rythm Section’s awesome bassist Leroy “Flick” Hodges and Elmo Lee Thomas

Lannie McMillan blows a moving sax solo.  This guy is world class.

Hi Rythm’s Leroy “Flick” Hodges

Kirk Smothers blows another cool solo.

He regularly performs with the Bo-Keys and with the author in the Ernestine & Hazel’s Band

Teeny Hodges performs a moving guitar solo.  Teeny is a member of the world famous Hi Rhythm Section famous songwriter, know for penning “Take Me to the River.”

Charles Hodges

High Rhythm Section’s Charles Hodges who played Hammond organ on all the Hi Records Al Green hits.  Reverend Charles, who now plays in church, treated us to a rare night of playing as he gave us all lessons on the author’s Hammond SK-1.  From his website:

“Other phenomenal artists, such as Ike and Tina Turner, Albert Collins, The Green Brothers, Willie Cobbs, Denise LaSalle, James Carr, Toni Braxton, Detroit Emeralds, Bonnie Raitt, Lamont Dozier and Rod Stewart have requested the veteran musician for recording sessions.”

Here’s a link:  http://revcehodges.com/music.html

Altec A7 speakers, the “Voice of the Theater” and an old Fender amp in the STAX museum

Exhibits at the awesome STAX museum

Dave Smith, trumpeter Marc Franklin, saxophonist Kirk Smothers and engineer Dawn Hopkins hang out at STAX

After reading some of the things written about our friend Skip, it seemed proper to attempt to correct some errors in fact.

STAX is no longer making records, but Willie Mitchell’s sons, Boo and Archie Mitchell are still going strong at Royal Studio, working every day on a huge variety of projects spanning the musical gamut.  They are consummate professionals who are in demand around the world.  Boo, for example, just got back from a week working with Snoop Dog.  They are also the guardians of our musical culture and like Willie Mitchell, are making a profound statement as fine citizens and philanthropists who always have remembered the humble musician.

Skip’s last recording was actually made with Boo Mitchell at Royal Studio on a project for Jerry Williams, former owner of TMI, a Memphis label which recorded many hit records.  Skip, who at this point was weakened and having difficulty getting out of the car, walked into the studio and played magnificent guitar parts in short order.  Skip Pitts was a trouper.

Much has been written about Skip Pitts and his work touring with Cindy Lauper and Isaac Hayes, but his long contribution to Memphis band Elmo and The Shades was equally remarkable in its scope and in touching of so many hearts along his life’s journey.  Skip took up guitar duties for Elmo after the death of the great Larry Lee.  Skip was originally a native of Washington, D.C., but he moved to Memphis in 1970 and has been an icon of Memphis Soul Music ever since.

It would also be appropriate to note that Elmo has always hired many of the great old Blues and R & B musicians for  almost 40 years to play in his band.  Thanks to this, the author has performed in this band alongside the late Carl Watson and Larry Lee.  STAX regulars Tommy Lee Williams and Mickey Gregory have performed countless gigs with Elmo.  They are remarkable musicians with musical pedigrees as long as your arm.  They are also mentors and friends, kinsmen who generously share their knowledge of this mystical thing that we call band music.  Their accounts of playing with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis are worthy of a book.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this event.  Thanks to our departed friend Skip Pitts for giving us a lifetime of irreplaceable art, music which came from his heart.

Copyright 2012, Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms