Hope all is well in your blue world...
I am out on the road with my new band The Wheel, featuring sax/vocalist Jimmy Carpenter, bassist Scot Sutherland, and drummer Rob Lee.
We are out on our official first tour running through the south. Many of you know these fabulous musicians from other great groups and maybe from playing with me as well. I have been writing my new album "Gone to Texas" all year long with an idea of my dream band for this recording.
I saw Rob Lee play drums with Alan Haynes at The Big Easy in Houston years ago and fell in love....
Not like that!
It's his strong, soulful backbeat and swing that really got my attention.
Rob has been playing drums with me for about 3-4 years. He was brought in around the recording of Pearl River. He was booked to be the drummer on that album. He was on tour in Europe with Alan Haynes and their flight got held back and he had to contact me to let me know he didn't think he'd make it in time for the album. It was a frantic situation but being in New Orleans we had a few options and Eric Bolivar was brought in for the recording. Eric did a great job, but I've always been remiss that Rob wasn't on Pearl River.
We have been wanting to make an album together for some time and I am excited to have Rob join me in this new group and album.
Many of my favorite artists always have had a drummer that was their "sound".
Bruce Springsteen with Max Weinberg,
John Melloncamp with Kenny Aronoff,
Mike Zito with Rob Lee.
I first saw Scot Sutherland play bass with Tommy Castro in 2010 at the Blues from the Top festival in Winter Park, Co. I was blown away. He filled the stage with bass and moved the music with a swing that was immaculate. We jammed on the Delbert cruise and had a real rapport right away. He plays all the right notes and knows all the styles and feels that i love. I've always kept Scot in mind for my dream band and its coming true.
I met Jimmy Carpenter in 1998 in Springfield, Mo. with Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers. I had seen him play before and was excited to share the stage with him. He liked my group and offered to help me get some gigs on the road. We stayed in touch over the years and we both moved to the gulf coast about 10 years ago.
He set the bar very high for me considering horn players. I was a big Drivers fan in those days and really liked the sound of a sax with the guitar.
I've been so fortunate to have him accompany me on many gigs over the past 5 years and we just seem to really play well together. Jimmy is not your regular saxophonist. He really knows how to play with a guitar. He phrases like a guitar when necessary and gets a strong tenor tone like no other. Their are times when it sounds like we are one big guitar tone. He is soulful and melodic like no other.
We are out on this tour to get acquainted as a group and get our mindset for next months recording at Dockside Studios.
Their is one more member of The Wheel - Lewis Stephens on B3 and Piano!
I met Lewis on the Delbert cruise in 2009 and got to play with him. Wow!
He is incredible. He played all the right stuff behind my guitar playing, it made me sound so much larger than life.
I then learned that Lewis was Freddie King's B3 player. Aha!!!
He is such a sweet man and shared many stories with me about Mr King, one of my heros of the blues.
I asked him then if he would ever consider playing and recording with me and he said yes.
Lewis will join us in January for the album.
So, I've had these fabulous musicians on my mind and in my heart for some time. I wrote this album with them in mind and with the idea of a big band.
A big sound. A Texas style E Street Band!
With all the success of RSB this year I knew I would need to really step it up in my solo career. The Wheel is the next chapter of my musical book.
We are all very excited to make this album. I believe I have written some of my best material to date and have the group to truly bring it to life.
I've been so blessed this year in my family and my musical career, I couldn't ask for more.
I've had some tough times too but the music always get me through.
I hope that you all have a wonderful Holiday Season, please be safe and enjoy your loved ones. You never know what's around the turns ahead.
Hopefully all good things.
The Wheel will roll on :)
Peace, Love, Zito
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Brothers Abroad
The Royal Southern Brotherhood embarked on a 28 day/24 show tour on Oct 15th. It was the last tour of a long year for this group that has really been blessed with success. We are currently on our way to Winterbach, Germany with about a week left before we head home. The audiences have been magnificent and gracious. Very open to our style of music, very open to the diversity in our group and our songs.
It's always uplifting and motivating to travel so far and have such acceptance of your songs.
We performed for the famous Rockpalast television program in Bonn Germany. This has been a dream of mine for a long time. It was an incredible experience and I think a real high energy captured performance by our group. (Also, my hair looked pretty good)
We played a small club in Paris called La Duvan du Monde on a Monday night just 2 km from a small club where the Rolling Stones were performing that same night. It got real exciting for a second. Cyril had toured with the Stones when singing for the Meters in the 70's and also on his own with the traveling circus tours.
Calls were made, publicists and managers reached out hoping for a meet and greet and ultimately putting our album in the hands of the Rolling Stones. Alas, we received word from their camp that they knew we were in town and were sorry they couldn't see us but wished a good show and tour.
I was pretty impressed! It was a strange old club with lots of fog and bright lights and old balcony.
I kept imagining seeing Keith and Mick through the fog sitting in the balcony by themselves watching our set.
We ended the show with our encore of Gimme Shelter and I swear they were hiding in the shadows.......
As we get close to ending a years worth of touring and work, we all feel elated and thankful. It's been a wonderful ride so far and we look forward to our next chapter in 2013.
Thank you all so much for the kind , loving support that this band needed to get off the ground. I have a new band of brothers that I feel at home with and new music to brighten my soul.
Thank you to Devon, Cyril, Charlie and Yonrico for all the wonderful shows and good times on the road. (Lots of laughter) A big thanks to Rueben Williams and Thomas Ruf for being there every step of the way. And thank you to all at Piedmont Talent for pushing hard for this band.
Devon has a solo album coming out in February called "Turquoise" on Ruf Records, I think his best work to date.
Cyril is recording a solo album in December that will come out next year.
Yours truly will go into the studio in January to record my new album "Gone to Texas", which will come out next summer.
All is well in our world thanks to you.
See you on the road.....
It's always uplifting and motivating to travel so far and have such acceptance of your songs.
We performed for the famous Rockpalast television program in Bonn Germany. This has been a dream of mine for a long time. It was an incredible experience and I think a real high energy captured performance by our group. (Also, my hair looked pretty good)
We played a small club in Paris called La Duvan du Monde on a Monday night just 2 km from a small club where the Rolling Stones were performing that same night. It got real exciting for a second. Cyril had toured with the Stones when singing for the Meters in the 70's and also on his own with the traveling circus tours.
Calls were made, publicists and managers reached out hoping for a meet and greet and ultimately putting our album in the hands of the Rolling Stones. Alas, we received word from their camp that they knew we were in town and were sorry they couldn't see us but wished a good show and tour.
I was pretty impressed! It was a strange old club with lots of fog and bright lights and old balcony.
I kept imagining seeing Keith and Mick through the fog sitting in the balcony by themselves watching our set.
We ended the show with our encore of Gimme Shelter and I swear they were hiding in the shadows.......
As we get close to ending a years worth of touring and work, we all feel elated and thankful. It's been a wonderful ride so far and we look forward to our next chapter in 2013.
Thank you all so much for the kind , loving support that this band needed to get off the ground. I have a new band of brothers that I feel at home with and new music to brighten my soul.
Thank you to Devon, Cyril, Charlie and Yonrico for all the wonderful shows and good times on the road. (Lots of laughter) A big thanks to Rueben Williams and Thomas Ruf for being there every step of the way. And thank you to all at Piedmont Talent for pushing hard for this band.
Devon has a solo album coming out in February called "Turquoise" on Ruf Records, I think his best work to date.
Cyril is recording a solo album in December that will come out next year.
Yours truly will go into the studio in January to record my new album "Gone to Texas", which will come out next summer.
All is well in our world thanks to you.
See you on the road.....
Monday, September 24, 2012
On the road
We spend a lot of time on the road.....
Literally, I spend most of my time in a year on the highway in a van. Most of that time is in the middle of cities on a road that always looks the same. Farmland, hills, truck-stops, small towns, toll roads, rest stops, chem trails...... :)
The road goes on forever.
It's never ending and always constant.
It's every bathroom in every town with every vulgar racist political nonsense you could never imagine on the walls.
It's Doritos and Mars bars, Cokes and coffees all staring you in the face when you're telling yourself you need to find something good to eat. It's gray faced, low talking, midnight cashiers all asking if that's you on pump 9.
Watching tv shows on your phone,
listening to Lightning Hopkins, John Hiatt, Sonny Landreth and Richard Pryor. Taking turns in the shotgun seat,
and laying down a lot but never really sleeping.
Most of us just become zombie like people with one question.....
"How much longer?"
Then their are times when we engage in storytelling. We start laughing together at Louis C.K.
Cyril starts telling us about being on tour with the Rolling Stones,
Yonrico talks about playing with Ray Charles, I share a delicious drug story from way back. Devon and Bobby gets excited about tacos or football.
Everyone starts sitting up and looking around. We start sharing our favorite. music with each other.
This is a ritualistic period of time and we hardly think about it....
It's the last hour of the drive.
We've been riding for 12 hours all day and the last hour it gets really fun....
almost as if we don't want it to end.
It's like being held hostage and fearing for your life, only to be set free and strangely missing your ordeal.
So when we say "we're on the road"
we are literally on the road. You might think its a term used to describe the night to night concerts in different cities, but very little time is spent on stage.
This is not a cry for help, a whoa is me,
or even a romantic glimpse. It's just another blog from the tour. I run out of things to write about sometimes and go with whatever gets me typing.
We drive 12 hours today to Birmingham, Al.
"I'd love to stick around but I'm running behind.....you know I don't even know what I'm hoping to find.....
Running into the sun
but I'm running behind"
Peace, Love, Zito
Literally, I spend most of my time in a year on the highway in a van. Most of that time is in the middle of cities on a road that always looks the same. Farmland, hills, truck-stops, small towns, toll roads, rest stops, chem trails...... :)
The road goes on forever.
It's never ending and always constant.
It's every bathroom in every town with every vulgar racist political nonsense you could never imagine on the walls.
It's Doritos and Mars bars, Cokes and coffees all staring you in the face when you're telling yourself you need to find something good to eat. It's gray faced, low talking, midnight cashiers all asking if that's you on pump 9.
Watching tv shows on your phone,
listening to Lightning Hopkins, John Hiatt, Sonny Landreth and Richard Pryor. Taking turns in the shotgun seat,
and laying down a lot but never really sleeping.
Most of us just become zombie like people with one question.....
"How much longer?"
Then their are times when we engage in storytelling. We start laughing together at Louis C.K.
Cyril starts telling us about being on tour with the Rolling Stones,
Yonrico talks about playing with Ray Charles, I share a delicious drug story from way back. Devon and Bobby gets excited about tacos or football.
Everyone starts sitting up and looking around. We start sharing our favorite. music with each other.
This is a ritualistic period of time and we hardly think about it....
It's the last hour of the drive.
We've been riding for 12 hours all day and the last hour it gets really fun....
almost as if we don't want it to end.
It's like being held hostage and fearing for your life, only to be set free and strangely missing your ordeal.
So when we say "we're on the road"
we are literally on the road. You might think its a term used to describe the night to night concerts in different cities, but very little time is spent on stage.
This is not a cry for help, a whoa is me,
or even a romantic glimpse. It's just another blog from the tour. I run out of things to write about sometimes and go with whatever gets me typing.
We drive 12 hours today to Birmingham, Al.
"I'd love to stick around but I'm running behind.....you know I don't even know what I'm hoping to find.....
Running into the sun
but I'm running behind"
Peace, Love, Zito
Thursday, September 6, 2012
a blue room.......
Hope all is well in your blue world folks.......
I have so much to write about this week, I've kinda been putting it off a little.
It was Labor Day Weekend and that was a hell of a time!
The Royal Southern Brotherhood was back in full force this weekend.
On Friday night we kicked it off at Deb's Blues Farm.
It was the 10th Anniversary of this private blues extravaganza out on a farm in Montgomery City, Mo.
I met Deb Reitz about 8 years ago in Columbia, Mo at the Martini Bar.
Before that I met her friend Donna in Houston at the Big Easy.
I was playing one of the blues jams and Donna introduced herself, said she liked my sound.
Asked where I was from and I told her Saint Louis. She then told me about the Blues Farm.
Having lived in Missouri almost all of my life, I couldn't believe I had never heard of it.
This woman, Deb, was having a private blues fest with Tab Benoit, Preston Hubbard and others.
I said I have to do this Blues Farm.
I met Deb about a year later and begged her to let me come play at her party.
She liked my band and agreed to have us.
This year was the 10th Anniversary of the Blues Farm and it was my 7th year in a row.
The best people in Missouri come out every year for this party, bbq, bring dinners, bake cakes and cookies (you might wanna ask about the brownies before you eat one).
It's a hell of a party and is out on her beautiful farm. It's a mini Woodstock of sorts.
Unfortunately it rained this year, but that didn't stop us and the fine folks from having a great time.
RSB was there along with Anthony Gomes, Tony Campanella, Matt Hill, Preston Hubbard.
Deb is a real fan of music and first rate friend. She petitioned everyone to join the Blues Foundation when I was nominated for the BMA's and I believe single handedly helped me to win in 2010.
I will forever be grateful for her friendship and support.
I look forward to many more Blues Farms!
Saturday, RSB performed at the Big Muddy Blues Fest in Saint Louis.
As I wrote in the past, this was a very big deal for me and the city really came out in support.
The band was on fire and brought the house down!
It was a good feeling to be in my hometown and get such a warm response.
Saturday evening I played a late night set at BB's, Jazz, Blues and Soups in Saint Louis.
This was a special event as well. I didn't have my band with me so I contacted the rhythm section and former bandmates from my first album "Blue Room" Bryan Zielie and Doug Byrkit.
We decided to do a small reunion show and perform the entire album on stage.
The best part, we had not played together for 13 years!
We did not rehearse, we just listened to that old album and tried to play it stylistically to the best of our ability. It was a hoot!!!
First off, I had not listened to this album in a long, long time. I could not help but laugh at myself and how wild I was. The guitar playing is really over the top and crazy sounding and at speeds I could never conjure up again. The singing is not really singing, but more like a talking/screaming vocal.
It really brought back memories doing this show and listening to that album.
Brian and Doug and I were a real band. "Zito" was the band name and we played 5-6 times a week for years in Saint Louis. We all lived in my sisters house on the southside. We practiced almost everyday,
and had parties every night. It was all in good fun in those days, we were all pretty young and just having a blast. Their was no drugs yet or anything ugly, just too much drinking and lots of friends hanging out. Eventually we ran our course. I got more into drinking and yes early drug stages and the guys were looking to do more than just play blues rock. We parted ways and that was 13 years ago.
I have to say, these guys are excellent musicians and super good dudes and if I may say so myself,
I think it almost sounded like the album. I know for me, it felt like it.
below is a short clip of "Lovering" from that show.
Thanks to Brian and Doug for a great night- looking forward to doing it again!
You never know exactly when you're having one of the best times of your life, when you're younger,
until many years later when you can look back and remember it for what it truly was.
3 young guys, trying to play music and get chicks and have as much fun as they possibly could.
We succeeded gentlemen.
It's also bittersweet at this point in my life to know that it will never happen again, not like that.
But it's happening right now at my home with my family and in RSB and I am aware and awake and
very, very grateful. I'm taking it all in.
Peace, Love, Zito
http://youtu.be/0IMlmyEue5I
I have so much to write about this week, I've kinda been putting it off a little.
It was Labor Day Weekend and that was a hell of a time!
The Royal Southern Brotherhood was back in full force this weekend.
On Friday night we kicked it off at Deb's Blues Farm.
It was the 10th Anniversary of this private blues extravaganza out on a farm in Montgomery City, Mo.
I met Deb Reitz about 8 years ago in Columbia, Mo at the Martini Bar.
Before that I met her friend Donna in Houston at the Big Easy.
I was playing one of the blues jams and Donna introduced herself, said she liked my sound.
Asked where I was from and I told her Saint Louis. She then told me about the Blues Farm.
Having lived in Missouri almost all of my life, I couldn't believe I had never heard of it.
This woman, Deb, was having a private blues fest with Tab Benoit, Preston Hubbard and others.
I said I have to do this Blues Farm.
I met Deb about a year later and begged her to let me come play at her party.
She liked my band and agreed to have us.
This year was the 10th Anniversary of the Blues Farm and it was my 7th year in a row.
The best people in Missouri come out every year for this party, bbq, bring dinners, bake cakes and cookies (you might wanna ask about the brownies before you eat one).
It's a hell of a party and is out on her beautiful farm. It's a mini Woodstock of sorts.
Unfortunately it rained this year, but that didn't stop us and the fine folks from having a great time.
RSB was there along with Anthony Gomes, Tony Campanella, Matt Hill, Preston Hubbard.
Deb is a real fan of music and first rate friend. She petitioned everyone to join the Blues Foundation when I was nominated for the BMA's and I believe single handedly helped me to win in 2010.
I will forever be grateful for her friendship and support.
I look forward to many more Blues Farms!
Saturday, RSB performed at the Big Muddy Blues Fest in Saint Louis.
As I wrote in the past, this was a very big deal for me and the city really came out in support.
The band was on fire and brought the house down!
It was a good feeling to be in my hometown and get such a warm response.
Saturday evening I played a late night set at BB's, Jazz, Blues and Soups in Saint Louis.
This was a special event as well. I didn't have my band with me so I contacted the rhythm section and former bandmates from my first album "Blue Room" Bryan Zielie and Doug Byrkit.
We decided to do a small reunion show and perform the entire album on stage.
The best part, we had not played together for 13 years!
We did not rehearse, we just listened to that old album and tried to play it stylistically to the best of our ability. It was a hoot!!!
First off, I had not listened to this album in a long, long time. I could not help but laugh at myself and how wild I was. The guitar playing is really over the top and crazy sounding and at speeds I could never conjure up again. The singing is not really singing, but more like a talking/screaming vocal.
It really brought back memories doing this show and listening to that album.
Brian and Doug and I were a real band. "Zito" was the band name and we played 5-6 times a week for years in Saint Louis. We all lived in my sisters house on the southside. We practiced almost everyday,
and had parties every night. It was all in good fun in those days, we were all pretty young and just having a blast. Their was no drugs yet or anything ugly, just too much drinking and lots of friends hanging out. Eventually we ran our course. I got more into drinking and yes early drug stages and the guys were looking to do more than just play blues rock. We parted ways and that was 13 years ago.
I have to say, these guys are excellent musicians and super good dudes and if I may say so myself,
I think it almost sounded like the album. I know for me, it felt like it.
below is a short clip of "Lovering" from that show.
Thanks to Brian and Doug for a great night- looking forward to doing it again!
You never know exactly when you're having one of the best times of your life, when you're younger,
until many years later when you can look back and remember it for what it truly was.
3 young guys, trying to play music and get chicks and have as much fun as they possibly could.
We succeeded gentlemen.
It's also bittersweet at this point in my life to know that it will never happen again, not like that.
But it's happening right now at my home with my family and in RSB and I am aware and awake and
very, very grateful. I'm taking it all in.
Peace, Love, Zito
http://youtu.be/0IMlmyEue5I
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Swiss Miss Please
So, every time I get the honor of traveling overseas I get a list of requests of what to bring my friends and family back. We just flew into Switzerland this past weekend to perform for the Blues Now Concert Series in Basel and the Sierre Blues Fest in Sierre. I usually get the uncertainty of exactly what country this is..."Sweden?....Germany?..."
Then it starts:
"Hey bring me back some chocolate!"
"Hey don't they make Swiss Cheese?"
"Bring me back a hot Swiss girl!"
and finally "Bring me back some Swiss Miss!!"
I do my best to accomodate my people. Chocolate is always a winner.
I have played now in Europe for about 5 years. It's a slow process but rewarding and always
very fun for me. I love to travel abroad and learn things about other cultures.
You find that no matter where you go, people are people.
I always make a friend or two and some of them really stick.
We find that we have a common interest in music and family and that we are not all that different.
I met Patrick Kaiser last year when we played the Blues Now Concert Series in spring of 2011.
It was the first show of the tour and we really hit off. Patrick and his partners Rene' and Wolter are
very much music lovers and wonderful people. Patrick and his wife Beatrice brought us into their home for dinner and we all talked for hours on end about the Blues, Jazz and music in general.
The people of Basel are modest and straight forward. If they like what they hear, they'll let you know.
Thankfully the initial show at Blues Now was a success.
Now, 15 months later, we returned to Basel to perform again for Patrick and the fine folks in Basel.
The Blues Now Concert Series is extremely professional. The sound is fantastic and the concert hall was really great. This year Cadillac was the big sponsor. The show was full at about 250 people.
Once again Patrick spared no expense at making sure we were happy and having a wonderful experience in Switzerland. We had many meals together and the best is at his home with the family and band. We again sat for hours discussing the music business and the Blues. Who we liked, who we didn't know and so on. We always take a lovely ride over the Rhine River on a ferry when heading to Patricks home. Basel is a wonderful city, very charming and quiet. Beautiful old buildings and scenery that is incredible. This year I was very fortunate to have Rob Lee on drums, Andy Irvine on bass, and Jimmy Carpenter on sax and vocals. What a great bunch of guys and tight ass band.
I have been watching Jimmy C play since 1998. We met at Murphy's in Springfield, Mo. when I opened for Jimmy Thackery. We hit it off right away and have been friends ever since.
The show in Basel was a wonderful show, the people cheering after every solo and dancing in the ailes.
Patrick was very happy and so was I.
There is just something amazing about traveling half way around the world to play music you wrote in your home and have everyone accept it, enjoy it and cheer for more.
Patrick Kaiser is a wonderful man and brother in the blues.
I am back home now, hanging on in the midst of Hurricane Isaac. Hoping for the best for my family and friends in Louisiana and Mississippi.
We fly out this Friday to resume performances with the Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Peace, Love, Zito
Then it starts:
"Hey bring me back some chocolate!"
"Hey don't they make Swiss Cheese?"
"Bring me back a hot Swiss girl!"
and finally "Bring me back some Swiss Miss!!"
I do my best to accomodate my people. Chocolate is always a winner.
I have played now in Europe for about 5 years. It's a slow process but rewarding and always
very fun for me. I love to travel abroad and learn things about other cultures.
You find that no matter where you go, people are people.
I always make a friend or two and some of them really stick.
We find that we have a common interest in music and family and that we are not all that different.
I met Patrick Kaiser last year when we played the Blues Now Concert Series in spring of 2011.
It was the first show of the tour and we really hit off. Patrick and his partners Rene' and Wolter are
very much music lovers and wonderful people. Patrick and his wife Beatrice brought us into their home for dinner and we all talked for hours on end about the Blues, Jazz and music in general.
The people of Basel are modest and straight forward. If they like what they hear, they'll let you know.
Thankfully the initial show at Blues Now was a success.
Now, 15 months later, we returned to Basel to perform again for Patrick and the fine folks in Basel.
The Blues Now Concert Series is extremely professional. The sound is fantastic and the concert hall was really great. This year Cadillac was the big sponsor. The show was full at about 250 people.
Once again Patrick spared no expense at making sure we were happy and having a wonderful experience in Switzerland. We had many meals together and the best is at his home with the family and band. We again sat for hours discussing the music business and the Blues. Who we liked, who we didn't know and so on. We always take a lovely ride over the Rhine River on a ferry when heading to Patricks home. Basel is a wonderful city, very charming and quiet. Beautiful old buildings and scenery that is incredible. This year I was very fortunate to have Rob Lee on drums, Andy Irvine on bass, and Jimmy Carpenter on sax and vocals. What a great bunch of guys and tight ass band.
I have been watching Jimmy C play since 1998. We met at Murphy's in Springfield, Mo. when I opened for Jimmy Thackery. We hit it off right away and have been friends ever since.
The show in Basel was a wonderful show, the people cheering after every solo and dancing in the ailes.
Patrick was very happy and so was I.
There is just something amazing about traveling half way around the world to play music you wrote in your home and have everyone accept it, enjoy it and cheer for more.
Patrick Kaiser is a wonderful man and brother in the blues.
I am back home now, hanging on in the midst of Hurricane Isaac. Hoping for the best for my family and friends in Louisiana and Mississippi.
We fly out this Friday to resume performances with the Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Peace, Love, Zito
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Back to School
Well, it's that time of year again....summer is ending and it's back to school.
I have 5 children so this is a big deal. My oldest son, Zach will be a senior in high school.
Riley, my oldest daughter, will be starting middle school. Sophie, my 5 year old, is starting Kindergarten. This is a big year for sure.
I have been on tour all summer with RSB, but got home a week or so ago and have had some much needed time at home with my family. New shoes, back packs, school clothes....the list goes on.
I'm always happy when I get to contribute to the every day particulars at home.
It seems silly to some folks, but cleaning up after dinner, laundry, getting the kids ready for school,
it really means a lot to me. It helps to feel like I am a part of the family and even when I am apart.
I was never a good student, but I was a good student.........
I did not get good grades in school. Hard to believe, right? :)
I was always in trouble for talking or doing stand up comedy or something.
I wasn't a fighter, or so much a shit disturber, just wanted an audience at an early age.
I never did my homework, never studied for anything, yet I usually did well on my testing.
I have a good memory, but it doesn't always equal understanding the subject.
I can just remember most things I hear or read.
Anyway, I got terrible grades, mostly because I never applied myself.
But.......I loved going to school. I loved going to see my friends everyday. My brother and sisters were all older and I loved going to hang out and play with my friends.
I especially loved high school.
I was not popular, but I wasn't a castaway either, just somewhere in the middle.
I went to Catholic school all of my life, which is an institution in Saint Louis.
My high school was Bishop Dubourg. It was Co-ed :)
I was kinda chubby and dorky and really into music and theater.
I wanted to be an actor almost all of my life. They had an exceptional theater dept. for a high school at Dubourg, and I was in every play all four years. I did 15 plays in high school.
I was the only male to ever accomplish this feat at the time. I received a small scholarship to get me started in college, but with my horrible grades, it didn't help much. But I was thankful.
Dubourg is where I met my first friends who really knew how to play guitar.
I had a guitar but did not know how to tune it even, let alone lay anything.
I just tuned it to an open chord and strummed hard and loud.
Mark Mitchell and Keith Snyder showed me how to tune the guitar, how to hold it, how to pick,
and how to play real chords. They were both very good and had been taking lessons.
Like school, I didn't want to learn anything, I just wanted to play.
They had a band and they needed a singer.
I came over and auditioned after school. The band was called Mas Confusion......
Rob Adler was the drummer and a guy from another high school was the lead guitarist - Jeff Slay.
Jeff Slay is the son of Gene Slay. Gene Slay went to high school with my mother.
The Slay family lived in the same neighborhood as my father's family in Soulard.
My father grew up in a mostly Lebanese/Syrian part of town. The Slay's were always in my life since I was born. I knew who Jeff Slay was and maybe met him when I was younger at Saint Raymond's Church. Jeff was an incredibly good guitar player, even at 14 years old.
He'd been taking lessons and learning how to play for a while. He had an Ibanez Destroyer and a red Marshall Stack!!!
He was the first person I ever saw in real life play guitar like I heard on my records.
He played Van Halen and it sounded exactly like Van Halen!
This was a HUGE revelation in my life. I thought you had to be famous to be able to play that good.
From that moment on, I was determined to lean how to play guitar.
I started taking lessons and practicing with the band all the time.
Needless to say, I did not go to college. I went to work at a local guitar store.
I did not get good grades, I did not do my home work......but I loved going to school.
It was just so much fun. I didn't drink in school, I didn't do drugs in school. None of us really did.
We just played music and practiced with the band in Rob Adler's basement.
I remain friends with all these guys today, and my closest friend is Jeff Slay.
He never really got into playing in bands much after high school. He's very talented in many ways and has always had plenty of options.
He has been behind me and my music career 100% since day one.
He's loaned me guitars, given me guitars, amps, helped fund my albums and tours.
He's always involved in anyway possible. When I made my first album for Eclecto Groove Records,
Jeff flew to Hollywood to be there with me and give me the thumbs up I needed.
He's always making sure I am playing guitar and not just playing music! As I have evolved into a song writer and singer, Jeff reminds me to play guitar. To let loose and be fun on the guitar still.
I need that push. When I make an album or record a song, Jeff is one of the first people I send it to for approval. It's been 28 years since we first joined a band together, and he's still right there with me.
He's always a phone call away, if I need anything, or just want to share some of the excitement from my latest tour, Jeff wants to hear about it.
He's lived an exciting, interesting life so far and still plays the hell out of a guitar.
Here is a link to a video at Santa Cruz Guitars website:
http://www.santacruzguitar.com/cowgirl/
The story on this website is incredible, and it's all Jeff Slay.
scroll down and watch the video of him playing and telling the story.
I hope my kids enjoy school as much as I did, although I pray they get much better grades!
Mostly, I hope they make good friends, make good choices and maybe they'll make a friend or two
that will stay with them for long haul.
Peace, Love, Zito
I have 5 children so this is a big deal. My oldest son, Zach will be a senior in high school.
Riley, my oldest daughter, will be starting middle school. Sophie, my 5 year old, is starting Kindergarten. This is a big year for sure.
I have been on tour all summer with RSB, but got home a week or so ago and have had some much needed time at home with my family. New shoes, back packs, school clothes....the list goes on.
I'm always happy when I get to contribute to the every day particulars at home.
It seems silly to some folks, but cleaning up after dinner, laundry, getting the kids ready for school,
it really means a lot to me. It helps to feel like I am a part of the family and even when I am apart.
I was never a good student, but I was a good student.........
I did not get good grades in school. Hard to believe, right? :)
I was always in trouble for talking or doing stand up comedy or something.
I wasn't a fighter, or so much a shit disturber, just wanted an audience at an early age.
I never did my homework, never studied for anything, yet I usually did well on my testing.
I have a good memory, but it doesn't always equal understanding the subject.
I can just remember most things I hear or read.
Anyway, I got terrible grades, mostly because I never applied myself.
But.......I loved going to school. I loved going to see my friends everyday. My brother and sisters were all older and I loved going to hang out and play with my friends.
I especially loved high school.
I was not popular, but I wasn't a castaway either, just somewhere in the middle.
I went to Catholic school all of my life, which is an institution in Saint Louis.
My high school was Bishop Dubourg. It was Co-ed :)
I was kinda chubby and dorky and really into music and theater.
I wanted to be an actor almost all of my life. They had an exceptional theater dept. for a high school at Dubourg, and I was in every play all four years. I did 15 plays in high school.
I was the only male to ever accomplish this feat at the time. I received a small scholarship to get me started in college, but with my horrible grades, it didn't help much. But I was thankful.
Dubourg is where I met my first friends who really knew how to play guitar.
I had a guitar but did not know how to tune it even, let alone lay anything.
I just tuned it to an open chord and strummed hard and loud.
Mark Mitchell and Keith Snyder showed me how to tune the guitar, how to hold it, how to pick,
and how to play real chords. They were both very good and had been taking lessons.
Like school, I didn't want to learn anything, I just wanted to play.
They had a band and they needed a singer.
I came over and auditioned after school. The band was called Mas Confusion......
Rob Adler was the drummer and a guy from another high school was the lead guitarist - Jeff Slay.
Jeff Slay is the son of Gene Slay. Gene Slay went to high school with my mother.
The Slay family lived in the same neighborhood as my father's family in Soulard.
My father grew up in a mostly Lebanese/Syrian part of town. The Slay's were always in my life since I was born. I knew who Jeff Slay was and maybe met him when I was younger at Saint Raymond's Church. Jeff was an incredibly good guitar player, even at 14 years old.
He'd been taking lessons and learning how to play for a while. He had an Ibanez Destroyer and a red Marshall Stack!!!
He was the first person I ever saw in real life play guitar like I heard on my records.
He played Van Halen and it sounded exactly like Van Halen!
This was a HUGE revelation in my life. I thought you had to be famous to be able to play that good.
From that moment on, I was determined to lean how to play guitar.
I started taking lessons and practicing with the band all the time.
Needless to say, I did not go to college. I went to work at a local guitar store.
I did not get good grades, I did not do my home work......but I loved going to school.
It was just so much fun. I didn't drink in school, I didn't do drugs in school. None of us really did.
We just played music and practiced with the band in Rob Adler's basement.
I remain friends with all these guys today, and my closest friend is Jeff Slay.
He never really got into playing in bands much after high school. He's very talented in many ways and has always had plenty of options.
He has been behind me and my music career 100% since day one.
He's loaned me guitars, given me guitars, amps, helped fund my albums and tours.
He's always involved in anyway possible. When I made my first album for Eclecto Groove Records,
Jeff flew to Hollywood to be there with me and give me the thumbs up I needed.
He's always making sure I am playing guitar and not just playing music! As I have evolved into a song writer and singer, Jeff reminds me to play guitar. To let loose and be fun on the guitar still.
I need that push. When I make an album or record a song, Jeff is one of the first people I send it to for approval. It's been 28 years since we first joined a band together, and he's still right there with me.
He's always a phone call away, if I need anything, or just want to share some of the excitement from my latest tour, Jeff wants to hear about it.
He's lived an exciting, interesting life so far and still plays the hell out of a guitar.
Here is a link to a video at Santa Cruz Guitars website:
http://www.santacruzguitar.com/cowgirl/
The story on this website is incredible, and it's all Jeff Slay.
scroll down and watch the video of him playing and telling the story.
I hope my kids enjoy school as much as I did, although I pray they get much better grades!
Mostly, I hope they make good friends, make good choices and maybe they'll make a friend or two
that will stay with them for long haul.
Peace, Love, Zito
Saturday, August 11, 2012
A summer ends
Hope all is well out there in your blue world....
I've tried to keep this blog going every week but time has gotten the best of me and it's dropped off a little.
I am in Minneapolis enroute to Duluth to perform with RSB at the Bayfront Blues Fest tonight.
We had a fantastic trip to Europe last month. Austria, Switzerland and mostly Italy. Growing up in an Italian household and finally getting to see the "old country", as my father called it, was sensational. It was kind of like being at a huge Zito family reunion.
The crowds were intense and really got into the music. This band just has a way of getting into your heart and soul and making you feel the music.
It has been a long, long summer. The tour has been going strong for months and it's just now beginning to die down for a few weeks. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. I always enjoy playing with my band and touring, but this is just different. It's like being on tour with the Boys Club....
You got a different mix of people who have come together in the name of music and soul. We have found a common ground in the music.
I'm proud to be in this band.
Even though the summer is wrapping up, our tour will continue in Sept and into the fall months with another big Europe tour in October.
I'm very excited to play the Big Muddy Blues Fest in Saint Louis over Labor Day weekend. I have never played the Big Muddy in my life, but attended many,many times. I was not always accepted in the STL blues world.
Early on I was told I was too rock n roll and too wild to play in the blues clubs and at the festivals in Saint Louis.
In about 1998,I put out my first cd "Blue Room". I was so excited to turn it in to the Big Muddy Fest for consideration.
They turned me down immediately.
I was performing regularly at a club on the landing called Boomers. We had a great weekend gig there in the back of the club and we were doing very well.
The owner of the club, John Clark, got very upset that we were not allowed to perform at the festival. He decided to set up his own stage in the alley in front of his club and have us play on both Saturday and Sunday of the festival which surrounded this alley.
We set up, turned up and played our hearts out. People poured in from both sides of the alley and we sold all of our CDs that day. It was a huge uplifting experience. The owner of that club got a visit later that day from the festival commissioner and was told that we could not perform again on Sunday.
We took too many paying customers away from the festival stages. It turned into a huge fight between the two.
John Clark stood by our side but we were not allowed to perform again on Sunday. Either way it was a great experience and a memory I'll never forget. I understand the point of the festival folks back then and know it wasn't personal. I was definitely young, wild, loud and rocking!
After all these years to return to Saint Louis and play this festival means the world to me.
Especially with this band,
Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Thank you to all our friends out there who have spread the word and been to many shows already. We look forward to seeing you more this fall and to continuing the RSB tour.
Peace, love, Zito
I've tried to keep this blog going every week but time has gotten the best of me and it's dropped off a little.
I am in Minneapolis enroute to Duluth to perform with RSB at the Bayfront Blues Fest tonight.
We had a fantastic trip to Europe last month. Austria, Switzerland and mostly Italy. Growing up in an Italian household and finally getting to see the "old country", as my father called it, was sensational. It was kind of like being at a huge Zito family reunion.
The crowds were intense and really got into the music. This band just has a way of getting into your heart and soul and making you feel the music.
It has been a long, long summer. The tour has been going strong for months and it's just now beginning to die down for a few weeks. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. I always enjoy playing with my band and touring, but this is just different. It's like being on tour with the Boys Club....
You got a different mix of people who have come together in the name of music and soul. We have found a common ground in the music.
I'm proud to be in this band.
Even though the summer is wrapping up, our tour will continue in Sept and into the fall months with another big Europe tour in October.
I'm very excited to play the Big Muddy Blues Fest in Saint Louis over Labor Day weekend. I have never played the Big Muddy in my life, but attended many,many times. I was not always accepted in the STL blues world.
Early on I was told I was too rock n roll and too wild to play in the blues clubs and at the festivals in Saint Louis.
In about 1998,I put out my first cd "Blue Room". I was so excited to turn it in to the Big Muddy Fest for consideration.
They turned me down immediately.
I was performing regularly at a club on the landing called Boomers. We had a great weekend gig there in the back of the club and we were doing very well.
The owner of the club, John Clark, got very upset that we were not allowed to perform at the festival. He decided to set up his own stage in the alley in front of his club and have us play on both Saturday and Sunday of the festival which surrounded this alley.
We set up, turned up and played our hearts out. People poured in from both sides of the alley and we sold all of our CDs that day. It was a huge uplifting experience. The owner of that club got a visit later that day from the festival commissioner and was told that we could not perform again on Sunday.
We took too many paying customers away from the festival stages. It turned into a huge fight between the two.
John Clark stood by our side but we were not allowed to perform again on Sunday. Either way it was a great experience and a memory I'll never forget. I understand the point of the festival folks back then and know it wasn't personal. I was definitely young, wild, loud and rocking!
After all these years to return to Saint Louis and play this festival means the world to me.
Especially with this band,
Royal Southern Brotherhood.
Thank you to all our friends out there who have spread the word and been to many shows already. We look forward to seeing you more this fall and to continuing the RSB tour.
Peace, love, Zito
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Hello Cleveland!
So, you always hear about the cliche story where the rock band is playing in Detroit and they say "Hello Cleveland!" on the microphone.....
That has not happened yet, but wouldn't surprise me to say the least.
I'm sorry I missed a week on my blog but things have been so damn crazy I just dropped the ball. I've been blessed to be so lucky these past 5 years or more to be working so much on a regular basis. In this day and age that's saying something in any field. The Royal Southern Brotherhood is taking it to a new level though. We are doing gigs in many different states in one week, different countries, different continents. Planes, trains and automobiles. It all gets to be a blur after awhile and I haven't drank in years! I've acquired a new habit of memorizing my room number when I leave so I won't end up on the wrong floor at the room number I was in the night before, cursing that my key won't work!! Yes, that's happened about 6 times so far.
We have played in Colorado, the
Midwest, Canada, the east coast and Europe all since the beginning of this month. Sometimes we leave CDs at the hotel, sometimes they get lost on a Greyhound bus. Maybe we show up at the wrong airport! Our flights get cancelled at the last minute. We get to the show in the nick of time and change in the van. Our bags get lost and we have no clothes to wear. We get detained by Italian police for standing around. We disagree over food and song arrangements. In the midst of all this disorganized chaos, one thing remains solid, the show.
If we forget what floor our room is on, we never forget to have a great show!
The music just keeps getting better and tighter and consistent night after night.
Everyone smiles on stage and gives 100% of what we have that night.
I asked this morning what day it was.
Not what's the date, what DAY is it?!?
Don't feel sorry for us for a second.
This is living the dream and I've waited
my whole life for this opportunity.
It couldn't be with a better group of guys either. We may not agree on everything, but we agree on one thing:
We want this to be the best band it can be.
I thank God for the opportunity to make music with my gifted friends- Devon, Charlie, Cyril and Yonrico.
This has been the most rewarding musical journey I have yet to experience.
And big thanks to all our friends and fans out there who have been pushing for the band since the beginning, showing up to multiple gigs and bringing us food and gifts.
Thank you for buying the album and spreading the word to your friends.
We couldn't do this without you,
So please forgive us if we say
"Thank you Cleveland!"..........
and we're not even close.
That has not happened yet, but wouldn't surprise me to say the least.
I'm sorry I missed a week on my blog but things have been so damn crazy I just dropped the ball. I've been blessed to be so lucky these past 5 years or more to be working so much on a regular basis. In this day and age that's saying something in any field. The Royal Southern Brotherhood is taking it to a new level though. We are doing gigs in many different states in one week, different countries, different continents. Planes, trains and automobiles. It all gets to be a blur after awhile and I haven't drank in years! I've acquired a new habit of memorizing my room number when I leave so I won't end up on the wrong floor at the room number I was in the night before, cursing that my key won't work!! Yes, that's happened about 6 times so far.
We have played in Colorado, the
Midwest, Canada, the east coast and Europe all since the beginning of this month. Sometimes we leave CDs at the hotel, sometimes they get lost on a Greyhound bus. Maybe we show up at the wrong airport! Our flights get cancelled at the last minute. We get to the show in the nick of time and change in the van. Our bags get lost and we have no clothes to wear. We get detained by Italian police for standing around. We disagree over food and song arrangements. In the midst of all this disorganized chaos, one thing remains solid, the show.
If we forget what floor our room is on, we never forget to have a great show!
The music just keeps getting better and tighter and consistent night after night.
Everyone smiles on stage and gives 100% of what we have that night.
I asked this morning what day it was.
Not what's the date, what DAY is it?!?
Don't feel sorry for us for a second.
This is living the dream and I've waited
my whole life for this opportunity.
It couldn't be with a better group of guys either. We may not agree on everything, but we agree on one thing:
We want this to be the best band it can be.
I thank God for the opportunity to make music with my gifted friends- Devon, Charlie, Cyril and Yonrico.
This has been the most rewarding musical journey I have yet to experience.
And big thanks to all our friends and fans out there who have been pushing for the band since the beginning, showing up to multiple gigs and bringing us food and gifts.
Thank you for buying the album and spreading the word to your friends.
We couldn't do this without you,
So please forgive us if we say
"Thank you Cleveland!"..........
and we're not even close.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
My Buddy in Chicago....
We rolled into Chi-Town this week on a night off. We don't get many nights off on this tour, so we planned a night out on the town. My good friend and fabulous blues man, Nick Moss hooked up a jam at the HOB for the band to attend. Before the night was over I insisted we make a stop at Buddy Guys' Legends.
It's the new location now, but it looks great and still has the feel of the old club.
For me Legends was the catalyst in my blues career.
In fact, Buddy Guy has been there every step of the way, although I'm sure he has no idea......
I was 20 years old when a group took a trip to Chicago to visit a friend and I begged everyone to go to Legends.
I was a huge Buddy Guy fan and I had this dream he might be there.
He was not there that night, but someone else was rocking the joint.
Joanna Connor.
She was on fire with her slide guitar.
Her band rocked, she had attitude and commanded the stage.
I was in awe....(and maybe in lust too)
I bought her new cd - Live in Germany on a new record label- Ruf Records.
I went home excited about the blues and the energy I had seen on stage.
I knew its what i wanted to do. I was also interested in this record label, Ruf.
I had no idea their were labels out there beyond Columbia and Elektra.
Independent labels were around but not like now.
8 years later I'm making my own records in Saint Louis and opening shows for bigger name acts when they roll through town. I get a call that Joanna Connor is playing and did I want to open the show. I absolutely said yes! I still had the cd I bought from her and couldn't wait to show her.
Joanna was so gracious and we hit it off right away. She invited me to come to Chicago and try to get in on the blues scene. She invited me to play with her and her band at Legends.
I was so excited to make the trip....
So excited I got lost in the city and was running late to the gig, my first gig at Legends and I'm gonna be late!
I found the club, pulled to the back lot and a big suburban was blocking the entrance. Just sitting there talking to the attendant, in no hurry....
I waited a few and then began honking my horn. I rolled the window down and yelled "Come on!!"
The car finally pulled in and the attendant gave me this crazy look like I was in trouble. I got out of the car, grabbed my guitar, turned around and Buddy Guy is standing there looking at me all mad. Silence for what seemed like days. I was in shock and thrilled to death at the same time.
He asked "You in the band??"
"Yes sir, I'm playing tonight."
He waited....then smiled and said
"you better get going, you're gonna be late"
I started to make the trip to Chicago pretty regular the next few years.
Opening shows for little to no money, but getting experience and exposure.
Another time I opened for Jimmy Thackery at Legends. I was feeling pretty good. I knew Jimmy and his band. I had become good friends with his sax man Jimmy Carpenter.
I was setting up when I heard a lot of laughter at the bar. A couple of fellows were real loud. I was always a little shy in Chicago at Legends. I knew I was in over my head and I wanted to do a good job. I walked over to the bar to get a drink and there's Buddy Guy and Otis Rush laughing and being loud.
They were drinking and Buddy turns around and asks "hey, you playing in my club tonight?"
"yes sir Mr. Guy"
He turned around and busted out laughing with Otis.
Otis said " you do good son".
Now I'm like nervous as shit.
I have to go onstage in Chicago in front of a packed house and play my best with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush watching me......
I started drinking!!!
We had a great set to a standing ovation and when I finished the bouncer came and got me and said Mr. Guy wanted to see me.
I walked to the bar where Buddy and Otis were clapping and laughing and handed me a drink.
"You did good son" said Otis
"Boy, you can play the blues in my club anytime, as long as you play like you just did" said Buddy
The inspiration was exhilarating.
Years later when I had moved to southeast Texas, I was just getting into playing music again. This time I was clean and sober and in a new part of the world. I was playing every night trying to get my name out there when I got a call from a casino in Vinton, La asking if I wanted to open for Buddy Guy and his band.
This was just what I needed.
A chance to play for a big crowd in this new neck of the woods.
Buddy sold out the show.
We played a 25 min set to about 5000 people. I sold every cd I brought that night. Made good friends with Ric Hall, Buddy's second guitarist, and really started getting gigs in the new region.
It seemed like every time I needed a push or kick start, Buddy Guy would be there for me.
In 2010 I was nominated for my first ever BMA Awards. My album Pearl River was nominated for Rock/Blues Album of the Year and the title track, Pearl River, was nominated for Song of the Year. I had the honor of writing that song with my soul brother Cyril Neville.
I was unable to attend the awards because I was making my first European tour and would be in Denmark the evening of the ceremony.
Cyril performed with Debbie Davies and Johnny Sansone at the awards show and I got a call at 7am in Denmark that we had won the Song of the Year.
I was so excited and happy!
This was a dream come true.
I've always wanted to be a part of this blues music world and I finally felt like I was.....
I had a good feeling leading up to the awards. Buddy Guy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame that year at the awards ceremony.
He hadn't let me down yet and when I saw that this was all happening at the same time, I got a big smile on my face.
Buddy Guy has been there ever step of the way in my book. He stepped in for only a few minutes at a time, but man at the exact right time. I've listened and continue to listen to his albums almost everyday. He's my biggest influence in the blues. He got me hooked with "You're Damn Right I got the Blues" and things have never been the same.
I've been on his tour bus, I've shook his hand many times, looked him in the eye, he's smiled at me, and I've seen him play too many times to recall.
He probably doesn't know much about me. I'm sure these memories to him are just people passing by. But to me these memories are priceless.
I have a music room at home. I have my guitars hanging, my albums are on the wall (thanks to my wife), posters signed, festival passes, pictures of all my friends playing music, and a huge framed poster of Buddy Guy commemorating the 2010 Blues Music Awards. Every time I see it I think about these moments in my life and thank God.
You're damn right I got the blues.
It's the new location now, but it looks great and still has the feel of the old club.
For me Legends was the catalyst in my blues career.
In fact, Buddy Guy has been there every step of the way, although I'm sure he has no idea......
I was 20 years old when a group took a trip to Chicago to visit a friend and I begged everyone to go to Legends.
I was a huge Buddy Guy fan and I had this dream he might be there.
He was not there that night, but someone else was rocking the joint.
Joanna Connor.
She was on fire with her slide guitar.
Her band rocked, she had attitude and commanded the stage.
I was in awe....(and maybe in lust too)
I bought her new cd - Live in Germany on a new record label- Ruf Records.
I went home excited about the blues and the energy I had seen on stage.
I knew its what i wanted to do. I was also interested in this record label, Ruf.
I had no idea their were labels out there beyond Columbia and Elektra.
Independent labels were around but not like now.
8 years later I'm making my own records in Saint Louis and opening shows for bigger name acts when they roll through town. I get a call that Joanna Connor is playing and did I want to open the show. I absolutely said yes! I still had the cd I bought from her and couldn't wait to show her.
Joanna was so gracious and we hit it off right away. She invited me to come to Chicago and try to get in on the blues scene. She invited me to play with her and her band at Legends.
I was so excited to make the trip....
So excited I got lost in the city and was running late to the gig, my first gig at Legends and I'm gonna be late!
I found the club, pulled to the back lot and a big suburban was blocking the entrance. Just sitting there talking to the attendant, in no hurry....
I waited a few and then began honking my horn. I rolled the window down and yelled "Come on!!"
The car finally pulled in and the attendant gave me this crazy look like I was in trouble. I got out of the car, grabbed my guitar, turned around and Buddy Guy is standing there looking at me all mad. Silence for what seemed like days. I was in shock and thrilled to death at the same time.
He asked "You in the band??"
"Yes sir, I'm playing tonight."
He waited....then smiled and said
"you better get going, you're gonna be late"
I started to make the trip to Chicago pretty regular the next few years.
Opening shows for little to no money, but getting experience and exposure.
Another time I opened for Jimmy Thackery at Legends. I was feeling pretty good. I knew Jimmy and his band. I had become good friends with his sax man Jimmy Carpenter.
I was setting up when I heard a lot of laughter at the bar. A couple of fellows were real loud. I was always a little shy in Chicago at Legends. I knew I was in over my head and I wanted to do a good job. I walked over to the bar to get a drink and there's Buddy Guy and Otis Rush laughing and being loud.
They were drinking and Buddy turns around and asks "hey, you playing in my club tonight?"
"yes sir Mr. Guy"
He turned around and busted out laughing with Otis.
Otis said " you do good son".
Now I'm like nervous as shit.
I have to go onstage in Chicago in front of a packed house and play my best with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush watching me......
I started drinking!!!
We had a great set to a standing ovation and when I finished the bouncer came and got me and said Mr. Guy wanted to see me.
I walked to the bar where Buddy and Otis were clapping and laughing and handed me a drink.
"You did good son" said Otis
"Boy, you can play the blues in my club anytime, as long as you play like you just did" said Buddy
The inspiration was exhilarating.
Years later when I had moved to southeast Texas, I was just getting into playing music again. This time I was clean and sober and in a new part of the world. I was playing every night trying to get my name out there when I got a call from a casino in Vinton, La asking if I wanted to open for Buddy Guy and his band.
This was just what I needed.
A chance to play for a big crowd in this new neck of the woods.
Buddy sold out the show.
We played a 25 min set to about 5000 people. I sold every cd I brought that night. Made good friends with Ric Hall, Buddy's second guitarist, and really started getting gigs in the new region.
It seemed like every time I needed a push or kick start, Buddy Guy would be there for me.
In 2010 I was nominated for my first ever BMA Awards. My album Pearl River was nominated for Rock/Blues Album of the Year and the title track, Pearl River, was nominated for Song of the Year. I had the honor of writing that song with my soul brother Cyril Neville.
I was unable to attend the awards because I was making my first European tour and would be in Denmark the evening of the ceremony.
Cyril performed with Debbie Davies and Johnny Sansone at the awards show and I got a call at 7am in Denmark that we had won the Song of the Year.
I was so excited and happy!
This was a dream come true.
I've always wanted to be a part of this blues music world and I finally felt like I was.....
I had a good feeling leading up to the awards. Buddy Guy was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame that year at the awards ceremony.
He hadn't let me down yet and when I saw that this was all happening at the same time, I got a big smile on my face.
Buddy Guy has been there ever step of the way in my book. He stepped in for only a few minutes at a time, but man at the exact right time. I've listened and continue to listen to his albums almost everyday. He's my biggest influence in the blues. He got me hooked with "You're Damn Right I got the Blues" and things have never been the same.
I've been on his tour bus, I've shook his hand many times, looked him in the eye, he's smiled at me, and I've seen him play too many times to recall.
He probably doesn't know much about me. I'm sure these memories to him are just people passing by. But to me these memories are priceless.
I have a music room at home. I have my guitars hanging, my albums are on the wall (thanks to my wife), posters signed, festival passes, pictures of all my friends playing music, and a huge framed poster of Buddy Guy commemorating the 2010 Blues Music Awards. Every time I see it I think about these moments in my life and thank God.
You're damn right I got the blues.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
I now pronounce you...
It's been weeks now on this road to nowhere. Things start to get a little hazy. It's like the 5th or 6th round of a boxing match. You're gonna go down hard or you're gonna go the distance.
The band is becoming its own entity.
On and off of stage. A rhythm is being declared silently and sometimes at high decibel volume!
My experience has always been having my own band. I always look to my guys for input and approval, but at the end of the day what I decide is what it will be.
This is not like that.
This is a group with equal footing on each investor. We all have a say, and yes, WE all have a say :)
Everyone has their own experience and own ideas to bring to the plate, musically and logistically. Everyone has done the same job for years but we all do it a little different.
You don't want to alienate a member or step on toes, but we also got to get the job done. So as we go along on this tour a real line is being drawn in the sand and it's cutting edge.
The lines are being drawn by RSB.
We are deciding as a group how to handle our show, our business, each other and so on. It's similar but much different because everyone is contributing to the outcome. This is all a very different experience than I am used to and I must say its liberating and maybe sometimes a little frustrating. Not the end result. In the end it all works out to the best possible result but sometimes getting there is not as easy as it is on my own.
It's like being married.
I have experience being married.
I have been married several times and only now have begun to understand how you work with another human being in a realistic relationship.
You must learn to compromise.
Not who you are or what you believe in or anything that demanding, but who gets the first cup of coffee, what side of the bed you get to sleep on, who's driving this bus and who needs to think they're driving this bus!
I've learned from years of experience that if mama's not happy, NOBODY'S happy!
Well in this marriage their are more than one mama. It's 5 of us and we got to make it work. Through sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.......
All this being said, it gets easier everyday. The honeymoon is wearing off in a good way. We realize we're all here and we're not going anywhere so you can tell me how you feel and I'm not going to runaway. As Cyril always says "I'm in it to win it!".
I realize I'm not giving you real examples of what I'm talking about, and for good reason. It's usually nothing.
It's the little things that matter in relationships.
I'll give you one good example:
Everyone needs to eat.
We all like different foods.
One guy likes cheeseburgers, one guy likes a full meal, one guy wants the grocery store, one guys wants grits, another guy needs healthier options...... It gets a little crazy!
It's easy to see the differences in these situations. To see how we are not the same, maybe we don't belong together.
But the bottom line is we have one huge thing in common:
we are ALL HUNGRY!
I'm making a joke, but it's true.
If our biggest problem is where to eat,
we ain't got no problems.
They say that marriage ends in divorce 50% of the time now in the USA.
I say, if 5 grown, proud, hungry men can get along and make it work,
then you and that woman ought to be ok too, you're just not trying hard enough.
I'm lucky coming into this that I have a wonderful marriage at home and I learn from my wife everyday.
She's my hero.
In the end I'm proud to tell you that we all ate and got something that worked for us that day.
I'm even more proud to tell you that this band is strong and getting stronger everyday.
The band is becoming its own entity.
On and off of stage. A rhythm is being declared silently and sometimes at high decibel volume!
My experience has always been having my own band. I always look to my guys for input and approval, but at the end of the day what I decide is what it will be.
This is not like that.
This is a group with equal footing on each investor. We all have a say, and yes, WE all have a say :)
Everyone has their own experience and own ideas to bring to the plate, musically and logistically. Everyone has done the same job for years but we all do it a little different.
You don't want to alienate a member or step on toes, but we also got to get the job done. So as we go along on this tour a real line is being drawn in the sand and it's cutting edge.
The lines are being drawn by RSB.
We are deciding as a group how to handle our show, our business, each other and so on. It's similar but much different because everyone is contributing to the outcome. This is all a very different experience than I am used to and I must say its liberating and maybe sometimes a little frustrating. Not the end result. In the end it all works out to the best possible result but sometimes getting there is not as easy as it is on my own.
It's like being married.
I have experience being married.
I have been married several times and only now have begun to understand how you work with another human being in a realistic relationship.
You must learn to compromise.
Not who you are or what you believe in or anything that demanding, but who gets the first cup of coffee, what side of the bed you get to sleep on, who's driving this bus and who needs to think they're driving this bus!
I've learned from years of experience that if mama's not happy, NOBODY'S happy!
Well in this marriage their are more than one mama. It's 5 of us and we got to make it work. Through sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.......
All this being said, it gets easier everyday. The honeymoon is wearing off in a good way. We realize we're all here and we're not going anywhere so you can tell me how you feel and I'm not going to runaway. As Cyril always says "I'm in it to win it!".
I realize I'm not giving you real examples of what I'm talking about, and for good reason. It's usually nothing.
It's the little things that matter in relationships.
I'll give you one good example:
Everyone needs to eat.
We all like different foods.
One guy likes cheeseburgers, one guy likes a full meal, one guy wants the grocery store, one guys wants grits, another guy needs healthier options...... It gets a little crazy!
It's easy to see the differences in these situations. To see how we are not the same, maybe we don't belong together.
But the bottom line is we have one huge thing in common:
we are ALL HUNGRY!
I'm making a joke, but it's true.
If our biggest problem is where to eat,
we ain't got no problems.
They say that marriage ends in divorce 50% of the time now in the USA.
I say, if 5 grown, proud, hungry men can get along and make it work,
then you and that woman ought to be ok too, you're just not trying hard enough.
I'm lucky coming into this that I have a wonderful marriage at home and I learn from my wife everyday.
She's my hero.
In the end I'm proud to tell you that we all ate and got something that worked for us that day.
I'm even more proud to tell you that this band is strong and getting stronger everyday.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Music City Madness
I've been dreaming of being a music star since the first time I saw an 8 year old Michael Jackson singing on tv. I was dancing in front of the tv going crazy. I immediately got in the local "Broadway Night" at our parish church and sang a song off of my Three Stooges album. I did that every chance I got. My parents were always supportive, although they were not musical in any way. Really no one in my family played music. My sister Patty sang in my band years ago and one of my older cousins plays the accordion, but that's about it.
I've literally spent a lifetime dreaming of the day when I would be a star.
I performed in theater, speech, band, choir all throughout school.
I never considered not being a star.
It was just what would happen.
But dreams don't just "happen", they take a hell of a lot of hard work.
Then I grew up, moved out, got a job, got married, had a kid.......
Of course, reality sets in and you start to see that this may not happen, at least not in the way you thought.
Like everyone else, I always thought you were either Michael Jackson or you were nobody. I don't think I ever considered that you could just be a musician by trade and make a living.
Few people realize this reality.
You just get good at your craft and play gigs every week and pay your bills.
Like any other job.
It's not about a success that equals fame and fortune, it's about a success that equals doing something you love for a living.
This reality is very much possible.
It is a dream come true for me today.
I am very satisfied with my musical career these days. I was satisfied when I made the above realization. Because what I realized was that I didn't really wanna be famous, I just wanna play music. All the time, everyday.
I don't need all the money in the world, just enough so that I don't have to do anything else but play guitar and sing.
In all of these respects, I am very satisfied with my musical career.
Heres the kicker, once I made this realization things start to really take off.
One day I'm happy to play the After Dark club in Sulphur, La. the next day I'm in a van with the Royal Southern Brotherhood on tour!
We hit Nashville this past Friday night.
I was excited to get to town and have a great show. I lived there for a while in the 90's and have a lot of friends in town. We hit the ground running. We had a list of interviews, radio shows, and an in-store performance all after a late night in Memphis and a long enough drive. Straight to the club to load in, then off to a radio station.
By the time we hit Grimeys Record Store to do a short set I was getting very tired and crabby. I was thinking this is just not fair that I have to do all of this. I need a nap!
Then I started looking around at all the old records. All of my hero's in front of me. I spent 20 years dreaming of being like them and it's happening right now in one aspect or another. This is what I have dreamt of, and I'm complaining about the small success I'm dealing with. Right away I sat up straight, put a smile on my face and thanked God for all my blessings. This is a hard job most of the time and playing music is the easy part. I should be so lucky.
We played at 3rd and Lindsley that evening to a gracious crowd and had a great show! The band was rocking, Johnny Sansone opened the show and Bart Walker played with us too.
All of my friends loved the band.
Everyone hung out for awhile backstage and even helped us load out our gear. Johnny told stories, I lost a bag of peaches and everyone was laughing.
When I think of all the things I could be doing for a living, I'd say my dreams have come true playing music.
I may never be super famous, and that's ok. Fame doesn't interest me so much anymore. I get to play my guitar and sing for my supper and that is true fortune.
I realize now when I tell my kids
" You can be anything you wanna be"
it's true.......
I've literally spent a lifetime dreaming of the day when I would be a star.
I performed in theater, speech, band, choir all throughout school.
I never considered not being a star.
It was just what would happen.
But dreams don't just "happen", they take a hell of a lot of hard work.
Then I grew up, moved out, got a job, got married, had a kid.......
Of course, reality sets in and you start to see that this may not happen, at least not in the way you thought.
Like everyone else, I always thought you were either Michael Jackson or you were nobody. I don't think I ever considered that you could just be a musician by trade and make a living.
Few people realize this reality.
You just get good at your craft and play gigs every week and pay your bills.
Like any other job.
It's not about a success that equals fame and fortune, it's about a success that equals doing something you love for a living.
This reality is very much possible.
It is a dream come true for me today.
I am very satisfied with my musical career these days. I was satisfied when I made the above realization. Because what I realized was that I didn't really wanna be famous, I just wanna play music. All the time, everyday.
I don't need all the money in the world, just enough so that I don't have to do anything else but play guitar and sing.
In all of these respects, I am very satisfied with my musical career.
Heres the kicker, once I made this realization things start to really take off.
One day I'm happy to play the After Dark club in Sulphur, La. the next day I'm in a van with the Royal Southern Brotherhood on tour!
We hit Nashville this past Friday night.
I was excited to get to town and have a great show. I lived there for a while in the 90's and have a lot of friends in town. We hit the ground running. We had a list of interviews, radio shows, and an in-store performance all after a late night in Memphis and a long enough drive. Straight to the club to load in, then off to a radio station.
By the time we hit Grimeys Record Store to do a short set I was getting very tired and crabby. I was thinking this is just not fair that I have to do all of this. I need a nap!
Then I started looking around at all the old records. All of my hero's in front of me. I spent 20 years dreaming of being like them and it's happening right now in one aspect or another. This is what I have dreamt of, and I'm complaining about the small success I'm dealing with. Right away I sat up straight, put a smile on my face and thanked God for all my blessings. This is a hard job most of the time and playing music is the easy part. I should be so lucky.
We played at 3rd and Lindsley that evening to a gracious crowd and had a great show! The band was rocking, Johnny Sansone opened the show and Bart Walker played with us too.
All of my friends loved the band.
Everyone hung out for awhile backstage and even helped us load out our gear. Johnny told stories, I lost a bag of peaches and everyone was laughing.
When I think of all the things I could be doing for a living, I'd say my dreams have come true playing music.
I may never be super famous, and that's ok. Fame doesn't interest me so much anymore. I get to play my guitar and sing for my supper and that is true fortune.
I realize now when I tell my kids
" You can be anything you wanna be"
it's true.......
Thursday, June 7, 2012
It's a Zoo
You never know how a tour will begin after being off for awhile. You hope for the best and chances are it'll all be good, but you never know.
Sometimes when I'm off and at home their are days when I don't get to play much guitar. I try to pick one up each day, but sometimes their just isn't enough time and that's ok.
When I was younger I would always have a guitar in my hand. I never put it down. I walked around all day holding a guitar. I ate with it, slept with it, watched tv with it, I never stopped playing. I learned from an older musician back then that when I take time off from playing, I should take "time off" from playing. Put my guitar down for a few days. Do other things, read a book, go outside, travel. I've found that when I'm away from things for a while and come back to them I appreciate them more and look at them differently. Sometimes I'd get stuck playing the same licks but if I put it down for a few days and came back to it I'd have some new ideas.
We had been off for a few weeks and we are just beginning this summer tour.
The band is full of professionals.
The level of talent in this band is athletic. Even though we've been off for a few days, you'll get nothing less than a great show. Still, coming back allows me to hear things I may have missed before because I have been away. It's like the first gig all over again. One thing is certain, this band loves playing music together!
The first gig was in Lincoln, Ne. at the famous Zoo Bar. The Zoo Bar is one of my favorite places to play. It's a small dark blues club, shotgun style with years of vibe and energy coming off the walls. It was Luther Allison's favorite as well. He would come to the states for one week and play big festivals and would always play the Zoo Bar, no matter what. Albert Collins, Magic Slim,Robert Cray, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Junior Wells among others were regulars at the Zoo Bar.
It was a sold out show, standing room only. Hot, dark and sweaty- the room was electric. From the first note the audience was into it and the band gave them everything we had.
It was a night to remember for sure.
The most room to move was on the stage.
It proves the point that live music is only live if the audience shows up.
It's all about the people. If they're wild, the show will be wild. If they're quiet and relaxed, the show will be relaxed.
It's what makes live music so beautiful.
It's all about you and me. I need you and hopefully you need me.
The people can raise the band up to new heights, it's exhilarating!
Without the people it's just rehearsal.
It's like Luther always said
"Leave your ego, play the music, love the people"
We love the people.
Thanks Lincoln and God bless the Zoo Bar.
Peace, Love, Zito
Sometimes when I'm off and at home their are days when I don't get to play much guitar. I try to pick one up each day, but sometimes their just isn't enough time and that's ok.
When I was younger I would always have a guitar in my hand. I never put it down. I walked around all day holding a guitar. I ate with it, slept with it, watched tv with it, I never stopped playing. I learned from an older musician back then that when I take time off from playing, I should take "time off" from playing. Put my guitar down for a few days. Do other things, read a book, go outside, travel. I've found that when I'm away from things for a while and come back to them I appreciate them more and look at them differently. Sometimes I'd get stuck playing the same licks but if I put it down for a few days and came back to it I'd have some new ideas.
We had been off for a few weeks and we are just beginning this summer tour.
The band is full of professionals.
The level of talent in this band is athletic. Even though we've been off for a few days, you'll get nothing less than a great show. Still, coming back allows me to hear things I may have missed before because I have been away. It's like the first gig all over again. One thing is certain, this band loves playing music together!
The first gig was in Lincoln, Ne. at the famous Zoo Bar. The Zoo Bar is one of my favorite places to play. It's a small dark blues club, shotgun style with years of vibe and energy coming off the walls. It was Luther Allison's favorite as well. He would come to the states for one week and play big festivals and would always play the Zoo Bar, no matter what. Albert Collins, Magic Slim,Robert Cray, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Junior Wells among others were regulars at the Zoo Bar.
It was a sold out show, standing room only. Hot, dark and sweaty- the room was electric. From the first note the audience was into it and the band gave them everything we had.
It was a night to remember for sure.
The most room to move was on the stage.
It proves the point that live music is only live if the audience shows up.
It's all about the people. If they're wild, the show will be wild. If they're quiet and relaxed, the show will be relaxed.
It's what makes live music so beautiful.
It's all about you and me. I need you and hopefully you need me.
The people can raise the band up to new heights, it's exhilarating!
Without the people it's just rehearsal.
It's like Luther always said
"Leave your ego, play the music, love the people"
We love the people.
Thanks Lincoln and God bless the Zoo Bar.
Peace, Love, Zito
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Calm before the storm...
It's just a few days before we hit the road for the summer with Royal Southern Brotherhood.
I've been lucky enough to have a few weeks at home with my wife and kids for some quality time
before I never see them again! I'm certainly not complaining and lucky enough to have been used to this routine for some time now. When I cleaned up and was ready to become a productive member of society I began touring hard thanks to Craig Neilsen, owner of the Ameristar Casinos. His father was a partial owner in the 1960's of Cactus Pete's in Jackpot, Nv. Craig became sole proprietor in 1984. In 1985, Craig was in a horrible auto accident and was left a quadriplegic. He ran the company from a wheelchair/bed.
He expanded the one casino to 5 across the country by 2006. They have a huge Ameristar Casino in Saint Louis, though I had never played there before. Because of his disability, he didn't travel much. He had camera's and computers installed in his home where he could watch over all of the properties 24 hours a day. In 2006, his board of directors told him they were needing to put an end to most of the entertainment in the casinos. It was just too much money and they needed to cut costs. Craig loved the entertainment facet of his business and was determined to prove them wrong. He set out to visit each casino and see first hand what he could do to continue the entertainment in his businesses. He had not been to most of the properties in years. I had just begun playing Cactus Pete's in Jackpot, Nevada. They had 2 bands a night.
One band on the showroom floor of Cactus Pete's and another band at the Horshu Casino across the street. If you have never been to Jackpot, Nv.....then you have no idea what I mean when I say, it's a very small town. There are 4 casino's, a Post Office, a gas station, some apartments for employee's of the casinos, a golf course, a small school for children of the employees of the casinos and one road that goes through town, Hwy 93. Jackpot, Nv. is on the northeast Nevada border with Idaho. You can walk out of Cactus Pete's Casino and walk into Idaho in minutes. Jackpot is in the middle of the high plains desert.
It is extremely dry and windy. There is nothing else around for 60 miles or more in each direction.
I began playing in Nevada in smaller towns casinos where they would put you up for 2 weeks at time. It was the only possible way for a guy like me, with 3 kids at the time, to tour and make money. I would take the one or two nights we had off and go to Reno, or Vegas or Boise or Salt Lake and find the Blues Society and offer to do a show for free or sit in at their Blues Jams. My group was the exception to the rule in these casinos. They were used to cover bands and dance bands....certainly not "Blues" bands!
We played our fair share of cover songs, but blues and old standards that we could make our own.
I'd always play 3-4 original songs in each set and sell my cd's on break. For the most part it worked pretty well. The customers were getting something different, something more original. They were diggin the blues or the band jamming and buying my cd's. But, their were customers and employees alike that thought I was arrogant to come in and play my own music at these places. They expected us to play "Their" favorites, not mine! It took about 2 years to get the gig at Cactus Pete's. It was a step up in the casino gig world. It paid well and fed the band for 2 weeks straight. The manager of Cactus Pete's and entertainment director took a liking to me right away. They could see I was working hard and doing something different. One day the manager saw me walking through the casino and told me he was going to put in a good word to see about me getting into some of the other properties.
We then quickly got booked at the Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg, Ms.
This was much closer to home than Jackpot and was a little more "happening".
They had a main stage their called the Bottleneck Blues Bar.
They had real national touring blues acts like Johnny Lang, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Tinsley Ellis and so on. They had another stage on the first floor and thats where I started.
The second time I played at the Vicksburg property, the owner, Craig Neilsen showed up to check on entertainment. He had not been to Vicksburg in 8 years.
We were performing on Friday night around 11pm when his handlers began getting off the elevators.
I mean, it looked like the President of the US was coming in to play the penny slots. Dudes with headsets in black suits all combed the floor and set up positions at least 15 minutes before he even showed up. We were in the middle of ending the set with a Jimi Hendrix jam when they rolled his bed out onto the floor. I was midway through the Star Spangled Banner with my eyes closed when I heard one of the guys say "He's here!". I opened my eyes and this man in a wheelchair bed is right in front of the stage with all this security and entourage around him. It was really strange. We finished and took a break. I thought for sure they all thought it was noise. We came back the next night to play and he showed up again, this time before we started the second set. He sat right in front of me and listened to the entire set. As I walked off stage, a handler came and got me and told me that Mr. Neilsen wanted to see me. I thought I was probably going to be fired on site for being to loud or not playing appropriate "Casino" music! I met him in the Bottleneck Blues Bar. He was very quiet and polite. He told he loved my voice and mu music. He asked how long had I been playing guitar? He wanted to buy a cd from me! He asked me if I was interested in playing at all of his properties full time?
I said YES! He said he would take care of everything. He told me this was what he was hoping to find.
Some real entertainment in his casinos. The next day I received a call from the corporate office and they offered to fill up my calendar for the year. This was the break I was looking for, a chance to begin touring full time and get my music out there across the country, and the pay to make it worthwhile.
Most touring original acts do not do it this way. They play for the door every night, share motel rooms every night, eat cheese sandwiches..... At 34 years old and with 3 kids, one on the way, I could not afford to chase my dreams in the usual manner. This was a dream come true.
Because of Mr. Neilsen, I met David Hughes at the Vicksburg Ameristar who told me about a friend of his that had a record label, Delta Groove Records and was starting a new division, Eclecto Groove.
He told me I should send him my new cd "Superman" and he would put in a good word for me.
Rand Chortkoff was looking for new artists, but they needed to be touring full time to be considered.
Because of Mr. Neilsen I was touring full time. Maybe just casinos at first, but we began booking the blues clubs around our casino engagements. I thank God for Craig Neilsen giving me that break.
I believe it was his efforts that help me to land my first recording contract with Eclecto Groove Records.
Within months after meeting Craig, he passed away unexpectedly on November 19th, 2006.....
my birthday.
So, I am not complaining about touring all summer with my new band Royal Southern Brotherhood.
It's a dream come true, something I've worked for all my life.
Yes, I will miss my family, but they understand and are very supportive.
I am truly blessed to be able to take care of my responsibilities while doing something I love.
Thank you Mr. Neilsen.
Peace, Love, Zito
I've been lucky enough to have a few weeks at home with my wife and kids for some quality time
before I never see them again! I'm certainly not complaining and lucky enough to have been used to this routine for some time now. When I cleaned up and was ready to become a productive member of society I began touring hard thanks to Craig Neilsen, owner of the Ameristar Casinos. His father was a partial owner in the 1960's of Cactus Pete's in Jackpot, Nv. Craig became sole proprietor in 1984. In 1985, Craig was in a horrible auto accident and was left a quadriplegic. He ran the company from a wheelchair/bed.
He expanded the one casino to 5 across the country by 2006. They have a huge Ameristar Casino in Saint Louis, though I had never played there before. Because of his disability, he didn't travel much. He had camera's and computers installed in his home where he could watch over all of the properties 24 hours a day. In 2006, his board of directors told him they were needing to put an end to most of the entertainment in the casinos. It was just too much money and they needed to cut costs. Craig loved the entertainment facet of his business and was determined to prove them wrong. He set out to visit each casino and see first hand what he could do to continue the entertainment in his businesses. He had not been to most of the properties in years. I had just begun playing Cactus Pete's in Jackpot, Nevada. They had 2 bands a night.
One band on the showroom floor of Cactus Pete's and another band at the Horshu Casino across the street. If you have never been to Jackpot, Nv.....then you have no idea what I mean when I say, it's a very small town. There are 4 casino's, a Post Office, a gas station, some apartments for employee's of the casinos, a golf course, a small school for children of the employees of the casinos and one road that goes through town, Hwy 93. Jackpot, Nv. is on the northeast Nevada border with Idaho. You can walk out of Cactus Pete's Casino and walk into Idaho in minutes. Jackpot is in the middle of the high plains desert.
It is extremely dry and windy. There is nothing else around for 60 miles or more in each direction.
I began playing in Nevada in smaller towns casinos where they would put you up for 2 weeks at time. It was the only possible way for a guy like me, with 3 kids at the time, to tour and make money. I would take the one or two nights we had off and go to Reno, or Vegas or Boise or Salt Lake and find the Blues Society and offer to do a show for free or sit in at their Blues Jams. My group was the exception to the rule in these casinos. They were used to cover bands and dance bands....certainly not "Blues" bands!
We played our fair share of cover songs, but blues and old standards that we could make our own.
I'd always play 3-4 original songs in each set and sell my cd's on break. For the most part it worked pretty well. The customers were getting something different, something more original. They were diggin the blues or the band jamming and buying my cd's. But, their were customers and employees alike that thought I was arrogant to come in and play my own music at these places. They expected us to play "Their" favorites, not mine! It took about 2 years to get the gig at Cactus Pete's. It was a step up in the casino gig world. It paid well and fed the band for 2 weeks straight. The manager of Cactus Pete's and entertainment director took a liking to me right away. They could see I was working hard and doing something different. One day the manager saw me walking through the casino and told me he was going to put in a good word to see about me getting into some of the other properties.
We then quickly got booked at the Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg, Ms.
This was much closer to home than Jackpot and was a little more "happening".
They had a main stage their called the Bottleneck Blues Bar.
They had real national touring blues acts like Johnny Lang, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Tinsley Ellis and so on. They had another stage on the first floor and thats where I started.
The second time I played at the Vicksburg property, the owner, Craig Neilsen showed up to check on entertainment. He had not been to Vicksburg in 8 years.
We were performing on Friday night around 11pm when his handlers began getting off the elevators.
I mean, it looked like the President of the US was coming in to play the penny slots. Dudes with headsets in black suits all combed the floor and set up positions at least 15 minutes before he even showed up. We were in the middle of ending the set with a Jimi Hendrix jam when they rolled his bed out onto the floor. I was midway through the Star Spangled Banner with my eyes closed when I heard one of the guys say "He's here!". I opened my eyes and this man in a wheelchair bed is right in front of the stage with all this security and entourage around him. It was really strange. We finished and took a break. I thought for sure they all thought it was noise. We came back the next night to play and he showed up again, this time before we started the second set. He sat right in front of me and listened to the entire set. As I walked off stage, a handler came and got me and told me that Mr. Neilsen wanted to see me. I thought I was probably going to be fired on site for being to loud or not playing appropriate "Casino" music! I met him in the Bottleneck Blues Bar. He was very quiet and polite. He told he loved my voice and mu music. He asked how long had I been playing guitar? He wanted to buy a cd from me! He asked me if I was interested in playing at all of his properties full time?
I said YES! He said he would take care of everything. He told me this was what he was hoping to find.
Some real entertainment in his casinos. The next day I received a call from the corporate office and they offered to fill up my calendar for the year. This was the break I was looking for, a chance to begin touring full time and get my music out there across the country, and the pay to make it worthwhile.
Most touring original acts do not do it this way. They play for the door every night, share motel rooms every night, eat cheese sandwiches..... At 34 years old and with 3 kids, one on the way, I could not afford to chase my dreams in the usual manner. This was a dream come true.
Because of Mr. Neilsen, I met David Hughes at the Vicksburg Ameristar who told me about a friend of his that had a record label, Delta Groove Records and was starting a new division, Eclecto Groove.
He told me I should send him my new cd "Superman" and he would put in a good word for me.
Rand Chortkoff was looking for new artists, but they needed to be touring full time to be considered.
Because of Mr. Neilsen I was touring full time. Maybe just casinos at first, but we began booking the blues clubs around our casino engagements. I thank God for Craig Neilsen giving me that break.
I believe it was his efforts that help me to land my first recording contract with Eclecto Groove Records.
Within months after meeting Craig, he passed away unexpectedly on November 19th, 2006.....
my birthday.
So, I am not complaining about touring all summer with my new band Royal Southern Brotherhood.
It's a dream come true, something I've worked for all my life.
Yes, I will miss my family, but they understand and are very supportive.
I am truly blessed to be able to take care of my responsibilities while doing something I love.
Thank you Mr. Neilsen.
Peace, Love, Zito
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A Royal Summer
Well..... I have 8 days off and then I hit the road for about 3 months with the Royal Southern Brotherhood.
I have plenty to do at home with my family and a lot of packing and getting ready but wanted to get this blog started before I leave town. Just for the record: this blog will have spelling errors, grammatical errors, and possibly some indecent exposure- I'm not a fantastic writer, but I think I have a unique experience ahead of me and I wanted to share it with my family and friends. For those of you who know the band or one of our illustrious members but not much about me- I'm Mike. I have 5 kids, a school teacher wife and I live in South East Texas.
If you know me, but don't know the group: Royal Southern Broterhood - Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Charlie Wooton, Yonrico Scott and myself.
I'll give you a Lil history lesson on this band of gypsy's.......
I've known Devon Allman for about 20 years. I grew up in Saint Louis, Mo. I worked a music store and played in cover bands around town by the time I was 19 or so. Devon had a group called the Dark Horses. They were pretty popular and I saw them play several times. Jump ahead 10 years and we both took jobs at the new Guitar Center.
Devon was the Guitar Dept manager, I was the Accessory Dept manager. Devon had his new group, HoneyTribe, I was playing original blues rock with my own group. We both had albums out now and were trying to make something happen with a music career. We became good friends, with a healthy dose of rivalry along the way. I always thought to myself...why is Devon ALLMAN working at GC. His dad is Gregg Allman! One day I jus finally asked him and he told me he needed a job. He said he wasn't going to be come famous just because his dad was famous, he knew he needed to build his own audience and create his own sound if he was going to have a lasting career. I respected his outlook and always hoped for the best for him. Fast forward again, I'm now living in SE Texas with several albums under my belt, a record deal, and a great manager out of New Orleans - Rueben Williams.
Rueben Williams manages Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Voice of the Wetlands, worked with Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone.....the list goes on and on. I began opening for Tab Benoit in 1997 in Saint Louis at the Broadway Oyster Bar. We played his CDs at the music store I worked at and he was the first guy I ever met that was playing his own music, making records, touring, and wasn't "Famous". He was famous in the blues and roots world and actually had quite a bit of success early on with songs on the radio, but he wasn't on a major record label and playing in stadiums..... I was just a dumb kid and thought you were either nobody or Van Halen.
I learned from Tab that there were "Blues" record labels out there, you could tour and play your own music and have a successful music career and not be on MTV. I asked Tab the first time I opened for him "how do you do this? How do you get to playing your own music and touring and get started?". He said "You just did it. Do it again....do it for the next 20 years and it should work out". I played with Tab every time he came to town. When I moved down south in 2003, I opened for Tab again, but this time at Antones in Beaumont, Tx. He asked me what I was doing down here and did I want to come and play at his club in Houma,La. I started playing regularly at Tabs "Lagniappe Music Cafe". He told me about his manager, Rueben Williams and sent Rueben out to see me one night. I met with Rueben in New Orleans one afternoon, brought him all my albums and we began a friendship. He's a busy busy guy, with a mind that's working a million miles a minute, a heart of gold and passion that runs deep for what he believes in.
If Rueben Williams says he's going to manage you- you better be ready to work harder than you have ever worked to just to keep up with him. We worked on many projects over the years, he's sent me on tours with Tab, Anders and the Voice of the Wetlands and found ways for me to move forward and get in from of people. We set up recording for my album "Pearl River" at Piety Street Studios. The idea was to work with other Nola artists and tell the story of my familys beginnings in New Orleans. Johnny Sansone played accordion on the creepy "Dead of Night". Susan Cowsill sang a blues duet with me on "Shoes Blues". Anders Osborne wrote a song for me titled "One Step at a Time". We recorded it as a duet as well. That song has an altogether other story that changed my life. We needed one more good song and Rueben hooked me up with Cyril Neville to write a song together. At the age of 38 I had never written a song with anyone in my life. I only wrote my own songs. This would be a huge opportunity and undertaking. Cyril sent me lyrics to a few tunes, one entitled "Pearl River". These were different lyrics, not tongue and cheek and not fun. This song was deep and had a story to tell. It was about slavery and murder.
This song scared the shit out of me! I called Cyril and asked him if he was sure he really wanted me to work on this song.....it was just so deep. I also wondered if this was my story to tell? He said yes, see what I could come up with. I picked up the guitar and began strumming the chords and singing the words and in minutes "Pearl River" was complete. It was just so easy - it flowed. It was as if I wasn't doing it, it was just coming out of me. I sent the song back to Cyril and he loved it! We recorded the song that would be the title to my second Eclecto Groove release "Pearl River". The album was nominated for Rock Blues Album of the Year and Song of the Year in 2010 at the Blues Music Awards. I was in Denmark at the time on my first European tour, Cyril performed without me at the awards and we won the Song of Year!!! It was 7am in Denmark when I got a call from Rueben and Cyril about the exciting news. Cyril was in tears on the phone- full of joy. I knew then that this man and I had some sort of connection. It just came easy for us to work together. We never thought about it or really talked about it - we just did it. We knew we needed to find a way to work together even more.
I continued to see Devon on the road or his posters in the clubs I was playing. He was doing really well, he had built up quite a following over the years with his band Honeytribe. We talked every now and then online or texting- finally one day he asked who my manager was. He was looking for new representation. I told him all about the New Orleans scene with Rueben Williams. I told Rueben about Devon and the two met up at Devon's gig at the Howling Wolf in Nola. They hit it off as well and began working together. All this time, Rueben and I would (and still do) spend hours on the phone talking about music. Music we loved, bands we thought were great and what could we do next.
We LOVED the Arc Angels! They were so cool and had such a great sound with the two guitars and double lead vocals. They were rock n roll but still blues based. We thought it would be so cool to start a Louisiana style Arc Angels. We talked about it a lot. One thing lead to another and the question was posed as to why the Neville Bros had never really worked with the Allman Bros......
That was it - Rueben said that Devon and I and Cyril needed to get together and write some songs.
Talking about something is one thing....doing it is WAY different! We all had our own bands and careers going. I loved these guys both, but didn't want to be anybody's backing guitarist or backround singer. How would this work? who would sing what? who's going to play lead? ......
He said to just get together and see what happens.
The three of us met in Nola during Jazzfest 2011 at a small studio by City Park. We just jammed.
Cyril played some drums, we made shit up, recorded a lot of ideas and walked away with a pretty good feeling that this could work. No one got hurt and it was fun. Most of all- it sounded good...different.
We went out on our own all summer but stayed in touch with song ideas and such. Rueben asked me what would we name this band... I said "The Brotherhood". But Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes already had this name. Rueben said we were inviting Royalty to join us ~ Royal Southern Brotherhood.
We set up a few gigs in Sept of 2011 and decided to take it a step further. Could we do this on stage?
We rehearsed with bassist Charlie Wooton and Mean Willie Green on drums. We worked up a 2 hour set and took to the Rock n Bowl in New Orleans, La. for the first ever Royal Southern Brotherhood show. It was electric!!! Exciting, adventurous, really different sounding, yet familiar. We knew then that this was something we HAD to do, no matter what. I was sold. Willie Green had his own group though and really couldn't commit to the project. We needed a record deal, agency, more songs.
Now the real work was beginning.
I learned about Ruf Records and Thomas Ruf through Walter Trout in the 90's.
Walter was another guy I got very close with and played a lot of shows together. He set me straight on my drug addiction and told me I was being irresponsible with my God given abilities.
He sent Thomas Ruf my independent albums to help me get a recording contract with Ruf Records in the late 1990's. The timing just wasn't right. It had always been my dream to be on Ruf Records with Walter Trout, Omar Dykes, Jimmie Vaughan, Jeff Healey, Robin Trower and my most favorite Luther Allison. Thomas and I became close again at the 2008 BMA's. We began emailing each other to stay in touch. I told him I still hoped we would work together one day.
When the idea of looking for a record label to work with RSB, I immediately suggested Ruf Records.
I had just finished producing two albums for Ruf, Girls with Guitars and Samantha Fish. He was great to work with and very passionate about his artists. I told Thomas about this great new band and how we needed to get our camps together and form a huge alliance. We sent him demo's and he agreed!
We needed a drummer and Charlie Wooton suggested we call Yonrico Scott. IT was a long shot, but what the hell. Devon called Yonrico and he was very interested.
Thomas Ruf told us we should have Jim Gaines produce our album. Jim loved the idea of this band and we all got together at Dockside Studios in Maurice, La. December 2011 and formed a Royal Southern Brotherhood. We recorded the entire album in 5 days. Most tracks were live with very few overdubs.
As Cyril says, we recorded performances, not tracks.
The album was the easiest any of us had ever been involved with. The group just flowed.
Singing and lead guitar duties just came easy, writing tunes together did as well.
We finished the album and began touring in early 2012.
Our official release was just 21 days ago on May 8th on Ruf Records.
The album opened at #1 on the US Itunes charts and #5 on Billboard Blues Charts.
The Piedmont Agency took on the task of booking this group and we have a full international summer tour to promote our group and album!
Our individual careers and bands will continue along side RSB, if all goes well, we'll do both successfully. But for now, it's all RSB!!!
That was as short as I could tell the story- the next blogs won't be as long.
I'll let you know where we are, what we're doing and whats new on the horizon....all from a backseat perspective - cause in this band I don't have to drive the bus, I'm just along for the ride :)
Peace, Love, Zito
This song scared the shit out of me! I called Cyril and asked him if he was sure he really wanted me to work on this song.....it was just so deep. I also wondered if this was my story to tell? He said yes, see what I could come up with. I picked up the guitar and began strumming the chords and singing the words and in minutes "Pearl River" was complete. It was just so easy - it flowed. It was as if I wasn't doing it, it was just coming out of me. I sent the song back to Cyril and he loved it! We recorded the song that would be the title to my second Eclecto Groove release "Pearl River". The album was nominated for Rock Blues Album of the Year and Song of the Year in 2010 at the Blues Music Awards. I was in Denmark at the time on my first European tour, Cyril performed without me at the awards and we won the Song of Year!!! It was 7am in Denmark when I got a call from Rueben and Cyril about the exciting news. Cyril was in tears on the phone- full of joy. I knew then that this man and I had some sort of connection. It just came easy for us to work together. We never thought about it or really talked about it - we just did it. We knew we needed to find a way to work together even more.
I continued to see Devon on the road or his posters in the clubs I was playing. He was doing really well, he had built up quite a following over the years with his band Honeytribe. We talked every now and then online or texting- finally one day he asked who my manager was. He was looking for new representation. I told him all about the New Orleans scene with Rueben Williams. I told Rueben about Devon and the two met up at Devon's gig at the Howling Wolf in Nola. They hit it off as well and began working together. All this time, Rueben and I would (and still do) spend hours on the phone talking about music. Music we loved, bands we thought were great and what could we do next.
We LOVED the Arc Angels! They were so cool and had such a great sound with the two guitars and double lead vocals. They were rock n roll but still blues based. We thought it would be so cool to start a Louisiana style Arc Angels. We talked about it a lot. One thing lead to another and the question was posed as to why the Neville Bros had never really worked with the Allman Bros......
That was it - Rueben said that Devon and I and Cyril needed to get together and write some songs.
Talking about something is one thing....doing it is WAY different! We all had our own bands and careers going. I loved these guys both, but didn't want to be anybody's backing guitarist or backround singer. How would this work? who would sing what? who's going to play lead? ......
He said to just get together and see what happens.
The three of us met in Nola during Jazzfest 2011 at a small studio by City Park. We just jammed.
Cyril played some drums, we made shit up, recorded a lot of ideas and walked away with a pretty good feeling that this could work. No one got hurt and it was fun. Most of all- it sounded good...different.
We went out on our own all summer but stayed in touch with song ideas and such. Rueben asked me what would we name this band... I said "The Brotherhood". But Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes already had this name. Rueben said we were inviting Royalty to join us ~ Royal Southern Brotherhood.
We set up a few gigs in Sept of 2011 and decided to take it a step further. Could we do this on stage?
We rehearsed with bassist Charlie Wooton and Mean Willie Green on drums. We worked up a 2 hour set and took to the Rock n Bowl in New Orleans, La. for the first ever Royal Southern Brotherhood show. It was electric!!! Exciting, adventurous, really different sounding, yet familiar. We knew then that this was something we HAD to do, no matter what. I was sold. Willie Green had his own group though and really couldn't commit to the project. We needed a record deal, agency, more songs.
Now the real work was beginning.
I learned about Ruf Records and Thomas Ruf through Walter Trout in the 90's.
Walter was another guy I got very close with and played a lot of shows together. He set me straight on my drug addiction and told me I was being irresponsible with my God given abilities.
He sent Thomas Ruf my independent albums to help me get a recording contract with Ruf Records in the late 1990's. The timing just wasn't right. It had always been my dream to be on Ruf Records with Walter Trout, Omar Dykes, Jimmie Vaughan, Jeff Healey, Robin Trower and my most favorite Luther Allison. Thomas and I became close again at the 2008 BMA's. We began emailing each other to stay in touch. I told him I still hoped we would work together one day.
When the idea of looking for a record label to work with RSB, I immediately suggested Ruf Records.
I had just finished producing two albums for Ruf, Girls with Guitars and Samantha Fish. He was great to work with and very passionate about his artists. I told Thomas about this great new band and how we needed to get our camps together and form a huge alliance. We sent him demo's and he agreed!
We needed a drummer and Charlie Wooton suggested we call Yonrico Scott. IT was a long shot, but what the hell. Devon called Yonrico and he was very interested.
Thomas Ruf told us we should have Jim Gaines produce our album. Jim loved the idea of this band and we all got together at Dockside Studios in Maurice, La. December 2011 and formed a Royal Southern Brotherhood. We recorded the entire album in 5 days. Most tracks were live with very few overdubs.
As Cyril says, we recorded performances, not tracks.
The album was the easiest any of us had ever been involved with. The group just flowed.
Singing and lead guitar duties just came easy, writing tunes together did as well.
We finished the album and began touring in early 2012.
Our official release was just 21 days ago on May 8th on Ruf Records.
The album opened at #1 on the US Itunes charts and #5 on Billboard Blues Charts.
The Piedmont Agency took on the task of booking this group and we have a full international summer tour to promote our group and album!
Our individual careers and bands will continue along side RSB, if all goes well, we'll do both successfully. But for now, it's all RSB!!!
That was as short as I could tell the story- the next blogs won't be as long.
I'll let you know where we are, what we're doing and whats new on the horizon....all from a backseat perspective - cause in this band I don't have to drive the bus, I'm just along for the ride :)
Peace, Love, Zito
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)