A stop across the street at Joe’s NY Style Pizza satisfied my appetite for real east coast pizza and got everyone interested enough that we decided we’d come back after the show and pick up some wings to take home. I mentioned Joe’s in my Mystiquero blog from our Northeast trip last summer. It was still really great.

For me, crunching around in the snow was great. We’re in Buffalo. It’s supposed to be winter. The Sportsman’s is in a state of change as they work to enlarge the place and while they’re not quite done, there’s a new stage and the room feels really good. Once again the “Closer” did not disappoint. We had a nice little afternoon crowd and a great time playing. Brian and I swapped songs back and forth and backed each other up on electric guitars. We got some folks up dancing and I think everybody had a few drinks and a good time. I love this town and I love this bar.

And now it’s time for the headlong rush back to Nashville. Then for me it’s on to Ruston, LA and finally to Gruene Hall for a show with my favorite band………

It’s hard to explain. Performances in every room on 3 floors. Hallways jammed with people coming in, going out, loitering, listening, networking, laughing, talking, playing singing and shushing. I got to enjoy a few minute of Austin’s own Betty Soo in the Jenni Finlay Promotions Room and then WW, Jimmy and I got up to do our 30 minutes and Brian joined us for our closing version of Big Shiny Cars. We made another stop in the Memphis Music Room and played for beer and then  found that we were all a bit overwhelmed with the swimming, swirling music madness so we hightailed it back to Casa Davis and spent one more night staying up too late and talking.

After a good sleep in, for me at least, we embarked on our last day in Memphis. The plan was to visit the Stax Museum and then go back to Gus’s Fried chicken so Walt could experience the beautiful fried goodness. Stax was amazing. There’s a 20 minute movie they show at the beginning of the tour and it was moving and cool. The foundation they have there does great work with kids and you really get a sense of the sheer talent that converged on that spot in Memphis in the 60′s. The museum is really well done and it will take me another visit or two to fully digest all the information they’ve compiled there. It’s all about american soul music. It’s also always more fun to visit places like this with Jimmy as he was lucky enough to meet and spend time with many of our soul music heroes in his life growing up in Memphis.

Gus’s was packed at 5:30 on Sunday. We should have known. Walt will have to wait until we come back this summer to get all up in some World Famous Gus’s. After a beer and some grub at The Blue Monkey, we headed back in midtown to Neil’s for our evening with The River Bluff Clan.

The last time we played Neil’s there were three people and the sound man there for our show.This time, the place was packed. It’s good to hang with the River Bluff boys. Just like last Thursday at Murphy’s, we got to sit and listen to them burn up the bluegrass for a set and then Walt, Brian and I joined in for the second set. Fun. Magic. A perfect way to end my Memphis stay. Friends new and old playing music together and people digging it.

I pulled myself out of bed after very little sleep, yes we stayed up talking again, and Brian and I packed my car and headed for his house in Nashville. It’s going to take more than the little nap I managed this afternoon to have me feel caught up again. Food, beer, world class musicians, great welcoming warm people……  I love Memphis. Thank you for a great week.

Now we rest up and get ready to head to DC for the weekend.

See you on the road.

Peace

Here’s a little taste of the mighty River Bluff Clan…. terrible video, sorry…

I ordered an unsweet tea, and as usual the iced tea here in Memphis is really good, and a 3 piece dark plate. Kathleen had the forethought to order us some fried green tomatoes and fried pickle spears which came out quick and started my fried food frenzy. They were hot and fresh and had this perfect chewy crusty goodness on the outside. When my plate arrived it was actually too hot to eat right away. The smell was amazing and the slaw and baked beans held my attention for a few minutes while my chicken cooled enough to dig in. Perfect brown, crispy, spicy crust and hot, juicy, steaming inside. Amazing. So right and so good. Enough spice to heat you up just a bit, but not too much. Exactly the way fried chicken is supposed to be.

Then we were off to the Buccaneer Lounge where we had a couple of beers and got to hang with a Chef Fitz and a few of his famous Cookin Hookers band that I got to see play in that very room last year. Good fellows all and many a groan and grunt of appreciation when we told them we just had lunch at Gus’s.

We then arrived at The Otherlands to set up and wait for Walt and Brian Langlinais to arrive from Nashville. I had some time before the show and with the three piece dark and the beers making my eyes droop and my brain fuzzy, and since I was at a coffee bar, I ordered myself a lovely double espresso. I learned long ago while playing the 12:30 AM to 4:30 AM slot on Bleeker Street in NYC that a well placed espresso can make all the difference. I found a quiet place to sit, and while Kathleen Haskard’s voice drifted through the air, I sipped my coffee and got my head together for another night of music madness in Memphis.

We had a full house at The Otherlands and for me it was like coming home having Walt and Brian onstage with Jimmy and I. We ran the night like an “in the round” and each took our turns playing songs with everyone joining in to play and sing. I had a great time singing with some of my favorite musicians in the whole world. It was family and it was cool. The crowd was attentive, and as always in Memphis, sending lots of love back to us all night long. And they sent us beer too! Shiner Bock no less! Drinking Texas beer and playing music with my Texas compadres. A good night indeed.

Ok, I’ve already had BBQ again today and it’s time to rest up before we infiltrate the Folk Alliance Conference tonight.

Onward……

Uncle Tony’s String Band. Jimmy Davis (guitar,vocals),   Tommy Burroughs (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Eric Lewis, (guitar, vocals), Harry Peel, (drums) and Tony Sneed (bass). All but Eric are original River Bluff Clan members. For the uninitiated, River Bluff Clan, is an amazing americana band that came together in Memphis after Jimmy left the pop, MTV days of the late 80′s. From time to time, they still get together and do what they do……

So I sit at a table in the bar and the boys launch into the first song. All I remember thinking was, holy s..t! I’m going to have to play the second set with these monsters! They fired up into a bluegrass heavy set peppered with just plain ridiculous pickin from Eric on guitar and Tommy on mandolin and/or guitar, not to mention the singing. Now, I’d only played with Eric on Steel before, but flat pickin guitar is where he lives, and Tommy only played mando and guitar. He’s known as a fiddle player! I can’t say enough about it. It was fantastic. But, since it’s really all about me , when they took a break, I had to go outside and give myself a talking to cause I knew I’d have to get up there and give them my “A” game.

I was generously welcomed onstage for the whole second set and many transcendent musical moments followed. The audience knows and loves these guys and couldn’t have made me feel more at home. Have I mentioned that I’m starting to love this town? They like music, that’s for sure.

After playing with the Mystiqueros for 5 years, I can be pretty picky about bands, but I just found out why Jimmy fits in so well when he comes to Texas…..  He plays with a bunch of badasses! I wish you coulda been there or that I could express my pure joy and listening to and sharing the stage i=with these incredible musicians. We get to do it again Sunday with Walt Wilkins joining in. Walt gets to town today and we’re playing a show with Jimmy tonight. More music, more fun, more Memphis comin right up.

I tried to take some video with my phone last night but I drained my battery and it sounds terrible….  sorry, I’ll try again.

I arrived road dazed and stiff from my drive. Dallas to Memphis is a long haul, but worth it. I pulled up to The Sidecar Cafe just as the February sun said “see ya” and was greeted by about 100 motorcycles. My host for the week and friend, music partner, Mystiquero, brother, Jimmy Davis came out and ushered me and my car to the “backstage”.

Now, I knew that the Memphis Tigers basketball game was about to begin and I wouldn’t see Jimmy again until the game was over, win or lose. What Jimmy didn’t know was that there would be a parking lot full of bikes. So, once the game was over we played a first set full cover songs and nonsense to the rumblings and mighty roars of departing road iron.

Did I mention that the evening’s line up was me, Jimmy and Michael Hearne? No? Well, it was my honor and pleasure to stand up and play with those amazing men. Hearne is a monster player, writer, singer and a pretty good dude too. He joined us on the MQ’s Walt’s Across Texas Tour last September and got his Mystiquero certification. (which has no real benefits, but no responsibilities either)

Since the Tigers pulled out a win in the last seconds of the game, our small but mighty crowd was in high spirits and for our second set we dove in to our respective song books with both feet, hoping to at least entertain each other, which we did. And then, as so often happens in Memphis, the night got even cooler when Keith Sykes showed up and graced us with a few songs. Sharing the stage with Keith and Michael was a blast. Wish you could of been there. I won’t soon forget it. We did a pretty cool version of Keith’s song “Long Monday” which you may have heard John Prine sing.

So, I think I’m off to a good start here in Memphis. Tonight I’ll be sitting in with Uncle Tony’s String Band and there’s lot’s more music, friends and fun to be had this week.

Here’s a version of Keith doin “Long Monday”…. of course it’s cooler with me and Michael   -peace