 Welcome to the brand new MySpace page of San Antonio Tenor Saxophone legend, SPOT BARNETT! We're going to add a detailed bio & career history very soon, as well as lots of historic photos & memorabilia dating throughout Spot's 50+ year career.... But for those who are unfamiliar, Spot Barnett not only led his own big band throughout the country during the 1950's, but he also acted as Ike & Tina Turner's bandleader in the 1960's, toured extensively with Bobby Bland, shared the stage with Ray Charles & James Brown, and is widely credited as "discovering" a very young Doug Sahm .... Sahm would then, throughout his career, spread the gospel of Spot around the globe by calling him the "King of the East Side" & "Godfather of San Antonio Blues"!
From the "Texas Southside Kings" CD Liner Notes: Doug Sahm called him the King of the Eastside of San Antonio. Vernon "Spot" Barnett was born in San Marcos and moved to San Antonio in 1940. At the age of nine, he got his first sax from Sears. Spot got his start playing blues with Jr. Moore and Big Walter Price. From 1954 to '63 he was working in the house band at the Ebony Lounge. In 1966 he hit the road off and on with Blobby Bland for about 10 years. Spot recorded with Jr. Moore, Big Walter Price, Bobby Bland, Ike & Tina Turner, and the Westside Horns to name a few. But back in the 50's and 60's he also recorded his own songs such as "The Ebony Shuffle", "Pony Race", "Sweetmeat", "Betty Joe" and "20th Century".
From The West Side Horns "Las Quilmas" CD Liner Notes: A later addition to the West Side Horns, sax giant Barnett in the late '50s and early '60s was THE bandleader in San Antonio. Though his headquarters were in the Ebony Lounge on the East Side, his influence was felt throughout San Antonio. Barnett¹s band, which included future Texas Tornados drummer Ernie "Murphy² Durawa, was known for mixing blues, jazz and rock 'n¹ roll. Sahm did a bass-playing stint in Barnett¹s band and every musician worth his salt made pilgrimages to the Ebony to watch the master work. In the '70s Barnett played sax with Bobby Bland. Through the '80s and most of the '90s Barnett lived in South Bend, Ind. where he worked construction and believed himself retired from the music business. In the late '90s he returned to San Antonio and promptly went back to work leading his own band and joining the West Side Horns.
Yes, there's LOTS MORE to tell about Vernon "Spot" Barnett, and we'll get it to you in double-time.... Thanks for stopping by, and watch for more to come (it'll be like a history lesson)!
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