My old bandmate works for Asleep at The Wheel. Ray Benson and Huey were doing a surprise show at a small bar (200 people), The Rattle Inn. My old bandmate facebooked about it and I caught the status update. He said he was at Guitar Center buying Huey a harp. I asked when and where the show was and he said that Huey only had one harp, bring mine.
I brought my bassman, bullet, harps and alcohol wipes. I made it just in time. Huey was in the front row waiting to be called up. Another old gigging partner was on bass. I told him, I brought harps and an amp for Huey. He had me bring it up during the song. Huey is called up. I explain him the situation. He asks for an F harp and I give it to him.
Then he gets the band ready to do Bad to the Bone with a D harp. He gets me up, luckily I had two D harps. We jam.
He tells I sound good and thanks. He tells me about Chuck Gurney's Fat Bottom mics and that he likes them. I go on the bus and we talk some more. Afterwards, I am picking up my amp and Huey's one harp is there. I go back on the bus and hand it to him. I think he got a kick out of that. Michael Rubin
Last Edited by on Jul 23, 2012 9:00 PM
As it happens I saw Huey Lewis open for Joe Cocker Sunday night at the Backyard. My daughter and I relly enjoyed the set. He's a terrific frontman and a pretty fair harp player. Terrific band, most of which seemed to have been with him forever. A great bunch of guys having fun playing some great music and thoroughly enjoying the moment.
If you ever get a chance to talk to him again, or can pass a word, you might float the idea of a better harp amp. He was using a tweed Fender with what looked like 12s so I don't think it was a Bassman. More likely a DeVille. Looked like he was going straight in. He was playing really good stuff but there was not the tone one would expect, especially from a Fat Bottom mic. Sounded shrill out front. The sound guy could have been a factor as he sounded a lot better when he did the one number with Cocker, "Lonely Avenue". But I thought at the time, "If you gave him an Avenger he'd go nuts."
In any event, I now officially hate you ;) I would have loved to have caught those moments. ---------- LSC
Last Edited by on Jul 23, 2012 11:33 PM
I met Huey very briefly four years ago when he came to the Illinois State Fair. That was the first time that The News had been in Springfield since 1991. It was pretty much like an 80's matinee concert that night, because Joan Jett and the Blackhearts opened up for them (*insert Bob Hope purr here*). But Huey and The News did a great job that evening, in fact it was one of the last shows that Ron Stallings played before he died. Only song missing from that night was Hip to be Square. You're pretty lucky to have gotten to jam with him Michael! BTW...is Huey still blowing Danneckers?
@LSC "He's a terrific frontman and a pretty fair harp player."
Steven Tyler is a pretty fair harp player. Robert Plant is a pretty fair harp player. But really, if you look at the broad scheme of things, I've found I have to come to the conclusion that Huey Lewis is probably the best mainstream rock and roll harp player in the business today. I've posted this before...but I'll post it again.
And yes...for the most part, the original members of the band are still with him. Only exceptions are the lead guitarist and the bassist. Chris Hayes left in 2001 and was replaced by Stef Burns. And Mario Cipollina left in 1995, John Pierce has been in the slot since '96.
---------- Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jul 24, 2012 8:23 AM
Cool beans Michael, Love Huey Lewis and the News, got to see them in a dive bar when they were first on the horizon - it was packed shoulder to shoulder, they tore the place down, it was nuts in there...
Here is a discography of songs he has played harp on and with.
@HawkeyeKane - My comment was in the context of what I heard last Saturday night, which was good harp but not particularly mega impressive. Certainly not enough to call the man one of the best in the business. The clip you posted was much more impressive both in terms of tone and technique. But don't get me wrong. I've always liked Huey Lewis but had never seen him live. Saturday night I became a fan. I'd love to meet the guy, have a beer, and have him sit in.
BTW, have you ever heard Huey Lewis's harp work on Dave Edmund's version of "Bad is Bad"? Edmunds released it before Huey did. Now that is some bad ass harp playing right there.
Personally, I wouldn't rate either Steven Tyler or Robert Plant as "pretty fair harp players". They're both no more than sort of okay IMO. But I'm a fan of both. I've been a big fan of The Who for ages but every time Daltry pulls out the harp I cringe.
I'm not sure they're is such a thing as a "mainstream rock and roll harp player". Too many variations in how one defines the words in the phrase. Besides, putting "mainsteam" and "rock and roll harp" in the same sentence seems like a bit of a contradiction :). ---------- LSC
Last Edited by on Jul 24, 2012 12:21 PM
Point taken. True. In the last few years, it seems time has been catching up a bit with Huey. His voice isn't as strong as it used to be, and he's not as energetic in his onstage antics or his harping.
Yeah, I've heard that Bad is Bad recording. It's one of his best articles of harpmanship. (Yes, I do believe I just made that word up, and it sounds legit. ;-) )
Granted, Tyler and Plant are both pretty much intermediate harp players in the broad scheme of things. But they can both rip some very tasty blues licks for the genre they fall in. I feel you on Daltrey. If you've never seen it, try and find some old footage of The Who's early mod-band days and their brief stint as The High Numbers. Roger had blues in his veins, and I think that if The Who had kept up with their blues as time passed, he would've developed his skills a great deal and not let them be reduced to simply the solo on Baba O'Riley.
When I say "mainstream", what I mean by that is a harp player in a rock band that's well known and has a visible place in history. In most cases that I've observed, they're also the frontman/lead singer. Jagger, Daltrey, Plant, Tyler, Dylan, and Springsteen to name some, none of whom I classify as all that great. To name a few that I think ARE great...Dick, Popper, Lewis, Oskar, and yes...Norton Buffalo. Not trying to change your POV on this or anything...just clarifying my definition of the term. ---------- Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Jul 24, 2012 1:54 PM
Okay, I give up. I'm blanking on a 'great NEWS' joke that wasn't painfully obvious. I've been trying to think of something pithy all day. I'll just say cool instead. :)
Not rock but certainly mainstream if units sold is any factor, I submit Clint Black. The harmonica solo intro to State of Mind is some really nice stuff. There's for sure some Charlie McCoy influence as you would expect, but there's for certain some blues in there. I suspect ,among many others, Clint's listened to some Sonny Terry on occasion. ---------- LSC
Not argument here man. Black's awfully good on harp for it being his second instrument. I recently started picking up occaisional gigs with a local country band when I'm free from my usual band. It's kind of a retrospective experience for me since I began playing country and folk on harp before immersing in blues and rock. But I still throw a lot of bluesey licks in when I play with them. I may be the only one who really notices that I do it, but no matter. :-) ---------- Hawkeye Kane
I believe the harmonica was Clint Black's first instrument. Perhaps not as Primary, but certainly chronologically. This, from the Wikipedia article, so (like Snopes) it may or may not be actual "truth".
In regard his influences, I remember talking to some music types back in the 80's in Southern California who said that Clint Black when he was still in his paying-the-dues stage that he was always running around Hollywood on his skateboard and definitely took in the blues acts as much as the rock acts at clubs.
Killer playing, Michael. Great tone too! ---------- Ricky B http://www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com RIVER BOTTOM BLUES--crime novel for blues fans available at Amazon/B&N and my blog THE DEVIL'S BLUES--coming Fall of 2012
