Move over Gotham City. There's a new Caped Crusader in town and he's made Shiloh, Illinois his home. Only this "Batman" is more likely to be found flipping burgers than bad guys, and his "trusty sidekick" is...his wife, Jill. Tom Melendez originally earned the moniker a few years back when he donned the Dark Knight's costume for a Halloween party. His "crime fighting" antics that night are the stuff of local legend, but the nickname stuck. So, when Tom and Jill started hosting parties in their renovated basement, it was only natural that the space be christened "The Bat Cave". Now, the Bat Cave is also earning accolades for being one of the busiest House Concert venues in the country.
"We bought this house about seven years ago," explains Tom. "A buddy had turned us on to Jimmy Buffett, and we had a boat that we would take out on the local lakes, but we didn't consider ourselves 'Parrot Heads'. Then, one day, Jill and I were out in front of our house cleaning our boat. Well, in all honesty, we were doing more talking and beer drinking than cleaning - I think it probably looked worse when we were done than better. But, in any case, we were ATTEMPTING to wash our boat, and we were listening to Jimmy Buffett while we were doing it. A neighbor saw us out there and - I guess because we had all the right stuff; beer, a boat, and Buffett - said 'You guys should join the Parrot Head Club!' So we did."
The closest Parrot Head Club was located in St. Louis, about fifteen minutes from Shiloh. The Melendezes started attending meetings and events and, as often happens, were introduced to the world of "Trop Rock" through other club members. "We started hearing all these other artists and thought, 'wow, this is pretty cool!', says Jill. "Next thing you know, we're buying new cds and listening to them on our boat. The first Trop Rock show we went to was at Table Rock Lake with Eric Stone and John Reno." And, as I often hear from people around the country I talk Trop Rock with, it was a trip to Key West and Meeting Of The Minds that turned them into full fledged Trop Rock fans. "MOTM changes you forever," adds Tom.
How did you guys get started hosting House Concerts?
Tom: "We went to see Paul Roush and Troy Allen at a St. Louis Parrot Head Club event. After it was over, we were talking to Troy and telling him about this big 4th of July party we throw at our house every year. We asked him, 'Why don't you come to our next one and play?' That 4th of July - 2010 - Troy came up from Texas. In addition to our usual group of friends, we invited the Parrot Head Club and anyone else who wanted to hear him play, and that was our first 'House Concert'!""
Jill: "Hearing the stories behind his songs was really cool. That November, we went to Meeting of The Minds and first heard about DJ Jeff Allen and BeachFront Radio. We started listening to it when we got back home and got introduced to a lot more artists there."
Tom: "We had a great time with Troy at the 4th of July party - he wound up hanging out with us for three days - but, Jill and I never really said to each other, 'Let's do another one!' But, then we were in Key West, meeting people like Hugo Duarte, and I thought - 'I'd really like to get some of these artists up to our area, so people who don't get to go to the events we do can see and hear them' Gee, if we could just find a place for them to play...".
So, how did it go from "Wish we had a place for them to play in our area"..to "We HAVE a place for them to play!"?
Tom: "Our house is on a lake and we have a big back yard. Plus, the basement - the 'Bat Cave' - is already set up for entertaining. Pretty much as soon as we started thinking about places for Trop Rock artists to play in the area, we thought of our place. We never really looked anywhere else. Honestly, it's partly selfish. Part of the reason for bringing the artists to our area is so that WE - Jill and I - get to hear them play. We love having people over and love seeing them have a good time, and the artists get their music and stories heard. Everybody wins this way."
Jill: "All of a sudden, we've become a venue!"
How many House Concerts have you hosted now?
Tom: "We've done six so far. We did three just this month. We didn't really plan on having so many in one month, it just worked out that way. "
Tell me a little about House Concerts at the Bat Cave, for others who might be interested in hosting their own...
Tom: "We generally do shows on Friday or Saturdays, so most people don't have to worry about going to work the next day. But, it depends on when the artist is available. Our basement - the Bat Cave - holds about 30-35 people with the seating we set up, couches, etc. But, we prefer to do shows in the back yard, weather permitting. I will get the grill going after work and invite people to come over about 6. We provide burgers, hot dogs, that sort of thing and ask people to bring side dishes, chairs to sit on, and whatever they want to drink. Shows usually start around 7pm, go until about 10 or so. Then, we have a 'meet and greet' after the performance so people in the audience can talk to the artist, get their cds signed, pictures taken."
What about "production", sound and stage?
Tom: "The artists usually bring their own sound equipment. Outside, we have a small 'stage' - pretty much some plywood covered with old carpet - but it works. We even did one show on the boat dock, with the lake for a back ground. We'll string some lights up and that's it. Nadirah was another story!"
Tell me about that one.
Tom: "It was Paul Roush, then Nadirah Shakoor. We rented a big tent - like a circus tent - to hold all the people and got one of the Parrot Head Club members who has a sound company to bring a P.A. and lights. It was like a professional show! (laughs)."
You said you do your shows outside whenver possible. Have you ever had any problem with neighbors complaining about noise?
Jill: "Only once, and that was Nadirah's show. The cops came - they were very nice - asked us to shut it down by 10:00, which we did."
Tom: "Nadirah was on a Tuesday night, too. Like I said, our back yard is big, and behind us is a lake. Plus, we live on a cul de sac. So, there aren't alot of neighbors to bother. And we make sure to invite everyone around us - at least let them know we're going to be doing a show. And we finish early enough so it's usually not a big problem."
Do you have any rules for the audience?
Tom: "We generally let the artists tell us what they want. Each one is different. Some prefer quiet during the show, others don't mind a little talking. Some prefer to have the time during their break, if they take one, to themselves. Others don't mind talking to people between their 'sets'. We ask them, then I'll get up before the show and let the audience know what's up for that night."
How do you let people know about the shows?
Jill: "I'll put something on Facebook and ask people to RSVP.The rest are neighbors, and people that we meet through work. Tom is an accountant and he tells his customers, people we know will bring co-workers to introduce them to Trop Rock. So, it's mostly all friends and friends of friends."
Tom: "If it were up to me, I'd invite EVERYONE!"
How involved is the St. Louis Parrot Head Club?
Tom: "We keep the House Concerts separate - they're not officially a club function -although, most of the people who come to the shows are club members. We couldn't do it without them."
You've got anywhere from 35-65 people coming in to your home every couple of weeks - ever have any problems?
Tom: "We're sort of used to it - having hosted big parties for years. And the people who like this music aren't looking to cause trouble. Also, we have set it up so we don't have many people going through the main part of the house most of the time. If it's indoors, we have a separate entrance to the Bat Cave and a bathroom down there. If it's outdoors and a bigger event, we'll rent a couple of port a potties."
Jill: "The place can get messy. But, I'm lucky. We have some great friends who help us keep an eye on things during the event, then help clean up after."
You mentioned earlier that you provide some food, and had sound and lights for Nadirah. Now you say port-a-potties. So, there is some cost to you for hosting these?
Tom: "Some. Burgers, hot dogs. Some times we'll get a tent to put so the performer has something over his equipment, in case it rains. For Nadirah and Paul we did it up big... Overall, it's not really that much of an expense and we think it's worth it, to have people we like and admire coming to our house."
What do you charge?
Tom: "Generally, it's $15. We collect it at the door and every bit of that money goes directly to the artist. We don't take a dime. The peformers also sell their cds, t shirts, whatever they bring, and they get all that money, too."
So, what's next at the Bat Cave?
Tom: "We plan to keep doing these as long as we can."
Jill: "Although this month was a little hectic!"
Tom: (laughs) "Yeah, we may start spacing them out a little more. Ideally, one or two a month. But, we don't get to see these guys alot so it's a big deal for us when we can host them here. We're really excited about our next one. It's August 5th. John Patti is coming with Scott Bryant and some other guys. It will be John's first 'headlining event'. You should come, Fred!"
Thanks for the invitation! If I was independently wealthy, Georgia and I would do nothing but run around the country every week going to Parrot Head events and House Concerts. Unfortunately, there are those annoying bills. Maybe one day when this blog takes off...
And with that dream still in my head, we'll leave the Bat Cave and the home of Tom and Jill Melendez. If you are interested in hosting your own House Concerts, you can look them up on Facebook or contact the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance, a group that was formed largely to host House Concerts - specifically in the Atlanta area - and help spread the word about them around the country, at atlantatra@yahoo.com.
http://stlphc.org/
http://www.beachfrontradio.com/home.cfm
http://www.nadirahshakoor.com/fr_home.cfm
http://www.paulroush.com/
http://www.johnpatti.com/
http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp
Monday, July 11, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Meet the Beckers. They have an "Offer You Can't Refuse"
You often hear of people moving to the beach to escape the corporate rat race. But, it's not often you hear of someone packing up the wagon and heading for blue water to escape a musical one. That's basically the story behind Tom and Michelle Becker, the award winning musical duo known as Latitude, and the force behind the Margarita Mafia and annual Trop Rock Music Awards in Key West.
Pedigreed musicians in their own right - Tom was once a member of the New Christy Minstrels and an established solo artist and Michelle was making a good living as a songwriter and singer in mid 90's Nashville when they got an offer from a resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to come spend the Summer performing there. While, for many, playing as many as eleven shows a week might not be called a "break from the daily grind", for the Beckers it was the down time in between working shifts that offered them a new perspective on life. "We were away from Nashville for an extended period of time...and found we didn't miss it!" That's how Michelle put it in a recent phone conversation I had with the dynamic duo. "We were really looking to make a change, we just didn't know it," she continues. "Coming here to the beach gave us some time to look at our lives, what we were doing, and decide that we needed to make the break." In the following interview, I spoke to them about their music, the Margarita Mafia, and the future of Trop Rock. You should know that, when you talk to the Beckers, their combined enthusiasm and energy means it's often difficult to separate the point at which one stops talking and the other starts. It's more like "layers of conversations"! That explains why many of their answers below are attributed to both Tom & Michelle.
At the time, it wasn't being called "Trop Rock". But, were you two playing that type of music back in the 90's and early 2000's?
Michelle" "Being in Nashville I was writing mostly for country artists. Some of the songs would now be called Trop Rock, I just didn't realize it at the time. I knew that the artists weren't 'getting' some of my material, and those songs I kept for myself".
Tom: "Later, when we moved to Myrtle Beach, we discovered Carolina Beach Music (Tams, Drifters, Chairmen of the Board, etc). I knew the artists, just didn't know all of their songs."
T&M: "After living here for a little while, we started writing new material. And, as I'm sure many artists who write and perform the type of music we do will tell you, we were influenced by the surroundings - the water, boats, beaches, etc. It wasn't long before we started attracting local Parrot Heads, who encouraged us to write even more of our own original songs. Then, a couple years later, we went down to Meeting of The Minds in Key West - not with any plans to play, just to see what it was all about - and that changed everything for us. We were introduced to a whole world of people and other musicians. So, it wasn't like BAM, we're now Trop Rock artists! It was more gradual. But, definitely a direction we moved in naturally. We find things work out if you'll just get out of your own way."
The term "Trop Rock" didn't come into popular use until just a few years a go, and you two were instrumental in coining that term...
T&M: "We were in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, at the Phlocking of the Phaithful a couple years ago. It was Sunday, the event was over, and a few of us were sitting around with some boat drinks talking about the music and how we could help it grow. Jerry Diaz was there, DK the DJ, and some others. We decided that one of the first things we needed was to come up with what to call the type of music we play - beyond just 'it's like Jimmy Buffett'. There were terms like 'Caribean Country' being used, but no one way to describe it. Nashville artists like Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, and others had the 'Muzic Mafia' ("Big & Rich termed the creative collective 'music without prejudice' - a place where saxophones and conga drums can peacefully coexist with fiddles and steel guitars", according to CMT.com - Fred) so we came up with 'Margarita M.A.F.I.A. MAFIA being an acronym for 'Musicians Artists Fans In Alliance'. That's really how that got started. It was a way to get everyone who does original music in this style on the same page, an umbrella. A high tide raises all ships."
From there came the Trop Rock Awards. When did you decide to start those?
T&M: "People had been pushing for some type of Trop Rock awards for years, to show people that there is such a large universe of this kind of music, lots of different people involved - and reward those people for their efforts and hard work. But, if you're going to do something like that, you need the people there who are going to receive the awards. Being that many of the people involved don't do this full time - they have other jobs and responsibilities - they can't just pack up and fly off to an awards show. Meeting Of The Minds in Key West was the one place that we knew we could have most of the artists and other important players in one place. We held the first one at Durty Harry's in Key West during MOTM and we've kept it going since."
And it keeps growing...
T&M: "Yes, it does. Because this is a song driven format, we added a category for "Songwriter of the Year" last year. With the popularity of house concerts, we added a "Best House Concert Venue" And, this year, we will have categories for small, medium, and large market radio stations - to recognize commercial stations like Southernmost Radio and Steven Youngblood's station in Panama City Beach (Trop Rock 1290 - Fred) that devote at least some of their weekly programming to this type of music. As Trop Rock expands, so will the Trop Rock Awards"
Are you still looking for sponsors to help with the costs of the awards show?
Tom: "Yes, we are. Anyone who is interested can go to the Margarita Mafia website (see below - Fred) and they'll find a link for sponsorship there."
You mentioned house concerts. There is no doubt they are growing in popularity, with new venues popping up all the time. Does Latitude do alot of house concerts?
T&M: "We're doing more all the time. As songwriters, we love doing them. It's a chance for people to hear the stories behind the songs. And, as far as the Margarita Mafia goes, any time we can help find new places for artists to play and get their music heard, that's a good thing. One thing we want to get across to people is that 'house concerts' don't have to be only in houses. They can be held in an apartment complex's club house (many of the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance's shows are - Fred), any relatively quiet place where you can host a group of people. The Truman Shows in Northern Virginia started in the back room of a Mexican restaurant!"
Back to your band, Latitude, which has won a number of Trop Rock Awards for Duo Of The Year and, Michelle, for Female Vocalist Of The Year. Any new music you're working on?
T&M: "We are working on a new cd. In a perfect world, we'd have it ready for this year's MOTM. But, it's tough. We're so busy in the Summer - with at least one long road trip a month - and, in the Winter, we spend most of our time down in Southwest Florida. But, our studio is here. We already have some songs written and recorded, are working on some more and would like to have some guest artists play on them."
The name of this blog is "Beaches, Bands and BARS" so I always like to ask people about some of their favorite beach side places to hang out and/or play. What are some of yours?
T&M: "Around here (Pawley's Island/Myrtle Beach, SC), we play most Thursday nights at a place called Creek Ratz. It's in Murrell's Inlet, on the Marsh Walk - in the middle of alot of restaurants and bars. It's a great place. And down near our Winter home, the Nav-A-Gator is one of our all time favorites. We bet you hear that from alot of Trop Rockers. It's just a quirky, fun place. We're professional musicians and we do this for a living. We play places that want to hear Jimmy Buffett and other covers and we're happy to do that. But, as songwriters, we also like any place that really support the artists - that encourages original music. We also feel as though we're ambassadors for Trop Rock and we have a responsibility to help introduce it to new people. Like here in Myrtle Beach. We play a place at Boardwalk on the Beach, a Buffett night. People who come there expect to hear Jimmy Buffett and we give them that. But, then we also slip in some of our own songs. Sort of an 'if you like that, you'll also like this.'"
And you do a yearly cruise...
"This will be the fourth one we have hosted - in February of 2012. The 'Aloha Cruise' and this year we're going to another one of our favorite places in the world - Hawaii. Sunny Jim is coming with us and will also be performing. There are only about nineteen cabins left. One of them has your name on it, Fred!"
What about "Back Home Again" - the John Denver Tribute show you do?
T&M: "We do about seven or eight John Denver Tribute shows a year - including one in September up your way, in Covington, Georgia! We have a great band - Jimi Pappas and some guys from Sunny Jim's band - and have alot of fun doing that. We actually just signed with a management company out of Nashville to help us promote that show."
I have this conversation all the time with people who live and love Trop Rock - just earlier this week talked to Jimi Papas and "DJ Jeff" about it...What is next for Trop Rock in general?
T&M: I think some times we get caught up in the big picture and long term goals, and that's important. But, at the same time, we have to look at what is right in front of us. I'd like to know that, twenty years from now, Trop Rock has grown and we're still part of it. But, the immediate goals need to be smaller. Production has got to get better for all the music - and we include ours. A professionally done, quality, syndicated radio show that could get on commercial radio stations around the country would be the next logical step. More commercial radio stations playing it - and then a weekly or monthly chart. But, for that, we as artists would have to be in the 'singles' mindset and we're not. We all release cds to outlets and say 'play whatever you want'. We talked about Beach Music and you know it - you lived here on the Carolina Coast and play it now as a dj. They have radio stations playing it, charts, magazines and newsletters devoted to it. We look at that as a model, as what Trop Rock could be. We also have to expand it outside of the Parrot Head world. We know Parrot Heads like Trop Rock, now we need to introduce it to other people - people who like the beach, flip flops, etc - but don't even know this music exists, other than Jimmy Buffett or Kenny Chesney. That's why it's great when, at house concerts, people will bring friends and co workers out. And, then there is the question of age. We need to make sure we're cultivating the next generation of Trop Rockers - fans and musicians."
Thanks guys, and I'll see you in Georgia in September - and then in November in Key West!
For more information on booking Latitude or Back Home Again - A Tribute to John Denver, joining the Margarita Mafia, or on any of the people or places mentioned in this interview, please see the links below.
http://latitudemusic.net/
http://johndenvertribute.net/index.htm
http://margaritamafia.com/margaritamafia/
http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp
http://southernmostradio.net/
http://www.troprock1290.com/troprock%20home.html
http://thetrumanshows.com/
http://www.creekratz.com/
http://s213659397.onlinehome.us/nav-a-gator.com/
Pedigreed musicians in their own right - Tom was once a member of the New Christy Minstrels and an established solo artist and Michelle was making a good living as a songwriter and singer in mid 90's Nashville when they got an offer from a resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to come spend the Summer performing there. While, for many, playing as many as eleven shows a week might not be called a "break from the daily grind", for the Beckers it was the down time in between working shifts that offered them a new perspective on life. "We were away from Nashville for an extended period of time...and found we didn't miss it!" That's how Michelle put it in a recent phone conversation I had with the dynamic duo. "We were really looking to make a change, we just didn't know it," she continues. "Coming here to the beach gave us some time to look at our lives, what we were doing, and decide that we needed to make the break." In the following interview, I spoke to them about their music, the Margarita Mafia, and the future of Trop Rock. You should know that, when you talk to the Beckers, their combined enthusiasm and energy means it's often difficult to separate the point at which one stops talking and the other starts. It's more like "layers of conversations"! That explains why many of their answers below are attributed to both Tom & Michelle.
At the time, it wasn't being called "Trop Rock". But, were you two playing that type of music back in the 90's and early 2000's?
Michelle" "Being in Nashville I was writing mostly for country artists. Some of the songs would now be called Trop Rock, I just didn't realize it at the time. I knew that the artists weren't 'getting' some of my material, and those songs I kept for myself".
Tom: "Later, when we moved to Myrtle Beach, we discovered Carolina Beach Music (Tams, Drifters, Chairmen of the Board, etc). I knew the artists, just didn't know all of their songs."
T&M: "After living here for a little while, we started writing new material. And, as I'm sure many artists who write and perform the type of music we do will tell you, we were influenced by the surroundings - the water, boats, beaches, etc. It wasn't long before we started attracting local Parrot Heads, who encouraged us to write even more of our own original songs. Then, a couple years later, we went down to Meeting of The Minds in Key West - not with any plans to play, just to see what it was all about - and that changed everything for us. We were introduced to a whole world of people and other musicians. So, it wasn't like BAM, we're now Trop Rock artists! It was more gradual. But, definitely a direction we moved in naturally. We find things work out if you'll just get out of your own way."
The term "Trop Rock" didn't come into popular use until just a few years a go, and you two were instrumental in coining that term...
T&M: "We were in Put-In-Bay, Ohio, at the Phlocking of the Phaithful a couple years ago. It was Sunday, the event was over, and a few of us were sitting around with some boat drinks talking about the music and how we could help it grow. Jerry Diaz was there, DK the DJ, and some others. We decided that one of the first things we needed was to come up with what to call the type of music we play - beyond just 'it's like Jimmy Buffett'. There were terms like 'Caribean Country' being used, but no one way to describe it. Nashville artists like Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, and others had the 'Muzic Mafia' ("Big & Rich termed the creative collective 'music without prejudice' - a place where saxophones and conga drums can peacefully coexist with fiddles and steel guitars", according to CMT.com - Fred) so we came up with 'Margarita M.A.F.I.A. MAFIA being an acronym for 'Musicians Artists Fans In Alliance'. That's really how that got started. It was a way to get everyone who does original music in this style on the same page, an umbrella. A high tide raises all ships."
From there came the Trop Rock Awards. When did you decide to start those?
T&M: "People had been pushing for some type of Trop Rock awards for years, to show people that there is such a large universe of this kind of music, lots of different people involved - and reward those people for their efforts and hard work. But, if you're going to do something like that, you need the people there who are going to receive the awards. Being that many of the people involved don't do this full time - they have other jobs and responsibilities - they can't just pack up and fly off to an awards show. Meeting Of The Minds in Key West was the one place that we knew we could have most of the artists and other important players in one place. We held the first one at Durty Harry's in Key West during MOTM and we've kept it going since."
And it keeps growing...
T&M: "Yes, it does. Because this is a song driven format, we added a category for "Songwriter of the Year" last year. With the popularity of house concerts, we added a "Best House Concert Venue" And, this year, we will have categories for small, medium, and large market radio stations - to recognize commercial stations like Southernmost Radio and Steven Youngblood's station in Panama City Beach (Trop Rock 1290 - Fred) that devote at least some of their weekly programming to this type of music. As Trop Rock expands, so will the Trop Rock Awards"
Are you still looking for sponsors to help with the costs of the awards show?
Tom: "Yes, we are. Anyone who is interested can go to the Margarita Mafia website (see below - Fred) and they'll find a link for sponsorship there."
You mentioned house concerts. There is no doubt they are growing in popularity, with new venues popping up all the time. Does Latitude do alot of house concerts?
T&M: "We're doing more all the time. As songwriters, we love doing them. It's a chance for people to hear the stories behind the songs. And, as far as the Margarita Mafia goes, any time we can help find new places for artists to play and get their music heard, that's a good thing. One thing we want to get across to people is that 'house concerts' don't have to be only in houses. They can be held in an apartment complex's club house (many of the Atlanta Trop Rock Alliance's shows are - Fred), any relatively quiet place where you can host a group of people. The Truman Shows in Northern Virginia started in the back room of a Mexican restaurant!"
Back to your band, Latitude, which has won a number of Trop Rock Awards for Duo Of The Year and, Michelle, for Female Vocalist Of The Year. Any new music you're working on?
T&M: "We are working on a new cd. In a perfect world, we'd have it ready for this year's MOTM. But, it's tough. We're so busy in the Summer - with at least one long road trip a month - and, in the Winter, we spend most of our time down in Southwest Florida. But, our studio is here. We already have some songs written and recorded, are working on some more and would like to have some guest artists play on them."
The name of this blog is "Beaches, Bands and BARS" so I always like to ask people about some of their favorite beach side places to hang out and/or play. What are some of yours?
T&M: "Around here (Pawley's Island/Myrtle Beach, SC), we play most Thursday nights at a place called Creek Ratz. It's in Murrell's Inlet, on the Marsh Walk - in the middle of alot of restaurants and bars. It's a great place. And down near our Winter home, the Nav-A-Gator is one of our all time favorites. We bet you hear that from alot of Trop Rockers. It's just a quirky, fun place. We're professional musicians and we do this for a living. We play places that want to hear Jimmy Buffett and other covers and we're happy to do that. But, as songwriters, we also like any place that really support the artists - that encourages original music. We also feel as though we're ambassadors for Trop Rock and we have a responsibility to help introduce it to new people. Like here in Myrtle Beach. We play a place at Boardwalk on the Beach, a Buffett night. People who come there expect to hear Jimmy Buffett and we give them that. But, then we also slip in some of our own songs. Sort of an 'if you like that, you'll also like this.'"
And you do a yearly cruise...
"This will be the fourth one we have hosted - in February of 2012. The 'Aloha Cruise' and this year we're going to another one of our favorite places in the world - Hawaii. Sunny Jim is coming with us and will also be performing. There are only about nineteen cabins left. One of them has your name on it, Fred!"
What about "Back Home Again" - the John Denver Tribute show you do?
T&M: "We do about seven or eight John Denver Tribute shows a year - including one in September up your way, in Covington, Georgia! We have a great band - Jimi Pappas and some guys from Sunny Jim's band - and have alot of fun doing that. We actually just signed with a management company out of Nashville to help us promote that show."
I have this conversation all the time with people who live and love Trop Rock - just earlier this week talked to Jimi Papas and "DJ Jeff" about it...What is next for Trop Rock in general?
T&M: I think some times we get caught up in the big picture and long term goals, and that's important. But, at the same time, we have to look at what is right in front of us. I'd like to know that, twenty years from now, Trop Rock has grown and we're still part of it. But, the immediate goals need to be smaller. Production has got to get better for all the music - and we include ours. A professionally done, quality, syndicated radio show that could get on commercial radio stations around the country would be the next logical step. More commercial radio stations playing it - and then a weekly or monthly chart. But, for that, we as artists would have to be in the 'singles' mindset and we're not. We all release cds to outlets and say 'play whatever you want'. We talked about Beach Music and you know it - you lived here on the Carolina Coast and play it now as a dj. They have radio stations playing it, charts, magazines and newsletters devoted to it. We look at that as a model, as what Trop Rock could be. We also have to expand it outside of the Parrot Head world. We know Parrot Heads like Trop Rock, now we need to introduce it to other people - people who like the beach, flip flops, etc - but don't even know this music exists, other than Jimmy Buffett or Kenny Chesney. That's why it's great when, at house concerts, people will bring friends and co workers out. And, then there is the question of age. We need to make sure we're cultivating the next generation of Trop Rockers - fans and musicians."
Thanks guys, and I'll see you in Georgia in September - and then in November in Key West!
For more information on booking Latitude or Back Home Again - A Tribute to John Denver, joining the Margarita Mafia, or on any of the people or places mentioned in this interview, please see the links below.
http://latitudemusic.net/
http://johndenvertribute.net/index.htm
http://margaritamafia.com/margaritamafia/
http://www.phip.com/MOTM.asp
http://southernmostradio.net/
http://www.troprock1290.com/troprock%20home.html
http://thetrumanshows.com/
http://www.creekratz.com/
http://s213659397.onlinehome.us/nav-a-gator.com/
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tail Gate Cuisine: How Chef Rusty Hamlin from the Zac Brown Band does it.
Smack dab in the middle of the Summertime touring season and that means...TAILGATE! Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney are both out and about, playing stadiums and amphitheatres across the country through August. Plenty of time for you to get your parking lot party ready, and - in addition to the proper decorations and accoutrements (got to make sure that tiki bar feng shui is working) - that means food and drink. Sure, some Brats on the grill and a cooler full of Landsharks count as food and drink. But, if you really want to impress the temporary neighbors, you've gotta up your game. So, here are some recipes to add a little zing to your fling, some get up to your set up, some...you get the idea. The first one comes from a man that knows his way around a mobile grill, Chef Richard "Rusty" Hamlin - an old friend from my bar and restaurant days, touring chef for the Zac Brown Band, and the food wizard behind the now famous pre-show "Eat and Greets". Rusty currently lives in the Atlanta area, but his roots are in Louisiana, where he graduated from the Culinary Arts Institute of Louisiana, and got his first kitchen training on the Belle of Baton Rouge river boat casino. Mixing Cajun food with a southern flair, Rusty is known for meticulously grilled pork and beef tenderloin, slathered in Zac Brown's own sauces and rubs. Here, "Chef Rusty" offers up an easy appetizer that will definitely make the people parked on either side of you stand up and take notice...
3 Seedless Cucumbers (2½ cut on a bias into ¼ inch thick rounds, ½ cucumber tiny dice)
The next two recipes come from the "Eddie Ray's and BR's Food Club" group on Facebook
Brats and Drunken Pepper Sandwich
BR’s Blackberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
• 3 cups ketchup
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup water
• 1 can chipotle chilies (smoked jalapenos), chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup - yellow mustard
• 2 cups blackberries
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 cup Thick & Chunky Salsa
Puree Blackberries, onions and chipotle peppers. Add all ingredients together in a pan and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and it is ready… Great Flavor with a little kick.
Makes just over 5 gallons - enough for @ 50 12 oz drinks. When you want to make alot of new friends...
1 1/2 Gallons Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 Gallons Orange Juice
3/4 Gallon Sweetened Lime Juice (8 small bottles)
3/4 Gallon Dark Rum
3/4 Gallon Myers rum
1 bottle Grenadine
Here's one for a traditional New Orleans Sandwich you can make in advance - when you don't feel like grilling but still want something more than just a boring hoagie... <><><> <>
CUCUMBER BRUCHETTA w/ Grilled Shrimp & Crab Salad (serves up to 24)
3 Seedless Cucumbers (2½ cut on a bias into ¼ inch thick rounds, ½ cucumber tiny dice)
| ½ Red Bell Pepper (tiny dice) |
½ Green Bell Pepper (tiny dice) |
2 Bulbs Shallots (tiny dice) |
½ Head Garlic (tiny dice) |
1 Lemon (juiced) |
1 Lime (juiced) |
1/8 cup Cilantro (minced) |
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
1 firm Avocado (seed and skin removed, tiny dice) |
1 Tsp Salt |
½ Tsp Pepper |
1 Tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce |
½ lb Shrimp |
¼ lb Lump Crab Meat (blue/local) |
¼ oz chives (rough chop, for garnish) |
Skewer, salt, pepper and oil shrimp. Grill over med-high heat. Remove and set aside to cool.
Sift through crab meat to find any remaining shell.Once shrimp has cooled, cut into tiny pieces and shred crab meat.
Add shrimp, crab, and all remaining ingredients (except for the cucumber rounds and chives) in a mixing bowl and mix.
http://chefrusty.com/
http://chefrusty.com/
The next two recipes come from the "Eddie Ray's and BR's Food Club" group on Facebook
Brats and Drunken Pepper Sandwich
Servings 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 0:15
submitted by:qgriffith
1 package Bratwursts
1 whole Yellow bell pepper
1 whole Red bell pepper
1 whole Red onion
4 cloves Minced Garlic
1 package Hoogie buns
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Butter
1 tablespoon Red chili flakes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1/2 cup Flavorful Beer
4 tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
Directions
1.Slice the peppers and onions into thin strips
2.Grill the brats on the grill or a grill pan
3.While the brats are grilling, in a sauce pan add the onions, peppers olive oil, butter and garlic cook over medium low heat.
4.In about 3 minutes pour in the beer and season with the red chili flakes, kosher salt, and pepper.
5.Let the pepper mixture simmer and reduce.
6.Set the brats aside when they are finished cooking
7.Split and Toast the hoogie buns
8.Assemble the sandwich by putting the mustard on the bun, with the brat, and then add some of the peppers.
submitted by:qgriffith
1 package Bratwursts
1 whole Yellow bell pepper
1 whole Red bell pepper
1 whole Red onion
4 cloves Minced Garlic
1 package Hoogie buns
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Butter
1 tablespoon Red chili flakes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1/2 cup Flavorful Beer
4 tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
Directions
1.Slice the peppers and onions into thin strips
2.Grill the brats on the grill or a grill pan
3.While the brats are grilling, in a sauce pan add the onions, peppers olive oil, butter and garlic cook over medium low heat.
4.In about 3 minutes pour in the beer and season with the red chili flakes, kosher salt, and pepper.
5.Let the pepper mixture simmer and reduce.
6.Set the brats aside when they are finished cooking
7.Split and Toast the hoogie buns
8.Assemble the sandwich by putting the mustard on the bun, with the brat, and then add some of the peppers.
BR’s Blackberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
• 3 cups ketchup
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup water
• 1 can chipotle chilies (smoked jalapenos), chopped
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup - yellow mustard
• 2 cups blackberries
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 cup Thick & Chunky Salsa
Puree Blackberries, onions and chipotle peppers. Add all ingredients together in a pan and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and it is ready… Great Flavor with a little kick.
Here's one for a kick yer butt boat drink, from my brother in law - Dr. Tom Bulle - an avid sailor and regular visitor to the BVI.
Rum PunchMakes just over 5 gallons - enough for @ 50 12 oz drinks. When you want to make alot of new friends...
1 1/2 Gallons Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 Gallons Orange Juice
3/4 Gallon Sweetened Lime Juice (8 small bottles)
3/4 Gallon Dark Rum
3/4 Gallon Myers rum
1 bottle Grenadine
| Muffaletta Ingredients For Olive Salad: 1 Cup Each Pitted Green and Black Olives, Coarsely Chopped 1 Tbsp Tiny Capers 1/3 Cup Diced (1/4 inch) Roasted Bell Pepper 1/4 Cup Diced (1/4 inch) Celery, with leaves 2 Tbsp Chopped, flat-leaf Parsley 2 Teaspoon Finely Minced Garlic 2 Tbsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper To Taste For Sandwich 1 Round Peasant Bread (about 7 inches in diameter, 5 inches high) halved crosswise, insides pulled out.4 Oz Each Thinly Sliced Genoa Salami and Mortadella 4 Oz Thinly Sliced Provolone Cheese Prepare the Olive Salad ahead of time: Combine all the ingredients and set aside in the refrigerator for 4 hours or longer. Assemble the sandwich: Spread half of the Olive Salad on the bottom half of the bread. Layer with salami, provolone and mortadella, then top with the remaining Olive Salad. Cover with the top of the bread, press down and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour. Unwrap, cut into 6 wedges using a serrated knife, then wrap them for the road. Be sure to hollow out the bread so the salad can fit inside. TIP: Wrap the sandwiches in wax paper and cut in half ahead of time. Wings and Burgers... Grilled Cilantro Lime Wings 3 lb chicken wings
1 cup Greek yogurt
The night before: Combine honey, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Add wings; toss to coat well. Refrigerate over night. For Sauce Combine 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 1 lime juiced and zested, 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and 1 clove of minced garlic. Place in refrigerator. At the tailgate: Place wings on a barbecue grill; grill over medium high heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning often and basting with reserved marinade, until wings are cooked. For super saucy wings, reserve or make extra marinade....reduce on low heat on stove top and toss wings again once they are off the grill. Serve with a cilantro lime yogurt sauce. Maui Onion and Pineapple Burgers 1 lb. ground beef
|
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Doyle Grisham: Man of Steel
“The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses foot pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal" steel guitar. The instrument is horizontal with the strings face up, and is typically plucked with thumb pick and fingers or (two or three) finger picks. The pedal steel is one of the most recognizable and characteristic instruments of American country music.” - Wikipedia
If you’re a fan of Jimmy Buffett, chances are you know the name Doyle Grisham. The Pedal Steel player has been appearing on Jimmy’s albums for twenty years, touring with him as a member of the Coral Reefer Band for more than half that time. But Doyle’s story – and his impressive resume – goes back much further than that.
Growing up in Troy, Texas in the early 1950’s, Doyle Grisham listened to a lot of country music; Jim Reeves, George Jones, Ray Price – artists he heard on the radio, from famous places like the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. At age 9, Doyle told his parents he didn't want to just hear it - he wanted to play it, and persisted until they agreed to get him a guitar and lessons. He learned quickly, started playing at church and social events and, before long, was being asked by local bands to sit in with them. By the age of 15, Doyle was making a living playing guitar five to six nights a week in the local dance halls and beer joints frequented by soldiers from nearby Ft. Hood, while still going to school and keeping up good grades. “I had to keep up my grades or my parents wouldn't have let me play,” says Doyle, “They would have pulled me out of there quick! Plus, it wasn’t like today. Most places in that area didn’t stay open that late. I could go out and play a gig with a band and be back home around midnight.”
By the early 1960’s, Grisham was 21, living in Dallas and playing music full time, including the “Big D Jamboree”, the local version of the Opry and Louisiana Hayride, and travelling to gigs as far away as Wyoming. He says he learned about life on the road, and a lot about life. “I was the youngest guy in the band – which is funny because now, with Jimmy, I’m the oldest! The older guys in the group constantly picked on me – especially if there was a pretty girl around. We had a good time.” But, it wasn’t all fun and games. He also says life on the road could be tough. “Sometimes we would play a show, and then have to drive 400-500 miles to the next town, 5-6 guys packed into one car, pulling a trailer with our gear. You could see people would get into things like pills, just to keep you awake while you drove. Thankfully, I never fell into it, but I understood why they did it.”
Playing country music, along with Polkas and local favorites like the Mexican Hat Dance, was how he cut his teeth, but soon the bands Doyle was playing with were also getting requests for more rock and roll – Elvis and Chuck Berry. “I started seeing more and more guys playing guitar,” explains Grisham. “I was good, but I could see I was just going to be one of many if I stayed with the guitar. I had already been playing steel guitar licks on my electric, and I liked the sound. So, I went out and got myself a pedal steel, started practicing whenever I could. I decided that’s the direction I wanted to go. It was partly out of necessity – I knew I’d get more work.”
Something else was taking place in the early 60’s, the Vietnam War - and The Draft. Like most men his age, Doyle was called to serve. “I joined the Naval Reserves in 1964 and was told I’d have a year to train and drill before being sent on Active Duty. Before that happened, I was offered the chance to attend 'Code' school. I figured that would guarantee me shore duty, so I took it. I was sent out to California and they started teaching me to send and receive secret messages. Next thing I know, I’m being yanked out of the class. Turns out the Navy hadn’t completed all of my background checks and I didn’t have the proper clearance to be there! They kept me there for a couple weeks doing odd jobs then sent me back to my Reserve unit in Dallas.”
He was home, but given that his expected assignment with the Naval Reserves was just around the corner, Doyle found that no one would hire him full time for their band. That is, until he got a call from veteran West Texas guitarist Billy Thompson, asking if he would come up to Kansas to play with their band. Doyle jumped at the chance and was glad he did. Doyle explains: “I was happy to have a gig. But, even more than just the paycheck, I got to meet Roy Drusky, who was on the same bill. Roy was a well-known Grand Ole Opry artist who had some big hits at the time and, as it turned out, his pedal steel player was quitting. He offered me the job and the next night I was in Houston playing in front of 20,000 people!” Grisham continued playing with Drusky for the next year, following him to Nashville in 1966 to play at the Grand Ole Opry. “I moved to Nashville really without asking anyone if I could. I just told the people at my Reserve Unit in Dallas to forward my paperwork and went!” It was almost a year before that paperwork caught up with the pedal steel player in Music City. “I think I kind of got lost in the shuffle,” Grisham laughs. He shipped out to Maine in 1967 and it was there that he first met the woman he would eventually marry, then 13 year old Debbie. “She was the niece of a friend. We used to go to their house on Saturday nights to eat dinner and play music. She was just a kid, so I didn’t pay much attention to her. It wasn’t until she came to Nashville years later to record that we got together.” (For the full story, see my interview with Deb Grisham elsewhere on Beaches, Bands & Bars).
He remained in Maine for about a year and a half, before getting an early release due to the de-escalation of the war and moving back to Nashville. Though he was pretty well known when he left for New England, Doyle found he had to re-establish himself when he got back to Music City. He joined a band - touring and doing studio work - before getting hired by Grand Ole Opry long-timers Tompall and the Glaser Brothers around 1971. One day, Grisham and the Glaser Brothers were in the studio recording a new tune, written by a young Nashville songwriter he had never heard of. “He came by the recording session and we started talking. He told me he was getting ready to sign a recording contract with ABC Dunhill Records and said he wanted me to play on his next record.” The song the Glaser Brothers recorded that day was called ‘Tin Cup Chalice’ and the young Nashville songwriter inviting Doyle to his future recording session was..... Jimmy Buffett. A few months later, Buffett was back in the Glaser’s studio to record “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean” and Doyle - along with Fingers Taylor and Michael Utley - was there with him as part of the newly dubbed "Coral Reefer Band".
And the rest, as they say, is history?
“Yeah, I guess so! I played on that album, as well as the next ones produced by Don Gant – ‘Living and Dying in ¾ Time’, ‘A1A’, and ‘Havana Daydreaming’. By the Margaritaville album (‘Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes’) Jimmy switched to a different producer, who brought in his own guys. After that, other than occasional parts on certain songs, I didn’t do much more recording with Jimmy until “Beach House’ in 1999. That’s when he also offered me the chance to go on tour, and I’ve been out with him ever since.”
What is a typical day on a Buffett tour?
“On show days, we have a pretty set routine. If I’m in town the night before, I like to get out and have breakfast, maybe go to a mall, see some of the town. The band all gets back together at the hotel and we’ll leave for the venue about 2:30, get there around 3 or 3:30. We’ll have a little time in the dressing rooms, then Jimmy always likes to sound check at 4.
Do you always play the same things at sound check?
“Not always. We usually do the opening song because it will feature everyone in the band and it gives the sound people out front a chance to set all the microphones. From there, it just depends on what Jimmy thinks we need to go over, just in case there is a particular song he wants to do that we haven't played in a while."
How long does that last?
“About an hour. Then, it’s time for our meet and greets. At around 5:00, we’ll go out to the Margaritaville ‘Shrimp Bus’ and sign autographs…We’ll do that for about a half hour, then go to wherever the local Parrot Head Club is set up and sign some more.”
The Whole Coral Reefer Band?
“Usually, it’s Nadirah, Jim and Peter (Mayer), Mike Utley and me”.
After that?
“The next couple hours we’re on our own pretty much. Usually, we go back to the dressing rooms, have some dinner, relax before the show. If we have friends in town, we’ll meet up with them. We do the show and, when it’s over, we’ll either go back to the hotel or, sometimes, to the airport to fly out for the next date. Jimmy also likes to use a hub when we can.”
A “hub”?
“Sometimes, if we’re going to be out on tour for several weeks, we’ll get a hotel in one city in the area, like Chicago. We’ll go back to that same hotel after each show."
What is it like touring with Jimmy?
“I like everything about working with Jimmy – the music, the schedule. He is one of the most intuitive and thorough artists I’ve ever worked with. People don’t realize how much work he puts into each tour, starting with rehearsals in April. He starts with a theme, puts together a set list with extra songs that he might want to do for certain shows. Then, as the tour goes on, he is constantly updating shows, going over set lists, taking out songs he doesn’t feel are going over well, adding things. Even on days off we’ll get set lists and emails. I have never seen anyone else like him."
In addition to Jimmy and some of the others I’ve already mentioned, you have also recorded with artists from Kenny Rogers to Dr. Hook. Who are some of your favorites?
“ I got to meet a lot of people that I idolized when we were doing the Randy Travis 'Heroes and Friends' recording sessions. Randy was doing duets with people like George Jones, Chet Atkins & Dolly Parton, Vern Gosdin, and a lot of artists that I have admired over the years. Also, I toured off and on for over 20 years, even when I was doing studio work, with Lynn Anderson. I got to play some of the big casinos in Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe with her."
You have been in Nashville now for over 40 years. I bet you have seen a lot of changes.
“Well, the city has certainly grown – from a small little town to over a million people. And the downtown area went through a period in the 70’s where it went to heck. Then there was an urban renewal in the 80’s, cleaned up quite a bit. But, the biggest change has been musically. It went from traditional country to what you hear on the radio now.”
Do you like the music being recorded in Nashville now?
“Personally, I prefer traditional country. Like, if Debbie and I are driving somewhere, we’ll have old country in the cd player. But I also stay up on new stuff. When you’re a musician and listen to a song, you look at it from a different perspective. If you’re playing on a song, even if you don’t like it, you still mold yourself in to it. And if I’m recording someone in the studio, I would produce it the way it needs to sound NOW, not the way I would like it myself. So, whether I'm playing on or producing a song, I always try to give my best. It doesn’t matter whether I like it or not.”
Speaking of new stuff, you have to be one of the most sought after “guests” on Trop Rock records. How do you work that into your busy schedule?
“Sometimes the artist will come to Nashville, other times I will go to where ever they are recording. It depends on their budget. With technology these days, they can also send me a track. I’ll lay down my part and send it back. The only difference is that, when it’s on someone else’s bill, like they have a studio booked, I’ll work as quickly as I can. When they send me the track, I have more time to work on it, can take my time, but then they can’t ‘produce’ it. They have to trust my experience.”
How do you pick what records to play on?
I don’t turn down anything. I’m a studio musician, it’s my job. Plus, being too picky limits your creativity, I think. If people want to hire me, I’ll play on their record.”
Do you still play out in Nashville?
“I do. When I’m home, I’ll play weekend things. I don’t even care how it pays. As long as I like what I’m playing.”
"I'm working on a new cd right now. I hope to have it out in the next month or so. I keep thinking I need to add more to it, but I know I need to let it go! It will have about 12-13 songs on it, songs I like from bands like Journey, The Eagles, Beatles, Gary Puckett, Buddy Holly... It's mostly instrumental, but Debbie sings on one song.
Where do you see Jimmy – where do you see yourself – in five to ten years?
“Jimmy hasn’t given any indication of slowing down. I can see him playing another ten years – but it could only be three or four. It’s up to him. I’m sure he’ll let us know! As for me, as long as I’m physically able, I’m healthy, I’ll be playing. And as long as Jimmy wants to go, I’ll be there.”
http://doylegrisham.com/
If you’re a fan of Jimmy Buffett, chances are you know the name Doyle Grisham. The Pedal Steel player has been appearing on Jimmy’s albums for twenty years, touring with him as a member of the Coral Reefer Band for more than half that time. But Doyle’s story – and his impressive resume – goes back much further than that.
Growing up in Troy, Texas in the early 1950’s, Doyle Grisham listened to a lot of country music; Jim Reeves, George Jones, Ray Price – artists he heard on the radio, from famous places like the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. At age 9, Doyle told his parents he didn't want to just hear it - he wanted to play it, and persisted until they agreed to get him a guitar and lessons. He learned quickly, started playing at church and social events and, before long, was being asked by local bands to sit in with them. By the age of 15, Doyle was making a living playing guitar five to six nights a week in the local dance halls and beer joints frequented by soldiers from nearby Ft. Hood, while still going to school and keeping up good grades. “I had to keep up my grades or my parents wouldn't have let me play,” says Doyle, “They would have pulled me out of there quick! Plus, it wasn’t like today. Most places in that area didn’t stay open that late. I could go out and play a gig with a band and be back home around midnight.”
By the early 1960’s, Grisham was 21, living in Dallas and playing music full time, including the “Big D Jamboree”, the local version of the Opry and Louisiana Hayride, and travelling to gigs as far away as Wyoming. He says he learned about life on the road, and a lot about life. “I was the youngest guy in the band – which is funny because now, with Jimmy, I’m the oldest! The older guys in the group constantly picked on me – especially if there was a pretty girl around. We had a good time.” But, it wasn’t all fun and games. He also says life on the road could be tough. “Sometimes we would play a show, and then have to drive 400-500 miles to the next town, 5-6 guys packed into one car, pulling a trailer with our gear. You could see people would get into things like pills, just to keep you awake while you drove. Thankfully, I never fell into it, but I understood why they did it.”
Playing country music, along with Polkas and local favorites like the Mexican Hat Dance, was how he cut his teeth, but soon the bands Doyle was playing with were also getting requests for more rock and roll – Elvis and Chuck Berry. “I started seeing more and more guys playing guitar,” explains Grisham. “I was good, but I could see I was just going to be one of many if I stayed with the guitar. I had already been playing steel guitar licks on my electric, and I liked the sound. So, I went out and got myself a pedal steel, started practicing whenever I could. I decided that’s the direction I wanted to go. It was partly out of necessity – I knew I’d get more work.”
Something else was taking place in the early 60’s, the Vietnam War - and The Draft. Like most men his age, Doyle was called to serve. “I joined the Naval Reserves in 1964 and was told I’d have a year to train and drill before being sent on Active Duty. Before that happened, I was offered the chance to attend 'Code' school. I figured that would guarantee me shore duty, so I took it. I was sent out to California and they started teaching me to send and receive secret messages. Next thing I know, I’m being yanked out of the class. Turns out the Navy hadn’t completed all of my background checks and I didn’t have the proper clearance to be there! They kept me there for a couple weeks doing odd jobs then sent me back to my Reserve unit in Dallas.”
He was home, but given that his expected assignment with the Naval Reserves was just around the corner, Doyle found that no one would hire him full time for their band. That is, until he got a call from veteran West Texas guitarist Billy Thompson, asking if he would come up to Kansas to play with their band. Doyle jumped at the chance and was glad he did. Doyle explains: “I was happy to have a gig. But, even more than just the paycheck, I got to meet Roy Drusky, who was on the same bill. Roy was a well-known Grand Ole Opry artist who had some big hits at the time and, as it turned out, his pedal steel player was quitting. He offered me the job and the next night I was in Houston playing in front of 20,000 people!” Grisham continued playing with Drusky for the next year, following him to Nashville in 1966 to play at the Grand Ole Opry. “I moved to Nashville really without asking anyone if I could. I just told the people at my Reserve Unit in Dallas to forward my paperwork and went!” It was almost a year before that paperwork caught up with the pedal steel player in Music City. “I think I kind of got lost in the shuffle,” Grisham laughs. He shipped out to Maine in 1967 and it was there that he first met the woman he would eventually marry, then 13 year old Debbie. “She was the niece of a friend. We used to go to their house on Saturday nights to eat dinner and play music. She was just a kid, so I didn’t pay much attention to her. It wasn’t until she came to Nashville years later to record that we got together.” (For the full story, see my interview with Deb Grisham elsewhere on Beaches, Bands & Bars).
He remained in Maine for about a year and a half, before getting an early release due to the de-escalation of the war and moving back to Nashville. Though he was pretty well known when he left for New England, Doyle found he had to re-establish himself when he got back to Music City. He joined a band - touring and doing studio work - before getting hired by Grand Ole Opry long-timers Tompall and the Glaser Brothers around 1971. One day, Grisham and the Glaser Brothers were in the studio recording a new tune, written by a young Nashville songwriter he had never heard of. “He came by the recording session and we started talking. He told me he was getting ready to sign a recording contract with ABC Dunhill Records and said he wanted me to play on his next record.” The song the Glaser Brothers recorded that day was called ‘Tin Cup Chalice’ and the young Nashville songwriter inviting Doyle to his future recording session was..... Jimmy Buffett. A few months later, Buffett was back in the Glaser’s studio to record “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean” and Doyle - along with Fingers Taylor and Michael Utley - was there with him as part of the newly dubbed "Coral Reefer Band".
And the rest, as they say, is history?
“Yeah, I guess so! I played on that album, as well as the next ones produced by Don Gant – ‘Living and Dying in ¾ Time’, ‘A1A’, and ‘Havana Daydreaming’. By the Margaritaville album (‘Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes’) Jimmy switched to a different producer, who brought in his own guys. After that, other than occasional parts on certain songs, I didn’t do much more recording with Jimmy until “Beach House’ in 1999. That’s when he also offered me the chance to go on tour, and I’ve been out with him ever since.”
What is a typical day on a Buffett tour?
“On show days, we have a pretty set routine. If I’m in town the night before, I like to get out and have breakfast, maybe go to a mall, see some of the town. The band all gets back together at the hotel and we’ll leave for the venue about 2:30, get there around 3 or 3:30. We’ll have a little time in the dressing rooms, then Jimmy always likes to sound check at 4.
Do you always play the same things at sound check?
“Not always. We usually do the opening song because it will feature everyone in the band and it gives the sound people out front a chance to set all the microphones. From there, it just depends on what Jimmy thinks we need to go over, just in case there is a particular song he wants to do that we haven't played in a while."
How long does that last?
“About an hour. Then, it’s time for our meet and greets. At around 5:00, we’ll go out to the Margaritaville ‘Shrimp Bus’ and sign autographs…We’ll do that for about a half hour, then go to wherever the local Parrot Head Club is set up and sign some more.”
The Whole Coral Reefer Band?
“Usually, it’s Nadirah, Jim and Peter (Mayer), Mike Utley and me”.
After that?
“The next couple hours we’re on our own pretty much. Usually, we go back to the dressing rooms, have some dinner, relax before the show. If we have friends in town, we’ll meet up with them. We do the show and, when it’s over, we’ll either go back to the hotel or, sometimes, to the airport to fly out for the next date. Jimmy also likes to use a hub when we can.”
A “hub”?
“Sometimes, if we’re going to be out on tour for several weeks, we’ll get a hotel in one city in the area, like Chicago. We’ll go back to that same hotel after each show."
What is it like touring with Jimmy?
“I like everything about working with Jimmy – the music, the schedule. He is one of the most intuitive and thorough artists I’ve ever worked with. People don’t realize how much work he puts into each tour, starting with rehearsals in April. He starts with a theme, puts together a set list with extra songs that he might want to do for certain shows. Then, as the tour goes on, he is constantly updating shows, going over set lists, taking out songs he doesn’t feel are going over well, adding things. Even on days off we’ll get set lists and emails. I have never seen anyone else like him."
In addition to Jimmy and some of the others I’ve already mentioned, you have also recorded with artists from Kenny Rogers to Dr. Hook. Who are some of your favorites?
“ I got to meet a lot of people that I idolized when we were doing the Randy Travis 'Heroes and Friends' recording sessions. Randy was doing duets with people like George Jones, Chet Atkins & Dolly Parton, Vern Gosdin, and a lot of artists that I have admired over the years. Also, I toured off and on for over 20 years, even when I was doing studio work, with Lynn Anderson. I got to play some of the big casinos in Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe with her."
You have been in Nashville now for over 40 years. I bet you have seen a lot of changes.
“Well, the city has certainly grown – from a small little town to over a million people. And the downtown area went through a period in the 70’s where it went to heck. Then there was an urban renewal in the 80’s, cleaned up quite a bit. But, the biggest change has been musically. It went from traditional country to what you hear on the radio now.”
Do you like the music being recorded in Nashville now?
“Personally, I prefer traditional country. Like, if Debbie and I are driving somewhere, we’ll have old country in the cd player. But I also stay up on new stuff. When you’re a musician and listen to a song, you look at it from a different perspective. If you’re playing on a song, even if you don’t like it, you still mold yourself in to it. And if I’m recording someone in the studio, I would produce it the way it needs to sound NOW, not the way I would like it myself. So, whether I'm playing on or producing a song, I always try to give my best. It doesn’t matter whether I like it or not.”
Speaking of new stuff, you have to be one of the most sought after “guests” on Trop Rock records. How do you work that into your busy schedule?
“Sometimes the artist will come to Nashville, other times I will go to where ever they are recording. It depends on their budget. With technology these days, they can also send me a track. I’ll lay down my part and send it back. The only difference is that, when it’s on someone else’s bill, like they have a studio booked, I’ll work as quickly as I can. When they send me the track, I have more time to work on it, can take my time, but then they can’t ‘produce’ it. They have to trust my experience.”
How do you pick what records to play on?
I don’t turn down anything. I’m a studio musician, it’s my job. Plus, being too picky limits your creativity, I think. If people want to hire me, I’ll play on their record.”
Do you still play out in Nashville?
“I do. When I’m home, I’ll play weekend things. I don’t even care how it pays. As long as I like what I’m playing.”
Any new recordings?
Where do you see Jimmy – where do you see yourself – in five to ten years?
“Jimmy hasn’t given any indication of slowing down. I can see him playing another ten years – but it could only be three or four. It’s up to him. I’m sure he’ll let us know! As for me, as long as I’m physically able, I’m healthy, I’ll be playing. And as long as Jimmy wants to go, I’ll be there.”
http://doylegrisham.com/
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