On The Premiere Of ACT II Of 'THE BARBER OF PADUCAH - A Conversation with the composer Travis V. McGonigle

 A continuation of the interview with Travis V. McGonigle composer of 'The Barber Of Paducah'

Now that Act 2 of The Barber Of Paducah has premiered, why did you write this opera?

Damn, shoulda known it was too good to be true! I guess it was inevitable that you'd ask a stupid goddam question! Only two main reasons:an overwhelming artistic desire, or for money!  Didn't have no hifalutin artistic desire, and if I wrote for money, it sure ain't paid the bills! Let's avoid all the arty-fartsy stuff and say I wrote it for the hell of it! To see if I could! To parody grand opera! Take your pick! Next question. Make it a good one. You're on thin ice,buster!

Fair enough! The 1st Act sets the stage. 2nd Act introduces Benny, barber Luigi's stooge that tells of Jill's husband Sammy finding out about Luigi and Jill's affair. I found it interesting with Luigi's responses  and revealing somethings of his life in Fascist Italy under Mussolini.

You gotta remember when I first wrote the libretto, it was in  1950. The war was a very recent memory.  There were thousands of Italians that immigrated right after the war, as the economy of Italy was destroyed, high rates of unemployment and stunning poverty. Luigi and his brother fought in the Italian underground and saw and did much that had made them tough out of necessity. So it makes sense that any threats Jill's wife Sammy may bring don't frighten him, but brings out the old resistance fighter in him. He's a tough little dago!

I wanted to ask about your use of the ethnic slur you chose to keep in the opera. I wonder...

If it's politically correct?  Hell no it isn't! Remember the setting, the culture of the time. Italian immigrants were no different than any others. People didn't know them, what ya don't know ya tend to fear. When ya tend to fear, these kinds of words help keep them in the prejudicial spot in yer head. I wanted some small part of the common man of the times. Heaven knows how much and what other slurs in the original I cut out! Compared to the way our culture is now about swearing, I decided to take most of the 'f' bombs out of it as well. You wanna write something different nowadays, you don't put all that really foul language in it. But goddams, son of bitches don't count!

The aria Luigi sings about Louisa sets the love he has been harboring for her in motion.

This is one of my favorite parts of the opera, Luigi's aria about her, and her aria about going to dinner with him. In the original version I wrote, the part when they arrive back at the flower shop and she invites him in for coffee, he accepts and they end up doing it. After talking with the conductor and others about it, I changed that to him refusing. The music I wrote for their doing it was the most passionate I could write at the time. Which means it was shit! It was a good decision to change it. Instead of Louisa just being another easy lay for Luigi, she remains to appear 'pure'. But I left the invite in. If Luigi would have accepted, she had all intentions of doing the nasty with him. She sang in Act 1 about missing having a man in her life. Yeah, jumping in the sack right off happened in 1950 too!

Then comes the confrontation between Luigi and Jill at 3 in the morning in the barbershop, the dramatic end to Act 2!

The character of Jill in the original opera was kind of a throw-away. She only appeared in the 1st Act, with her name just mentioned later. But the singer they had for part was a dramatic mezzo-soprano. After I heard her in the outtakes of the 1st Act recordings, I had to write something else for her. And what she does with her part is stunning! Never heard such dramatic, over the top singing! The run she does on the line  'you used me' blows me away! She slides up to her top range, then plummets to the depths with a near yodel of the final consonant! No doubt the main character in the opera is Luigi, but the 3 arias Jill has in the whole opera are very important dramatically and musically. Louisa is Luigi's serious love interest, but Jill carries a heavy load! 

We all look forward to he premiere of Act 3 coming soon. Anything you want to say about that?

Yeah! Give it a listen! You won't hear any spoilers from me about what goes on. Give those lazy ears of your a chance to hear something different. And thank you. We got off to a rocky start today, but you figured out that when I feel like talkin' your main use is to get the hell out of my way, and don't ask dumb ass questions!  

On The Premiere Of ACT I Of 'THE BARBER OF PADUCAH - A Conversation with the composer Travis V. McGonigle

Travis V. McGonigle

 After 3 years of revising, rewriting, and doing it all over again, ACT I of the opera The Barber Of

Paducah has premiered, with the other three acts to be released at regular intervals. We took this occasion to sit down with the composer and get his impressions and learn something of the tremendous 70-year journey from the original composition to the current version. Getting an interview with Mr. McGonigle is always an iffy proposition. He's 96 years old, physically quite frail, but mentally still very acute, and he's cranky! So we hope you enjoy these minutes with the composer, Travis V. McGonigle.

Mr. McGonigle, we thank you for making time for us to share your thoughts with our readers.

Yeah, yeah! Get on with it, dammit!

Let's start with a little history. 70 years ago you first put pen to paper to write this opera. What inspired you to write it back then, and what prompted you to take it back up after so many years?

I was a barber myself for years. Not in Paducah, I lived 'cross the river in Illinois, but I went to Paducah often to play bluegrass music with a band there. I fashioned the character Luigi from a real Italian barber in Paducah. This guy was a rotten bastard, cheat his own Mama out of her last dollar, rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth. He was crooked as a snake, made most of his money illegally. The shop was mostly a front. But at least my character has some morals, some scruples. The actual barber didn't have a single redeeming trait!

Interesting! What caused you to lay it down for so many years? 

That should be easy for ya'll to figger out! A more or less traditional opera written in 1954, that has a name that's an obvious take-off on The Barber Of Seville, written by an unknown, mostly self-taught musician with no connections. That reason enough fer ya?

Yes, it seems you weren't likely to have it performed. Did you ever get anyone to at least look at it, give you some feedback?

Just a local leader of a band that played on the radio. He read it through, at least what I had done. He told me don't quit cuttin' hair! 

So you gave up on it, laid it aside?

Gave up on it? Are you pullin' my leg? Hell no, I never give up on it! Worked on it a few more years, then I gave up on it! By that time I had a wife and kids, had to make a livin' and it sure wasn't gonna be as a composer!

Did you ever work on it during the 70 years? I expect you had to cut a lot of hair to make a living as aa barber.

Ya said a mouthful there! But I had a few things on the side to add to my income. My shop was a central point for bookies in the area, and I got a kick back from them. The cops never bothered me or any of them about it, so it was okay.

So like your main character, you offered other 'services' besides cutting hair! 

Sure, but I never ran no whores, Nothin' to do with that business! Always felt bad for the girls that got wrapped up with that. They never got no kind of treatment but bad!

So you spent all those years cutting hair, and finally retired, sold your shop.

Yep. Arthritis in my hands, most of my damned joints. All the kids growed up and gone, my wife passed on shortly after I retired. 

How old were you when you quit cutting hair? 

70. 

So you still had twenty years before you went back to the opera. What kept you busy those years?

Luckily, my eyeballs still in good shape, so I read a lot. I mean, a lot! Listened to baseball on the radio, never cared for it on TV.  I was alone, but didn't give a shit. I was glad to do what I wanted when I wanted, had no desire to get involved with nobody, but I did go to local gin mills to hear local bands. Didn't listen to music much, let alone write it. 

So how did you come to pick it up again?  It's a wonder it didn't disappear in the interim. 

Oh hell no! I sweat blood over some of those pages! I kept it in an insulated lock box under my bed. I forgot it myself for a while, but lose it? What in hell's wrong with you?

So tell us the story of how you came back to it? It's an amazing story of serendipity!

I don't know 'bout all that, but it was pure luck! Somewhere along the line I must've sent some of the manuscript to a contest or something, because the Italian tenor Luigi Transatori found it in a library. Evidently a musicologist got a hold of it, and all of his score collection was donated to this library. Anyway, Transatori read through what was there, the whole first act and parts of 2 and 3. He was quite taken with Luigi's opening aria. I guess Transatori likes a challenge, because that aria can separate the men from the boys. A dictionary full of words sung at a fast clip, with a few rhythmic traps in it. The whole role is the most demanding in the whole opera. It took the tenor quite a while to find me, and when he first knocked on the door I thought he was a salesman and I turned him away. But he was so persistent, I finally let him in. I was bowled over when he said who he was and why he was there. 

Did you take it back up right away? I imagine you were somewhat shocked.

Oh hell no! Couldn't even hold a damned pencil because of the arthritis. Wasn't until Transatori brought me a new desktop computer with a music processor on it. I could run a computer at least with a mouse. Took me a spell to get the hang of it, but wasn't long until I could get around on it pretty good. The old score was a real mess. Paper old and brittle, some of the ink faded so  bad it was unreadable. But it felt good to redo what I had. Funny how stuff you ain't done for so long comes back to ya. Must be tucked away in yer head somewhere. Then I had another guy, a rep from a music software company, come and trained me how to use AI to make putting it all together easier. Man, no more slingin' a butt load of paper scores all over the place!

You put the old score back together, changing things as you went, and got to the point where you'd quit. Big And Tall Records got involved, brought in a conductor for you to work with, and they actually recorded the first two acts as well as other individual pieces. But then it all caved in again, and everything stopped. Why?

I had words with the goddam conductor. Told him if he wanted to compose an opera, go write his own and quit rewriting mine to suit himself! He stormed out in a huff. Artistic temperament! Bullshit! That's just an excuse for bad manners!  Then Transatori walked! His relationship with the conductor was more important than the opera he had championed.  I went back to listening to baseball and reading, after a fews weeks they came back, apologized and wanted to jump back in with both feet. Well, to hell with that! Some things just saying you're sorry for don't cut it! Listen, I'm an old bastard, pushin' 100 years old!1 Like I got time for bullshit? Any way, Big And Tall Records found another tenor and conductor, and these guys are the greatest! With all the tools and help they've given me, this opera is peeking around the corner of being done! Something I never thought would happen!

That's quite a story! Tell us what the first Act is all about. What was your vision for it and did it meet that vision when it was done?

Meet the vision? Godfrey Daniel, it surpassed it! The orchestra is phenomenal, the conductor knows the score better than I do, and the tenor has got a pair of iron bellows for lungs! Everything I threw at him he handles like a dream! That goes for the other singers as well.  The first act is all about introduction of characters. First, Luigi, the crooked, charismatic to women, philandering barber. Next is Louisa, the young woman that owns the flower shop that appears innocent, but like we find out when Luigi takes her to supper in the 2nd Act, she invites him in to the shop after he walks her home. She says she'll make coffee,when what she really wants to make is whoopie! Antonio the big brother is a big clunky guy that gives Luigi good advice  that Luigi seldom takes, and Antonio goes along to get along. And the patrons of the shop, a bunch of dead-beat gamblers and whore customers that sing Luigi's praises, but later in the opera make book to on how long Luigi will last in a fight with a husband that found out about his wife having an affair with him. But I'm getting ahead of the story. Then Aunt Cora, a nosy busy-body with a nasty disposition since her husband ran off, but we get a good example of why he did. Then all the 'ladies' at the beauty salon, with Jill leading the line of wives that are screwing Luigi. That's it in a nutshell, Act I. But hold on to yer socks, because things are about to heat up!

I'll tell ya somethin' that really gripes my wrinkled old ass! The loud mouth few that insist on the opera needing an overture!  First off, it's being recorded, don't know if it'd ever be staged, and even if it did I wouldn't write no goddam overture for it! You know what the original purpose of an overture was? To tell people to shut the hell up cuz the show's startin'! That's from a long time ago, and if an audience ain't civilized enough by now to know that when the house lights are turned down and the conductor heads for the orchestra pit that it's time to shut the hell up, then an overture won't make no difference! Never did intend for it to have an overture from the very beginning! I want the curtain to raise as the orchestra plays the short little intro to Luigi's aria, and have the tenor belt it out! 

Amos Carter - Bass Fiddle Boogie

 

The latest by Amos Carter Bass Fiddle Boogie was written by his band member Stu Milligan and his mother Mams Carter. The song is about Amos' younger days, and was partly written in response to a song done by Amos about Stu Milligan, Slew Foot Stu Boogie and was prompted by Amos' mother to give the band another original song to sing at gigs. 

As Amos proclaims at the beginning of the recording, his mother plays the piano and adds her consid- erable boogie- woogie playing talents to the rest of the band.  This is the first song she has co-written for the band, as she's been concentrating on her solo career, Amos' instrument is indeed the double bass, or bass fiddle. He anchors the bass in most of the group's songs and is a formidable player. He usually doesn't spotlight his playing very often, but it can be heard throughout the song and he has two places where  the spotlight is on him and his slap-bass technique. He's played countless hours over the years, and has the calluses on both hands to prove it. Double bass strings are thick and under heavy tension, so the left hand develops calluses to protect the finger from blistering. The right hand also develops blisters, in Amos' case even thicker ones from playing slap bass so often. The instrument requires arm and finger strength to play, and it is for good reason that many double bass players are large, strong people. But there are exceptions. Symphony orchestras can have rather physically unimposing people in the double bass section, but for sure, all have strong hands and fingers that are callused.

Amos has mentioned when he was in High School and learning to play. He said the hardest part was restricting the time he practiced so his fingers would slowly develop calluses instead of blisters. He said it was a lesson learned the hard way. As it goes in youth, he thought he was immune to injury, and practiced way longer than he should have. When the inevitable blisters formed, along with very sore hands that cramped painfully, he had to quit practicing until everything healed. He was so intent on learning the instrument that his mother told us that one night after Amos was in bed she took the instrument next door to a neighbor to keep it out of his sight! 

Back in school on the very first day,
Picking out an instrument to play.
The girls took flutes, the boys took brass,
 Amos Carter gave them both a pass.
Looked in the corner at the big wood,
Said, "I’ll take the big one, if I could!"
 
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
 
Bus driver started to frown and cuss,
Said, “You hog up my whole dang bus!"
Bought two tickets, got red in the face,
One seat for him, one for the bass!
Big bass fiddle stood in the aisle,
The boys and girls would always smile.
 
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
 
Friday night at the halftime show,
Wind came up and began to blow.
Brass section stepped so clean and fine,
Amos dragged his bass on the line!
Carrying twenty-five pounds of wood,
Keeping that beat like a big man should.
Marched in the mud with his big frame,
Star attraction at the football game!
 
He grew up big, he grew up tall,
He’s the king of the rhythm hall.
Playing tunes on Big and Tall tracks,
With driving piano, jumping sax!
No more marching the football floor,
Just Amos knocking down the door!
 
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
Yeah, two seats on the bus!
Big Amos and his bass fiddle! 

The Noir Players - Vampire Cantata- A Noir Vampire Drama, With A Twist!

 

The Noir Players Orchestra repertoire is of a serious  nature most of the time, albeit their subject matter can be campy, even tongue in cheek. This new recording, Vampire Cantata- A Noir Vampire Drama, With A Twist! goes beyond campy! It starts out with a thunderclap, and a frantic soprano voice telling of her impending doom by a vampire. The vampire sings how she is correct in her wailing of impending doom. Just as he moves closer, in for the kill - we hear a jolting record scratch!

The voice of the vampire then complains about the 'cheapo' radio stations he's working at, and about the announcer being a sleep in the vampire's coffin! So not only does the vampire have to adjust the sound and write his own script, now he has to do the commercial break as well! He proceeds with commercial for McClusky's blood bank, gives directions how to get there, and says they will give you a cookie and orange juice after you are finished with the donation! Then the drama continues.

The soprano re-enters with more lamenting, the vampire is close to her getting ready to make his move. As the action speeds to the big finish, the music suddenly stops and a microphone drop is heard! A normal female speaks and tells how they need to take their act to a different station! Joe (the vampire) agrees! They stomp out of the studio, slam the door, which leads to the rustling of bats wings flapping and the bats chirping as a wolf howls in the background...

So the twist of the tale is that the beginning drama is but a deception as the video is a comedy! 

Soprano
The fog is thick... the candles bleed!
Oh, heavens, save me from this night!
The elders words I did not heed...
I’m trapped within his shadow’s might!
I feel the shaking in my knees...
He comes! ... I hear his velvet drag on the floor!
Can no one help me...HELP ME PLEASE!
Help me! Someone lock the door!
 
Vampire
There is no lock
There is no key
You precious sun will never rise
Surrender now your breath to me
And look into my hungry eyes
Do not look back…do not look down
It is your blood I want to use
Your blood belongs to me and to my crown
So relax, my dear
You cannot refuse
My will is not to be denied
So bare your neck! You cannot refuse!
 
Commercial
Marvin?
Yo! Marvin!
*sigh*
Is the narrator sleeping in mine coffin again!
That's what I get for working in a cheapo radio station!
I have to adjust the sound!
I have to write mine own script!
Now…I...I...even have  to...to...to do the commercial break mineself?!
OY VAY!
How humiliating for a great talent such as I!
 
Oh well...someone has to do it if I want to get paid!
 
Say friends when was the last time you give blood…
Hmmm?
You know, blood is the life, Renfield....
Er…
Friends...
Take a trip down to McCluskeys blood bank.
Especially if you have type O....that's oh...
For ohhhh so delicious!
You need directions?
Is easy to find...
Take the first exit to Fang Road,
Make a left onto Mummy Boulevard,
Then a right on Platelet Avenue
But be careful!
You end up in the swamp, you took wrong
Turn on the Creature bypass,
And you end up giving all your blood
To the green eating machine!
Don’t do dat,
Too many humans give him gas!
Is not a good thing!
 
So donate a pint or two this Saturday!
They give you orange juice and
A cookie afterwards!
Tell them your friendly neighborhood
Vampire sent you!
Now...back to the drama!
 
Soprano
The fog is closing in so fast!
I hear his footsteps on the stair,
This hour is doomed to be my last!
A freezing chill is in the air!
Oh, heavens save me from this blight!
Can no one hear my final plea?!
I am so weak...I cannot fight!
I beseech you...don't do this to me!
 
Vampire
Ahahaha!
There is no place for you to hide!
Step out into the dark outside!
Your blood belongs to me, so please!
Look deep into the eyes of me!

Soprano
I feel the shaking in my knees!

Vampire
Yield up your soul unto my might!

Both together
TRAPPED WITHIN THIS ENDLESS NIGHT!
 
Soprano
Wait... *sigh*Listen, Joe,  I'm tired of this
Flea bitten, two-bit outfit!
We can take this vampire
Victim bit to another  station..!
Let's just get out a here!

Vampire (Joe)
Yeah.
Marvin's still
Asleep anyway
Let's go!

Chuck Wagon Calhoun - Thar's Gold In Them Thar Hills!

 

Chuck Wagon Calhoun sings his latest about seeking his fortune by prospecting for gold. He's not prospected before, but he knows what he needs to do it. A grubstake, pick and shovel...and a mule to do the heavy work. So he finds a prospector that made his fortune and no longer needed his mule named Euripides. So he made a good price to Chuck Wagon, bought him and headed up to the mountains. Chuck Wagon's got prior experience got prior experience dealing with a mule, in fact the mule Ol' Tom was the subject of Chuck Wagon's premiere recording with Big And Tall Records. And as with Ol' Tom, trouble brews with Euripides as well. As with all of Chuck Wagon's endeavors, he loses interest and moved on to his next adventure...after he sells Euripides...Rip as Chuck Wagon calls him! So what adventure and profession awaits our tall tale teller? Stay tuned and find out! 

Howdy!
Ma name’s Chuck Wagon Calhoun.
I’m fixin’ to jack ma jaw at ya ‘bout
The time I deserted the world and went prospectin’…
FER THAT YELLER STUFF WE GO NUTS OVER!!
YEE HAW YA’LL!
 
Had ‘nough of gittin’ my ass shot at and beat
So I heerd ‘bout some dudes stakin’ claims
Way up in the hills findin’ gold nuggets big
So I sold all my stuff and went to do the same
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, say the ol’ timers
Nuggets found as big as a chicken egg
Got me a grub stake and a pick an a shovel
Now all I need’s a mule, then stretch ma legs!
 
Now I done worked with mules afore now.
Git a good one, they help out a lot
Git a bad one, all they do is eat and shit
Best save yer money with a pistol shot…
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, say the ol’ timers
Found me a miner that done struck it rich
Didn’t have no need fer a mule no more
He said he were a good worker…(lying sum a bitch!)
 
Couldn’t believe when he tol’ me the mules name
He called the ol’ mule Euripides
What the hell kind a name fer a mule is that?
Some ol’ Greek dude what wrote tragedies?
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, said the ol’ timer
Best keep callin’him the same name
If ya change it, he prolly won’t answer
He’s a good boy, will mind ye, and tame!
 
So I tried to shorten his name to Rip
I hollered it and to my side he did trip
So we gathered ourselves and got on the trail
And he follered me long side my hip
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, but whar’s it at?
Me and Rip fer a month searched for mother lode
My back was a achin’, my knees were a shakin’!
Went further and further down the road
 
Now it seems the further we traveled
I were carryin’ more of the weight
Ol’ Rip was a lolligaggin’
He best shape up, git goin’ straight!
 
Thar’s gold in them that hills, OH YEAH?
My ass is sorely draggin’
Ol’ Rip wants to sit under the shade tree
His part of the deal shore is flaggin’
 
Come to a head one damned hot sultry day
The sun beatin’ down on my brow
Ol’ Rip sittin’ in the shade of a tree
My patience really snapped somehow
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, ya goddam mule!
No mo gonna give ya a pass
I picked up a big ol’ tree limb
And was fixin’ to beat his ass!
 
He looked at me with his big brown eyes
As I was fixin’ to give him a whallop
Brayed a couple times like he t’were laughin’
And suddenly he grunted and sprang up
 
Thar’s gold in them thar hills, he seemed to say
But it shore ain’t worth all of this trouble
He walked ovah to me, nuzzled ma hand
I dropped the big club on the double
 
[Spoken word]
It took that stubborn old mule to make me see the error of my ways.
What the hell good is gold if you're all cobbled up from findin' it?
So I sat with him in the shade of the tree,
Scratched him under the chin like he liked,
Vowed to quit prospectin', and then told old Rip I thanked him-
Then I sold that goddamn stubborn no good
Consarned lazy fuckin' mule!
And I told the dumbass what bought him he's a good worker!

Buzzy Carlyle's Protégé - Tuning Fork Turner

At one of Buzzy Carlyle's Recording sessions, he brought along his protégé blues guitarist Tuning Fork Turner. After Buzzy laid down his song, he had the engineers keep the recording going, and gave a chance to Tuning Fork to let us know what he can do. The results were not very well received by Buzzy, or by Big And Tall Records. Buzzy lets his feeling be known on the recording after Tuning Fork was finished, in fact Buzzy cut him short. We've had this recording for a while, and Buzzy finally told us to release it, as he's finally got Tunin' Fork to playing real blues, and not just a bunch of theoretical microtones and key changes. There is an ensuing recording of Tunin' Fork coming soon, and Buzzy wanted the comparisons between this recording and his new one.

We sat down with Buzzy to talk about this new artist, who we already have a short term contract with on Buzzy's  recommendation. 

BTR - We admit, Buzzy, after hearing the example of Tunin' Fork's playing on the demo, we seriously considered whether he was worth even a short term contract. 

Buzzy - Man, cain't say I blame ya! The kid blew his golden chance that I give him. That's for sure!

BTR - Why do you think he played the way he did? You've raved about his natural ability and talent!

Buzzy - Nerves. Didn't tell him I was gonna do it, first time he was in a recording studio and in front of a microphone. 

BTR - What in hell was he playing? Didn't sound like anything to us but some chord changes that didn't mesh, very little to no melody. 

Buzzy - That's for sure what it was. Goddam guitar noodlin's all! He's got all this formal education, and I respect that. But damn, you cain't be usin' all that fancy crap with playin' the blues startin' out! I've heerd some guitarists use some shit I didn't know what in hell they did, but they been playin' for years, and it fit. It was still the blues. This wasn't.

BTR - Sounds like he was doing a performing test for his theory professor!

Buzzy - Don't know 'bout that. Nevah had no theory m'self, outside what I just picked up. Didn't give a shit what in hell it was, I let him know what it wasn't!

BTR - We really enjoyed the way you spelled it out for him after you interrupted him!

Buzzy - Hell, that ain't nothin' the way I chewed his ass after the tape stopped! We had a knock down drag out for sure! Tol' him cut the fancy 'Music Perfesser' shit, and git down to playin' the blues I know you can do! You wanna keep playin' all that other crap, get the hell out my life and let me git 'nother player that wants to learn! 

BTR -How'd he react?

Buzzy - He stomped out of my room at the home, never said nothin' Thought that might be the end of it, but two days later he come back with his tail 'tween his legs and apologized up one side and down the other. I accepts, he kept apologizin' and I told him I didn't cotton to no ass kissin', mine, or anyone else's! But that he better respect me as much as I respect him and what I sees in him, and let's just git back to work!

BTR - So how's he doing now?

Buzzy - I had him play with other blues people, and especially with some blues singers I know. The kid can play along with the best of 'em. Picks up their style like he's been with 'em for years, and the singers he gitso n their same vibe and gives them a ton of support. Haven't let him play much solo. That seems to be when all the high and mighty shit comes in. Just what in hell is a microtone anyway? He tried explainin' it, told me it was like a note atween F-sharp and G. Now I ain't much for theory, but I know there ain't no note atween F-sharp and G. He retuned his guitar and played some microtones for me, and damn, they just sounded either too sharp or too flat to me!

BTR - It's difficult to understand if you don't know theory.

Buzzy - He tol' me microtones are bein' used right now, and he believed they'd be used in the blues as well. I kind a think it's like bendin' a note, but he says it's more than that. Not interested in arguin' with him. Might be blues in the future will have more microtines in it, but he's learnin' music like I play it! Than he can make his own style in that framework, then go on from there, and more power to him!

BTR - Okay, so tell us how he's doing now!

Buzzy - You seen him! Pockets full of tunin' fawks, metronomes, god only knows whatevah other music contraption! When we play together, he cain't stand to hear my 'dirty' tunin'. Takes us a while to get even in pitch, right on the wazoo. He got what they call perfect pitch. Play a note, he can tell ya what it is. I can kind a do that, but he can tell ya if it's an out of tune whatevah, and if it's sharp or flat! Right in thin air. No other notes playin'! Man, I'm glad I ain't got that! He says hearin' somethin' out of pitch hurts his ears. But he's learned to be intentionally out of pitch, to bend a note when he plays for expression. So yeah, he's come a long way since that demo. Wait 'til you hear him now! He's workin' on an original song too, a for real blues song he's gonna sing and play!

We at Big And Tall Records are excited to hear Tunin' Fork Turner on his upcoming record! 

Mams Carter - Rain On The Window Blues

We here at Big And Tall Records are always excited when we get a song form Mams Carter. We're big fans of her boogie-woogie songs, and there is no one that sings the blues like Mams! And we should know, for we've got a formidable catalog of blues singers, each one of them unique in their own way. What makes Mams different from the rest is  that she was a stay at home mom for years, raising her kids by herself after her husband passed away.  She played piano in church for years and her son Amos Carter, one of our artists as well, told us that when they didn't do what they should, she'd seldom holler, never spanked or hit them, but she would give them a solid lecture on why they should do what they should, and they'd end up singing church hymns afterwards! She didn't do it to punish them,but to try and instill in them good values. 

But Amos has said that it was torture for them, especially singing church hymns because his Mom would go through all the stanzas, and the number of hymns would b e commensurate with the degree of the 'crime'. Amos said, "Me and my other brothers would've rather had an ass whoppin', to tell the truth! But she knew what she was doing. We're not involved with the church any more (and neither is she) but we've all got an abiding respect for our heritage and we actually like church hymns!"

Mams didn't datge at all until her kids were older. Not been married again, but has had a few serious relationships that sadly have turned sour. She's always played here piano, an old upright they bought used years ago. Amos has tried to buy her a grand piano, but she always waved it off, said she liked her old upright. It's got character! Amos coaxed her into filling in when the piano player in his boogie-woogie band was out of commission for a while, and after the initial jitters, she took right off and started enjoying it. She played on a few recordings Amos made, and we heard how she could play boogie-woogie, and offered her a chance to make a demo.  That demo was so good, we released it: Who Needs It? The song did well enough that we offered her a contract, and she signed up. Her next song kind of surprised us. We had no idea she could write a song like this, or sing it so well :The Blues Done Got Me So Bad. Since those two releases she's followed the pattern of a snappy, boogie-woogie type song with a bluesy, meditative one. She knew what she wanted right off the bat with her blues songs; her solo piano and a string orchestra, and they always sound so good together! 

Like many a blues singer, she doesn't really give any specific reason for the blues she sings, except for the rainy day. But that's why the blues is such a wonderful form. From a hard driving blues to one in this style, there is a wide range of emotions and moods to choose from. Our producers tell us she has taught herself how to arrange her songs herself, including teaching her self orchestration for the strings. We're so very thankful such a talented musician is one of our artists! 

Rain on the window, mud in the yard
Air so thick it makes me breathe hard
My blouse is clinging like it knows my name
Every single corner is wet from the rain
 
I tried to shake it, but it's goin' slow
Weight on my shoulders, rain won't go
 
The rain has brought me down
(I'm feeling so blue)
I feel like skippin' town
(What am I gonna do?)
Humidity got me hot and damp
(Wanna wring myself dry)
Feels like my heart's in a clamp
(Keep askin' myself why)
 
Dirty pots in the sink... porch all wet
Keep thinking 'bout things... I can't forget
Cat's under the chair, the phone stays still
Even my old heart can't pay this bill
 
I tried to smile but the sky won
A damp blanket when the day is done
 
 Rain has dampened my heart
(I'm feeling so blue)
I just don't know where to start
(What am I gonna do?)
I feel so uptight, distressed
(Wanna wring myself dry)
My life right now is such a mess!
(Keep askin' myself why)
 
Maybe tomorrow the sun will glow
And I won't be feelin' so damn low
Tonight I'm an old shed with a leaking roof
Look at my eyes if you need proof
 
It's late, but I can't sleep
(I'm feeling so blue)
The blues has got me deep
(What am I gonna do?)
My body's wore out and tired
(Wanna wring myself dry)
But my mind is troubled... and wired
(Keep askin' myself why)