kudzurunner
1437 posts
May 12, 2010
6:28 PM
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It was amazing walking in off the street--deserted, hot, humid--into the KFFA studios, with 7 minutes until airtime (Sonny told me to be 15 minutes ahead of airtime) and tossing my stuff into the corner and starting to set up with Sonny Payne shaking my hand. He's been working at the station since 1941. How many of us work at the same workplace for 71 years?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Sunshine%22_Sonny_Payne
I've only done my one-man band thing with my harp amped up. I brought the Kay but the moment I started to plug in, Sonny said, "We'll hear you better if you just play into the mic right here," pointing at the studio mic.
So I shoved my drumkit between my legs and then Sonny's 89-year old sister came and sat down between him and me and started telling me about her new nursing home--the retirement village in north Mississippi, Hernando or Southhaven, and how she really liked the little apartment.
It was surreal but just fine. In any case, the blues is about tossing your s--t on the floor and playing from whatever is actually happening right then. So that's what you're hearing. I won't pretend that the singer and drummer are as good as the harp player, but I'm happy that I'm working my edge as a singer, and as a one-man band. Some people at my age (52) are thinking about retirement. I'm heading in the opposite direction.
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 6:31 PM
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