I work with lots of different musicians, preferrably bluesicians, jazz players or old school R&B players.
Influences
It is impossible to remember them all and I don't think they really ever stop coming. Roy Brown, Muddy Waters, Louis Jordan, Jimmy Reed, Roland Kirk, Wynonne Harris, George Harmonica Smith, Ian Anderson, Junior Walker, Little Walter, Plas Johnson, Big Walter Horton, Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughn, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, T Bone Walker, Thom Mason, Milton Hopkins, Chuck Berry, Big Joe Williams with the Count Basie Orchestra, Howlin' Wolf, Hash Brown, Rice Miller, Hank Crawford, Sam Myers, David Sanborn, Beatles, Herbie Mann, Sam Most, Anson Funderburgh, Professor Longhair, Johnny Adams, Doc Pompus, Yank Rachell, BB King, King Curtis, Beatles, Sam Cooke, Freddie King, ILLinois Jaquet, man it just doesn't stop! Back in my teens, there was a whole school of rock guys that influenced me before the blues guys! The rock guys actually lead me to the bluesmen. I've always loved the old soul greats too, from Dyke and The Blazers to James Brown.
IF YOU'D LIKE A BAND THAT KNOWS HOW TO CONTROL THE VOLUME, YOUR AT THE RIGHT PLACE! My band can groove at a volume so low that you can be talking on your cell phone or eating dinner right in front of us! You want it loud, and it's party time, we can do that too! Currently, to promote some local shows, I have a confidential blues email list with over 5,000 names and emails. If you would like to be on my email list, please send me your email and I will keep you notified as to where I'm working!
When you bring up my myspace page, the piece playing is called "Hookafied". You CAN double click on the other piece, listed right below it, that it titled "Sweeter Blues". Both pieces were written by Texas Johnny Boy and Milton Hopkins and were recorded live over KPFT in Houston, Texas, (on the Blueshound's Sunday afternoon show) and were performed just as a duo without a rhythm section.
As a musician, I have very little musical schooling and, often, that can be a handicap. But, as a bluesician, the education that I have acquired is through many years of listening and the gathering of experience in the streets. I was born, in 1954, in Big Spring, Texas. I am told, by my uncle, that the musical influences started out when I was real little. He claims that when he would baby sit me, he'd be playing jazz and blues 78's, that were all soaking in, while I was sleeping. Or maybe it was all just rolling off of me like water, I'm not really sure! As a young boy, growing up, i was constantly hearing Mario Lanza records..., so serious singing was always around, including my Grandfather's voice, who was quite the singer in his day and he played the box guitar and mandolino. My Uncle Leo's career (Chicago and Las Vegas), of full time trumpet playing, was an influence too. I believe that one of my biggest influences was watching and listening to all of the Zulu's dance and sing in the early Tarzan movies. This was literally hypnotic! You could not get me to move away from the TV. Yes, music does start with rhythm! At about the age of 10 the so called British Invasion began... and I was exposed to, and was a huge fan of, the entire 60's rock and roll sound. That was a very colorful experience! I used to love to sing with records and with the radio. At the age of 15, I got my first spot, as a VOCALIST, with a band called The Synodical Sound Sytem. That was in Northern California and was short lived . In the late sixties, and early seventies, I was a huge fan of some of the rock bands out there. But, I was always struck by some of those old black cats that would open for them... and I always seemed to gravitate to the more soulful sounds of early R&B, soul, and blues music. I started playing harmonica at the age of 16, started playing the flute at 19, and started playing the saxophone at 25. I worked, for many years, in many different bands, as just a weekend warrior. In my early thirties, I worked with Milton Hopkins and The Hit City Blues Band for a couple years at Houston's infamous, and now defunct, Reddi Room. Upon leaving Milton's band, I had decided to start my own group... It was jump in the deep water and you HAD TO swim brother! So, from the age of 34-39 I had a group in Houston called Johnny Boy & The Kings.... For five years, I advanced to doing 20-30 one nighters a month. This was all done on a small regional level in Texas and Louisiana. I left Houston in 1993 and moved back to the Dallas area and worked extremely part time. Moved back to Houston in 2005 and musical things are just growing and growing again! I really love being back in Houston! Insist on LIVE Texas Blues music! I've performed, several times, with the late John Lee Hooker and Koko Taylor. I've been a featured guest vocalist with the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, have performed with multi W C Handy award winners, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, and have performed on the bandstand with Clarence Holliman, Peppermint Harris, Guitar Joe Hughes, Earl Gilliam, Zuzu Bolin, Texas Johnny Brown, Sam Myers and many other great and REAL bluesmen. They are the ones, of many, that carved the book of traditional American blues music. Besides the, sometimes, failable name dropping, I have always believed that the bottom line is the dues being paid and the quality of blues/R&B that I could actually bring to the bandstand. In the end, it IS all about soul, substance and conviction to the music that we LOVE to play.
The constant vacuum, for me, is learning. The learning about music, art, and life in general, is what keeps me interested,keeps me going forward and keeps me happy. Like the Popeye Chicken lady say...You gotta' love it! Music and art are how I have always made my living! Please check back as I will be adding different live videos of local performances.
I was very fortunate to grow up in a "yours, mine and ours" blue collar family that had TEN children! Since I was raised in the military, this allowed me to live all over the country and in Europe too. I have lived the last 37 years in Dallas and Houston, Texas. Through the school of hard knocks, I have learned that ALL of life, is about choice of attitude. It is not apptitude, but it is attitude that determines altitude. My greatest gift, in life, is that I am a father to a wonderful and beautiful young daughter. Life is just fabulous!
hey there yeah mckenzi had a lil eye surgrey so if you saw the blood in her eyes in the pic thats wjhy!! ps. we miss you and would love to have you come stay with us after your next dallas show jake is doing great he has 4 producers that want him he has had some big gigs latly so !
Oldest Town in Texas Motorcycle Rally and BBQ Cook-Off
September 18-20 Naqcogdoches, Texas
LAST CHANCE!!!! Friday September 11, 2009 will be the LAST day to pre-order your tickets
to the OTT Rally!!
This will also be your last chance to get a FREE OTT Rally T-Shirt with your order!
The Celebration of African Art and Music Festival is an event showcasing African culture exhibited through art gallery display, live music, poetry, comedy, food, dance, and fashion to benefit the Little Drops Orphanage Fund.
--------------------------------------------------------------- What: Celebration of African Arts and Music Festival (CAAM Fest)
When: Sunday September 6th, 2009 (LABOR DAY WEEKEND)
hey bro , i got a gig if you b interested , it pays nothin , no drinks no food , the women are uglyer than hell , and we will probable get our asses kicked before the first sets over , u in bro ...........
Now- I'm just tryin' clean it up and what better place to start than at the CROSSROADS. (GPS Availability) Maybe you've heard of the Suzanne EXPRESS WAY - smooth sailing in all directions. ADOPT A HIGHWAY- near me. You'll recognize me, (unless my mouth is shut... hum mm, aha... so...come to think of it it shouldn't really be a prob.)"'Cause I'm the one, I'm the one- With the green THUMB." (Actual green thumb not shown in photo.) Love you guy's- even though I doubt you remember me, without OZELL ROBERTS standing next to me. Hope the pic's helped shake up a memory or two like you guys do. Suzanne Prats
Hi TJB! I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed your show last night! You're absolutely amazing!!! Awesome performance! Milton was Awesome too, not to mention the rest of your band!!! I look forward to seeing you very soon & next time I'll bring my guitar! With Respect, Claudia Ann
