BIG CITY BLUES SUGAR MAE · BIG CITY BLUES SUGAR MAE ... & Junior paid a sad visit to Chicago BLUES...
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S ugar Mae & Junior’s New Orleans friends and musicians—Little Freddie King & Wacko Wade, finally made it to the Motor City to perform with the Howling Diablos. As many of you dear readers may remem- ber, in the aftermath of Katrina, Freddie found himself in a motel in Houston, TX, reluctant and afraid to return home. With pressure from his band, fans and longtime friend and drummer Wacko Wade and a little help from a Gimme5! Fundraiser and Habitats for Humanities, Freddie is back home in the Upper Ninth Ward living in one of the new shotgun homes in the Musicians Village. Sugar & Junior couldn’t wait for Little Freddie to bring his southern blues to the rest of the country. Since Freddie rarely plays outside of Louisiana, Michigan welcomed him with open arms and prepared a few gigs. Cold and snow greeted Freddie, who wisely bundled up in six layers of clothes to keep warm. Their first gig was a showstopper at Royal Oak, Michigan’s Home of the Blues— Memphis Smoke, playing with and without Tino Gross and the Howlin’ Diablos. Freddie drew out of a deep bag and put on a great show. The next day they went south 12 miles across the river to Windsor, Canada, where Ted Boomer and the Canada South Blues Society hosted the Howlin’ Diablos and Little Freddie King for two shows. Little Freddie was never so glad to be back across the border in Detroit after a 4 a.m. three-hour wait in the USA/Canada Tunnel border crossing! At noon Junior & Sugar picked up Little Freddie and Wacko for a Saturday road trip first to Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, while Freddie wowed the Roadhouse showing off his guitar and a huge slab of bacon! Then it was off to Kalamazoo, once the home of Gibson Guitars, and to the Club 411—a great new blues club (www.the411club.com) in town owned by former radio personality Marty Spaulding. Marty stunned Junior when he gave him and Sugar the keys to the new Big City Rhythm & Blues Land Yacht—a 1970 silver Airstream. Marty remembers interviewing many blues greats from Luther Allison to Junior Wells and Son Seals backstage at festi- vals in the very same Airstream. Obviously it’s got some very good mojo! Junior & Sugar can’t wait to bring it to Jazzfest and all the summer blues fests. Thank you Marty! Little Freddie got up to play two songs with Jordan Lunardini & the Bad Beat. Six songs later, with the crowd on its feet, Little Freddie and Wade said goodbye, jumped into the van and off they went to Billy’s in Grand Rapids (East Town) to meet Western Michigan Blues Society’s President, Felix Ybarra. The crowd at Billy’s was there for Rev. Peyton’s Big Ass Band, but were knocked out that the New Orleans’ Little Freddie King was in the house. Off into the frigid night to one more stop, Dreamers in Muskegon where Sugar & Junior’s Chicago friend and blues musician Linsey Alexander was wooing the crowd with his big Gibson. Everyone was thrilled when they walked in. More heat to follow. Little Freddie got up and really worked his guitar on the soul circuit crowd. They pushed Linsey up with Freddie, and together they resembled what the Allman Brothers or what ZZ Top creates—Guitar Heaven! Thank you Dreamers! Exhausted they Levon Helm’s Barbara O’Brien and Hubert Sumlin’s Toni Ann Mamary backstage at BB King’s NYC, 2008. Alexis P . Suter, New Year 2009 Day, LogStock, Woodstock. John Primer at 2009 KBA recepient of Blues Club Of The Year! Chicago B.L.U.E.S. HOME! Under the Brooklyn Bridge — The Eagle Warehouse. 2009 begins in Woodstock at Log Stock, L-R; Craig Zimmerman,Hernan "Chino" Busto,Lindsey Elenson,Roy Souza,Beverley Souza,Joni Elenson,Robert Jr and Rob Ramirez and Shirley Mae Owens (with Spirit, Karma, Ramsey And Prana) All photos by Shirley Mae Owens unless otherwise credited. And I Ain’t Lyin’! BLUES BIG CITY SUGAR MAE 60 Big City Blues • February-March 2009
Transcript of BIG CITY BLUES SUGAR MAE · BIG CITY BLUES SUGAR MAE ... & Junior paid a sad visit to Chicago BLUES...
Sugar Mae & Junior’s New Orleansfriends and musicians—LittleFreddie King & Wacko Wade,
finally made it to the Motor City toperform with the Howling Diablos. Asmany of you dear readers may remem-ber, in the aftermath of Katrina,Freddie found himself in a motel inHouston, TX, reluctant and afraid toreturn home. With pressure from his
band, fans and longtime friend anddrummer Wacko Wade and a little helpfrom a Gimme5! Fundraiser andHabitats for Humanities, Freddie isback home in the Upper Ninth Wardliving in one of the new shotgunhomes in the Musicians Village. Sugar& Junior couldn’t wait for Little Freddieto bring his southern blues to the restof the country.
Since Freddie rarely plays outside ofLouisiana, Michigan welcomed himwith open arms and prepared a fewgigs. Cold and snow greeted Freddie,who wisely bundled up in six layers ofclothes to keep warm. Their first gigwas a showstopper at Royal Oak,Michigan’s Home of the Blues—Memphis Smoke, playing with andwithout Tino Gross and the Howlin’Diablos. Freddie drew out of a deepbag and put on a great show. The nextday they went south 12 miles acrossthe river to Windsor, Canada, whereTed Boomer and the Canada SouthBlues Society hosted the Howlin’Diablos and Little Freddie King for twoshows. Little Freddie was never so gladto be back across the border in Detroitafter a 4 a.m. three-hour wait in theUSA/Canada Tunnel border crossing!
At noon Junior & Sugar picked upLittle Freddie and Wacko for a Saturdayroad trip first to Zingerman’sRoadhouse in Ann Arbor, whileFreddie wowed the Roadhouse showingoff his guitar and a huge slab of bacon!Then it was off to Kalamazoo, once thehome of Gibson Guitars, and to theClub 411—a great new blues club(www.the411club.com) in town ownedby former radio personality MartySpaulding. Marty stunned Junior when
he gave him and Sugar the keys to thenew Big City Rhythm & Blues LandYacht—a 1970 silver Airstream. Martyremembers interviewing many bluesgreats from Luther Allison to JuniorWells and Son Seals backstage at festi-vals in the very same Airstream.Obviously it’s got some very goodmojo! Junior & Sugar can’t wait tobring it to Jazzfest and all the summerblues fests. Thank you Marty!
Little Freddie got up to play twosongs with Jordan Lunardini & theBad Beat. Six songs later, with thecrowd on its feet, Little Freddie andWade said goodbye, jumped into thevan and off they went to Billy’s inGrand Rapids (East Town) to meetWestern Michigan Blues Society’sPresident, Felix Ybarra. The crowd atBilly’s was there for Rev. Peyton’s BigAss Band, but were knocked out thatthe New Orleans’ Little Freddie Kingwas in the house. Off into the frigidnight to one more stop, Dreamers inMuskegon where Sugar & Junior’sChicago friend and blues musicianLinsey Alexander was wooing thecrowd with his big Gibson. Everyonewas thrilled when they walked in.More heat to follow. Little Freddie gotup and really worked his guitar on thesoul circuit crowd. They pushed Linseyup with Freddie, and together theyresembled what the Allman Brothers orwhat ZZ Top creates—Guitar Heaven!Thank you Dreamers! Exhausted they
Levon Helm’s Barbara O’Brien and HubertSumlin’s Toni Ann Mamary backstage at BB King’s NYC, 2008.
Alexis P. Suter, New Year 2009 Day,LogStock, Woodstock.
John Primer at 2009 KBA recepient of Blues Club Of The Year! Chicago B.L.U.E.S.
HOME! Under the Brooklyn Bridge — The Eagle Warehouse.
2009 begins in Woodstock at Log Stock, L-R; Craig Zimmerman,Hernan "Chino"Busto,Lindsey Elenson,Roy Souza,Beverley Souza,Joni Elenson,Robert Jr and RobRamirez and Shirley Mae Owens (with Spirit, Karma, Ramsey And Prana)
All photos by Shirley Mae Owens unless otherwise credited.
And I Ain’t Lyin’!
BLUESBIG CITY SUGAR MAE
60 Big City Blues • February-March 2009
roared back to Detroit around 5 amand put Freddie on a 9 am flight backto the Big Easy! Thank-you Freddie!Big City Blues Tours help everyone, themagazine, the club, the artist and thefans! Keep your eye out for more in2009.
On Thanksgiving Eve, Junior laiddown his first recording tracks at DaveFields New York City Studio. Juniorgives details about his 1989Mississippi Crossroads Photographwhile Dave played his steel acousticguitar. It can be heard on the first trackof Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine’sCD Sampler #5—Crosssed Roads.Afterwards they bought tickets forHowlin’ for Hubert benefit at BBKing’s Times Square featuring HubertSumlin, Levon Helm, DavidJohannson, Jimmy Vivino, JohnSebastian, Catherine Russell and JoeLouis Walker. Junior captured thishigh energy event on film and will bean upcoming April/May cover.
After the show Levon asked,“Junior, when are you coming to visitme?” Junior smiled and said that hewould love to come to Woodstock tohis Midnight Ramble for New Year’sEve, but it’s sold out. Levon told himto come and bring Sugar. OnThanksgiving Day they went home tothe Pocono for a big feast – thank youEric & Mother!
After Thanksgiving weekend Sugar& Junior paid a sad visit to ChicagoBLUES to pay their respects to ChicoBanks who often performed there andsuddenly died. They had just spent aweek with Chico on the LegendaryRhythm & Blues Cruise. Sad but trueand too young to die, Chico always hada smile for you. On stage that night
John Primer had a moment of silencefor Chico. He will be missed. The nextday Sugar spoke to HoneyboyEdwards at Buddy Guy’s Legendsbefore he took the stage. “I’m goin’ tothe White House tomorrow and I haveto get a tux,” reported Honey as hiseyes sparkled. He and many otherblues musicians performed at theKennedy Center to honorMississippian movie star and bluesclub owner Morgan Freeman.
Sugar & Junior did make it toWoodstock, NY to visit Joni Elensonand Rob Ramirez and Levon Helm fora New Year celebration at the MidnightRamble. Junior’s Christmas presentfrom Sugar—a GPS Garmin came inhandy and they arrived effortlessly atthe right address and never got lostonce. Hallelujah! Joni & Rob have beenbuilding their dream log home—Logstock for the past 6 years underOverlook Mountain. Sugar couldn’tbelieve her eyes when she opened thetwo large sets of tall, glass encased ironfront doors. The entryway floor wassolid glass that looked down to aswimming pool below, and when youlook up through the second floor madeof glass too there was two large swing-ing sphere chairs hanging on chainsfrom the beam in between the elevatortube. The huge bayou cypress skirtedlogs were amazing, and the tiles madeof slabs of log were perfect. The largefireplace greeted them and warmlyreflected off the copper ceilings. Sugar& Junior were the first couple to sleepthere and their first time on a roundbed. Sugar & Junior were awestruck,and immediately decided ‘dis is it forthe weekend and bring it on—a NewYear!
On New Year’s Eve, Junior was notquite sure what do about whether ornot they were really on the guest listfor Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramblewith Alexis P. Suter opening. Finallythey got the green light and arrived toLevon’s home, not too far from Joni &Rob’s. Levon lives in the woods downa winding driveway. It was a cold coldnight minus-10 degrees, and the park-ing lot was a skating rink. They soonwarmed up inside and found a banquetof food. Everyone brings something toshare. They climbed a flight up andentered the music room that was like abig barn and people were hovering andsitting on two different levels surround-ing the rectangle stage. Alexis P. Suterput on an outstanding performance.Her voice is unmatched and rich andthere was no comparison with anyother female voice in the room. LevonHelm’s set was heavenly, backed byJimmy Vivino and a tight horn section.What an angel he is!. Despite a cold,Levon smiled and enjoyed the last dayof the year with his beautiful daughterAmy Helm and her band Ollabelle. Itfelt like everyone was one big family.For the New Year, apple cider toastswere poured for the midnight celebra-tion. Many thanks to Levon and hisfamily and staff.
For New Year’s Day Joni & Rob hada big blow out party with Alexis P.Suter and band as well as many oftheir handy men and constructionworkers sat in. Junior videotaped it all.It was a ball. On Jan. 2, 2009 Sugar &Junior drove 80 miles to Bethel Woods,NY to see where the 1969 WoodstockFestival was held. The holy ground isstill in one piece and you can even seewhere the stage once was. Saturdaythey drove 40 miles to Club Helsinkiin Great Barrington, MA to see theHolmes Brothers. It was a tiny clubbut it works, and the owner has hadover 1800 dates. Sugar followed Juniordown some stairs through a narrowwatch your head hallway to their back-stage green room and there sat theHolmes Brothers, happy to see them.Wendell was sad to miss the LegendaryRhythm & Blues Cruise due to his com-pleting chemo for bladder cancer. Getbetter Wendell!
So long Joni & Rob & our newWoodstock family, but not for long. Wewill be back to celebrate again maybefor the 40th anniversary.
Look for Sugar & Junior who arealways on the move traveling coast tocoast in 2009. See you out there!
Love & happiness,Sugar Mae
Little Freddie King and Marty Spaulding at Kalamazoo's Club 411.
Honeyboy and his honey — his daughter Betty Washington, at Buddy Guy's Legends.
Howlin For Hubert, Jimmy Vivino, David Johansen, Hubert Sumlin, BBKing's NYC, 2008
Robert Jr & FX's Rescue Me's John Scurti on a porch at Levon Helm's Ramble, Dec. 31st 2008.
61February-March 2009 • Big City Blues
