675 Bobby Whitlock, A Trick's AudioBiography

Robert Stanley "Bobby" Whitlock was born on March 18th 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is best known as a member of Derek and the Dominoes. Bobby's career began in Memphis at STAX Records with Sam and Dave, and Booker T. and the M.G.'s  He join the ensemble group of Delaney and  Bonnie and Friends in 1968 which led to his participation in George Harrison's , All Things Must Pass album, and the formation of Derek and the Dominos later that year. He co-wrote eight of the album's fourteen tracks.
He  recorded four solo albums during the 1970s and contributed to albums by Eric Clapton, Donovan, Doctor John and many others.
Since 2006 he has been based in Austin, performing with his wife, CoCo Carmel, among their  projects is, Other Assorted Love Songs, Live from Whitney Chapel, acoustic interpretations of songs originally recorded by Derek and the Dominos.

I'd Rather Live the Straight Life - Bobby Whitlock
When The Battle Is Over (Organ, Backing Vocals) - Delaney and Bonnie
Behind That Locked Door (Organ) - George Harrison
It's Too Late (Keyboards, Basking Vocal) - Derek and The Dominos
Thorn Tree In The Garden (Vocals, Keyboards)- Derek and The Dominos
Told You For The Last Time (Organ, Vocals) - Eric Clapton
Black John the Conqueror (Background Vocals) - Dr. John
Lazy Day ( Organ, Background Vocals) - Donovan
Slow Boat To China (Co-Writer, Background Vocals) - John Prine
Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (Organ) - Don Nix
Going Down (Organ) - Leslie West
Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go - Bonnie Bramlett and Bobby Whitlock
If I Could Ease Your Pain - Bobby Whitlock
Layla - Bobby Whitlock and CoCo Carmel

We previously feature bassist, Carl Radle, in an audiobiography can Jim Gordon be far behind?

Don't get caught with the double six, you can play it here!

 

662 A Kenney Jones Audiobiography

After the last less than popular "FEVER" podcast, I decided to switch over to the audiobiography theme. This week we spotlight a drummer who played in three hit groups of the '60's and '70's and appeared on albums with the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Bill Wyman, and his former band mate, Ronnie Wood. Today he leads the life of country gentleman raising polo ponies, while still enjoying his talent of drumming. This week's audiobiography features, Kenney Jones.

Itchycoo Park 1967 - Small Faces

Lazy Sunday 1968 - Small Faces
Wicked Messenger 1970 - The Faces
It's All Over Now (Rolling Stones Cover) 1970 - The Faces
Angel (Hendrix Cover) 1972 - Rod Stewart
I Love You 1972 - Chuck Berry
It's Only Rock and Roll 1974 - Rolling Stones
Playmates 1977 - Small Faces
Guitar and Pen 1978 -Who
Rough Boys 1980 - Pete Townsend
Sugar Bee - Bill Wyman
Laying Down The Law 1991- The Law
One Tin Soldier 2917 - The Jones Gang
Untitled Cut - The Faces.

Just Can't Beat A Great Beat!

643 Mayall, His Dreams Come True, 1 and 2

With over 70 albums and a career that spans over 50 years, John Mayall is the  personification of living blues. Born in 1933, he grew up listening to  the boogie woogie records of his jazz musician father and taught himself how to play guitar, piano, and harmonica. In the early years of his career, John sought out talented young British blues players and mentored them into stars. Later, after moving to the states, Mayall continued to seek out the cream of musicians to play and record with. Now in his mid 80's John Mayall continues to produce albums and tour. This week we salute the man I call "The Dean of The University of British Blues."

On this episode of Trick's Synthetic Podcast we will listen to the man, his music, and the musicians who were part of saga that is John Mayall's career with these Mayall tunes...

Early Bluesbreakers

Part 1:
Intro - Art School Boogie 1957 by The Powerhouse Four  (Time Capsule, 2000)
1 Bernard Jenkins w/ Clapton, guitar.  Jack Bruce, bass (Bluesbreakers, 1966 - expanded)
2 Hideaway (Freddie King) w Clapton/ John McVie, bass (Bluesbreakers, 1966)
3 The Stumble (Fredie King) w/ Peter Green, guitar / John McVie, bass/ Mick Fleetwood, drums  (A Hard Road,1967)
4 Little By Little (Jr. Wells)  w/ Paul Butterfield, harp and vocals (A Hard Road, 1967 - expanded)
5 Driving Sideways (Freddie King) w/ Mick Taylor, guitar (Crusade, 1967)
6 Greeny w/ Peter Green, guitar and Ansley Dunbar , drums (Crusade, 1967 -expanded)
7 Brown Sugar  w/ Keef Hartley, drums (Blues Alone, 1967)
8 Laurel Canyon Home - John Mayall (Blues From Laurel Canyon, 1968)
9 The Bear w Mick Taylor, guitar (Blues from Laurel Canyon,1968)
10 Don't Waste My Time w/ Larry Taylor, bass (Empty Rooms,  1970)
11 You Must Be Crazy w/ Harvey Mandel, guitar, Larry Taylor, bass, Don "Sugar Cane" Harris, violin (USA Union, 1970)

John and Trick, mid 1990's

Part 2:
12 I Could Cry w/ Coco Montoya, guitar, fea. Buddy Guy, guitar and vocals (Wake Up Call, 1993)
13 Ain't No Brakeman On This Train w/ Buddy Whittington, guitar  (Spinning Coin, 1995)
14 Sen-Say-Shun w/ Buddy Whittington (Blues For The Lost Days, 1997)
15 Jacksboro Highway (Live) - The Bluesbreakers (U.K. Tour 2000)
16 Along For The Ride w/ Billy Preston, organ and vocals (and Friends, 2001)
17 The Palace of the King (Palace of the King, 2007)
18 Why Did You Go Last Night w/ C. J. Chenier, accordion and vocals (Special Life, 2014)
19  The Devil Must Be Laughing  w/ Joe Walsh (Talk About That, 2017)
20 Like It Like You Do w/ Carolyn Wonderland (Nobody Told Me, 2019)
21 Room To Move (UK Tour 2K, 2000), 2010)

Bluesbreakers with Carolyn Wonderland

John, 2019

Come along, it's quite a ride!

640 Remembering Sleepy

 July 20, 1935 – December 26, 2019

One of the good ones passed away this week, he wasn't a household name, but he was one great entertainer. Born in Smackover, Arkansas, the youngest of 10 children, Thomas Paulsley LeBiff, got his nickname, Sleepy,  as the results of a lazy eye. A big man, LaBeef stood 6 and a half feet tall. He was raised on a melon farm and moved to Houston, when he was 18.  In Houston, he sang gospel music on local radio and started a bar band which led to playing the Houston Jamboree and Louisiana Hayride. In the 1950s, he began recording rockabilly  singles; his first, "I'm Through", was issued in 1957.
 In 1964, Sleepy moved to Nashville and moved into a country style, recording for Columbia Records In 1968, he also starred in the horror movie, The Exotic Ones,playing the Swamp Thing Monster in a New Orleans strip  club...it wasn't an Academy Awards winner. He moved to Sun Records in the 1970's releasing albums and touring widely through the decade.  The 1980s saw him sign with Rounder Records, where he released albums into the 1990s.
He became known as “The Human Jukebox” because he seemed to know every song ever written, and sometimes his shows would consist of him performing for 3 or 4 hours straight, no breaks, with short-and-long term band members holding on for dear life, often not knowing the songs as Sleepy plowed through them like a mule plowing through hard and rocky Arkansas farmland.  After listening to these you'll be anything but sleepy!

10 Rolling in My Sweet Baby's Arms (an American traditional song)
09 Flying Saucers Rock & Roll (Billy Lee Riley cover)
08 Mannish Boy (Muddy Waters cover)
07 Night Train To Memphis (Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys cover)
06 Stormy Monday ( T-Bone Walker cover)
05 Bottle Up and Go (John Lee Hooker cover)
04 Boom, Boom, Boom (John Lee Hooker cover)
03 Red Hot (Billy Lee Riley cover)
02 Too Much Monkey Business (Chuck Berry cover)
01 Buying A Book (Joe Tex cover)
00  Tumbling Tumbleweed (Sons of the Pioneers cover)

 Young and Rockin'...

Sleepy

631 Trick Counts Down Papa

John Henry an American blues violinist, who has also played classical, jazz, be-bop, R&B, pop and acid rock music.  In his early career he played with Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Stuff Smith, Charlie Christian, Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker, Nat King Cole and Roy Milton. In 1953 John appeared with Nat King Cole in the movie Blue Gardenia.

He was "rediscovered" in 1967 and played with the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship, Zulu and Midnight Sun, in addition to playing the San Francisco All-Stars  Papa John Creach recorded several solo albums and was a regular guest at the early annual Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jams.

10 The Blue Gardenia ( RKO 1953) - 

Nat King Cole, John Creach - violin
 9 Candy Man (Hot Tuna1971) - 

Hot Tuna
 8 Pretty As You Feel ( Bark 1971) - 

Jefferson Airplane
 7 The Janitor Drives A Cadillac (Papa John Creach 1971) - 

Papa John
 6 Uncle Sam Blues (Hot Tuna 1971) - 

Hot Tuna
 5 Time Out For Sex (Filthy 1972) - 

Papa John
 4 True Religion (Burgers 1974) - 

Hot Tuna
 3 I Want to See Another World ( Red Octopus 1975) -

Jefferson Starship
 2 Old Man River  (Rock Father 1976) - 

Papa John and Midnight Sun
1 Sweet Life Blues (Papa's Blues 1992) -   

Papa John

                 00 Over The Rainbow  (Papa John Creach 1971)

 Have Fun with Papa John!

629 10 Songs for a Buck !

Mike Buck was born in June of 1952 in Fort Worth, Texas. Known for his solid backbeat, Buck has played all over the world with variety of bands.  As a teenager, he with Robert Ealey and the Five Careless Lover at the Bluebird moving to Austin   in his twenties.  He joined the Fabulous Thunderbirds playing on the band's first two records and later formed the Le Roi Brothers.    Buck also played with Doug Sahm, the Naughty Ones, Lazy Lester, Lightnin' Hopkins, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Bo Diddley.
In 2001, Buck and guitarist Eve Monsees decided to put a band together that would combine blues with 60s rock and roll which led to the formation of the Exiles. They also became owners of Antone's Record Shop. I hope you enjoyed Trick's look at a contemporary Texas legend.
Join us as we begin Trick's Synthetic Podcast's 13th podcasting season with 1O Tunes for a Buck! An audiobiography countdown:

10  Pardon Me I've Got Someone to Kill - Tex Edwards
9   Voodoo Kiss - Naughty Ones
8   Going To Navasota - Frank Robinson
7   You're Doin' it Too Hard - Charlie Sexton
6   Steel Trap - Teisco Del Ray
5   She Fell Out The Window - Ben Vaughn
4   I Wish It Were Me - Homer Henderson
3   Boomerang - Big Guitars From Texas
2   Thinkin' 'Bout Lovin' You Again - Toni Price
1   Walkin' to My Baby - The Fabulous Thunderbirds
00 Follow The Thread - Eve and the Exiles

621: A Robert Palmer Audiobiography

Born in  in Batley, England in 19 49, this artist grew up in Malta,  permanently returning to Britain at the age of 19 to sing with the Alan Bown Set.  His work in the music industry began in the 1960s, covered four decades and included a spell with the band Vinegar Joe, the Power Station, and as a solo artist who could take a tune, cover it, and do a great interpretation.  His first solo album  was recorded in New Orleans and was influenced by the music of Little Feat and the Meters who acted as backing band along with producer, guitarist Lowell George.  He teamed with Duran Duran  guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor along with former Chic drummer Tony Thompson  to form the Power Station named for recording studio where the group recorded.  Sadly he died from a heart attack in a Paris hotel room on the 26th of September 2003 at age 54. He was survived by his parents, his son Jim and daughter Jane, and by his girlfriend Mary Ambrose. Among those who paid tribute were Duran Duran, stating, He was a very dear friend and a great artist.
This week's audio biography is all about Robert Palmer.

If not, you will have after this:

 

 

 

 10. 1972 Forgive Us - Vinegar Joe
09. 1972 Rusty Red Armour - Vinegard Joe
08. 1973  Talkin' 'Bout My Baby - Vinegard Joe
07. 1974 Sailing Shoes/ Sailing Shoes (Little Feat) - Robert Palmer
06. 1975 Pressure Drop (Toots & The Maytals) - Robert Palmer
05. 1976 Spanish Moon - Robert Palmer
04.  1979 Bad Case Of Loving You - Robert Palmer
03.  1979 Can We Still Be Friends (ToddRundgren)
02.  1985 Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
01. 1985 Get It On-Bang A Gong (T Rex) - The Power Station
00.  1988 Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer
 

This is the best looking one yet!

606 Wake Up Man! It's Another Audiobiography!

 He was born in Middlesex, England, in 19 49. His interest in music manifested itself very early, and from the age of seven he studied classical piano. At the age of 14, he joined a local band, Atlantic Blues, the same year he left school to enroll in the Royal College of Music. He had his eye on a career as a concert pianist, but  was dismissed from the college after it became clear that he preferred playing in clubs to studying technique.
His life journey has also been epic, trying to follow his dreams, to quote him, David Bowie always told me to be my own man and try wherever possible to make the decision I felt was best for me and that is what I have tried to do.
The keyboard maestro has worked with more than 200 different artists performing on their records. These include Cat Stevens, Cilla Black, Elton John, David , Lou Reed,     Black Sabbath, The Electric Light Orchestra and many more.
He has written three books and in his first, Say Yes he reveals his sense of humor, passion for golf and his personal belief in God. In it he says, I have a real passion for everything I do. My father instilled in me the need to enjoy the life you are given and God, very kindly and for reasons known only to Him, gave me a musical talent which has shaped much of my life.
Enjoy this audio biography 10 classic tunes as we count down Rick Wakeman.

10  I See You 1969 - Yes
 9 Space Oddity 1969 - David Bowie
 8 Times Of Change 1969 - Magna Carta
 7 Roundabout 1970 - Yes
 6 Mambo Sun 1971 - T. Rex
 5 Morning Has Broken 1971 - Cat Stevens
 4  Catherine of Aragon 1973 - Rick Wakeman
 3 Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table 1975 - Rick Wakeman
 2 Long Distance Runaround 2004 - Yes
 1 Help! 2017 - Rick Wakeman 

To Get It,

Click on Rick!

604 A Harvey Brooks AudioBiography aka "Our Mr. Brooks"

Harvey Brooks, was born Harvey Goldstein on July 4, 19 44 in Manhattan, he was part of the New York music scene of the early 60's that achieved a blending of folk, blues, rock, and jazz styles.

Producer Tom Wilson gave Brooks his first boost to fame when he asked him to play as part of Bob Dylan's backing band on the sessions that yielded the album Highway 61 Revisited which produced the mega hit, Like A Rolling Stone.

Afterwards Brooks branched out in a multitude of directions, he played on records by Eric Andersen, Richie Havens, David Blue and Jim  and Jean and various blues-rock fusion projects.

Brooks also played on Cass Elliot's debut solo album, some Doors sessions and another iconic album,  Super Session with Al Cooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Steven Stills. He tells the storty that, First time I met Mike Bloomfield was at Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited sessions. The door burst open and he came running in with his Telecaster on his shoulder, no case and a big smile.

This association led to The Electric Flag along with Bloomfield, but in an unexpected turn, Harvey moved to producing at Columbia Records and ultimately to Miles Davis. Brooks worked on Davis's   Bitches Brew and Big Fun albums.

Asked what advice would you give to new generation? Harvey said, Be the best person you can be. Keep an open mind and get to know your instrument. It takes work. If it’s easy, move to the next level.

The List:

10 1966 Gasman Won't Buy Your Love - David Blue

09 1968 Goin' Down Slow - Electric Flag

08 1968 Harvey's Tune - Al Kooper's Super Session

07 1969 Easy ride - The Doors

06 1970 The Man In Me - Bob Dylan

05 1971 Colano Sound - John Parker Compton

04 1972 Yellow Dirt - Seals and Crofts

03 1973 Vicious Circle - Fabulous Rhinestones

02 1995 -Got to Move - Jimmy Vivino

01 1968 Killing Floor - Electric Flag

00 1965 Tom Thumb's Blues - Bob Dylan

You'll Be Floored, Too by THIS ONE!

602 An Audiobiographical Countdown... Gram Parsons

This week the Ultimate Classic Rock published the 10 best songs by GP...as I alluded to earlier this week, list making is a dangerous job.

 Gram Parsons didn't grow up living the hardscrabble life of most country singers. The man originally named Cecil Ingram Connor III was born into a wealthy Florida citrus family and spent a semester at Harvard before dropping out to concentrate on his burgeoning interest in country music. After stints in the Shilos and the International Submarine Band, he joined the Byrds in 1968 for a five-month spell that resulted in the landmark 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' album. He then formed the Flying Burrito Brothers, recording two albums with them before being fired in 1970 due to his increasing drug habit. As a solo act, Parsons released 'GP' in 1973, which featured three members from Elvis Presley's TCB band and a beautiful young folk singer with a voice to match, Emmylou Harris. A second album, 'Grievous Angel' was released in 1974, four months after his death on Sept. 19, 1973, at age 26 at Joshua Tree National Monument from an overdose of morphine and alcohol.

 Although his recording career lasted only five years, Parsons still made a tremendous impact, creating what he famously called "cosmic American music," a fusion of country, rock and soul. His influence wasn't just felt in the '70s country-rock movement that produced the Eagles and Poco, but in great modern acts like Wilco, the Jayhawks and Jason Isbell. Our list of the Top 10 Gram Parsons Songs brings together his best moments from his time in the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the two solo albums.

 

10 Dark End of the Street (James Carr cover) - The Gilded Palace of Sin Flying Burrito Bros.

09 A Song For You – GP Solo

08 Juanita - The Gilded Palace of Sin - Flying Burrito Bros.

07 In My Hour of Darkness - Grievous Angel - Solo

06 Hot Burrito #1 - The Gilded Palace of Sin - Flying Burrito Bros. 

05 She – GP - Solo

04 Wild Horses – Burrito DeLuxe - Flying Burrito Bros.

03 - Love Hurts -GP - Solo

02 Hickory Wind – Sweetheart of the Rodeo - Byrds

01 Return of the Grievious Angel - Grievous Angel - Solo

Bonus - You Don't Miss Your Water (Otis Redding Cover) - Sweetheart of the Rodeo - Byrds

Enjoy!