Here is my latest dispatch from the war zone on the cultural front. As a companion piece to “The Top 10 Composers Ever (Part 8)”, featured here on NQ yesterday, I have brilliantly strung together twelve different versions of this classic song as a tribute to George Gershwin and to show how his music has appealed to many different singers from different generations.

The singers are: Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Julie Andrews, Sting, Donna Summers, Audra McDonald, Patti Lupone, Perry Como, Dolly Parton, Frank Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, and Jean Louisa Kelly.

Right now, with all the problems and uncertainty surrounding us, this song has a poignant relevance for me and, I suspect, for a lot of other people too.

I will be posting another video later of a medley of Gershwin’s most well-known compositions, plus more videos each week as the countdown continues in the list of the top ten composers ever.

So look out for further bulletins in my intrepid, selfless war against the cultural philistines.

Yes, it’s the moment you have all been breathlessly waiting for - the moment when I name the American composer in 8th place on the list of the greatest composers ever.

After the weighty considerations in the piece posted earlier - “At the crossroads” - I felt you deserved a bit of light relief, so I have posted this video earlier than I originally planned. In a day or two I will be uploading one of the two companion pieces to this video - a sampler of this composer’s greatest hits, and a rendition of one of his songs pieced together from versions by 12 different sings from Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews to Amy Winehouse - on my Youtube channel.

In recent months we have seen the Emperor’s Clothing Syndrome running rampant during the elections. (I define this term partly as a tendency to “pretend to see or believe something out of fear of being thought of out of step with others, also out of fear that you might be attacked or ridiculed if you show your true feelings.”)

Now you might not see a connection between this and my latest video, the start of a 12 part series looking at the greatest composers ever, judged on originality, durability, depth and range of output, historical significance and their general influence. You might also say that this series has little connection with the kind of issues discussed on NQ.

But I think it is all very relevant. (Well, of course I would, wouldn’t I?) For one thing, the series will also be looking at the ECS (Emperor’s Clothing Syndrome) in music as well as the arts and humanities in general. It’s all symptomatic of a sickness in society that showed its ugliest aspects during the election.

Secondly, the series addresses the erosion of the finest aspects of western cultural values and standards, another sickness that is undermining the social fabric of America and Europe.

As I say in the introduction to the series, with my usual modesty, forbearance and understatement: “I’m trying to save western civilization. That’s what my Youtube channel is about. Do I really have to spell it out for you? Sheesh. And then you wonder why I get grumpy.”

The final video in the series will look at the way the Emperor’s Clothing Syndrome has dominated the arts and humanities over the past half century, with the help of academic practitioners looking for theories to build on, trying to carve out some academic territory for themselves and becoming the high priests or priestesses of their chosen domains. In music, it ended with meaningless and very irritating noise.

They are the kind of people who try to impose their narrow and very theoretical world view on others and become blinkered in their focus, doing their best to beat down anyone who doesn’t agree with them. (Now what does that remind you of?)

It’s the kind of pseudo-liberal academic milieu that produces people like the Beast with No Name, who is a Rhodes scholar and yet one of the most narrow-minded and bigoted people you can find.

As I wrote in a comment on the recent NQ post about her, being a Rhodes scholar is a sign of being good at the academic process and does not guarantee good sense.

“One of the problems is that lot of people who excel academically are people who are able to absorb and reflect back what their tutors want them to,” I wrote. “In some ways they are like soft cushions, retaining the imprint of the last person to have sat on them. The Moonies and other cults have had a high percentage of college graduates who were academically bright.”

Dr. Theodore Kaczynski the Unabomber was academically outstanding. I had a girlfriend once who was academically outstanding and had an IQ that was so high it went off the scale, but she was totally lacking in any vestige of common sense and spent a great deal of time attacking people who didn’t agree with her opinions on even the most trivial matters.

Now I am not being anti-intellectual or anti-academic. My God, if there was no place for true intellectuals in this world, what would become of an intellectual giant like myself? What I am saying is that you cannot rely on academics to be impartial, objective, clear thinking and - above all - correct in their judgment and opinions.

In fact, some of the most woolly and equivocal thinkers have tended to dominate the arts and humanities over the past fifty years.

At the end of the series I will be examining this whole phenomenon in greater depth. In the meantime I hope you might enjoy the videos on the greatest composers. At least you will hear some good music, and hopefully be entertained.

Let’s just say I was not crazy about her 2002 vote (To say the least) authorizing force in Iraq, Although as with Kerry, I could wrap my head around the fact that she - among many others - had been deceived by the WH to invade Iraq. And I was proud that both of my senators voted nay,  but I had read Pat Lang’s seminal “Drinking the Koolaid” and knew that the deception by this administration was far-reaching, complicated and stunning in it’s duplicity. She, like many others was duped.

What of the Kyle-Lieberman amendment? How could Wes Clark support her when he and VoteVets had started StopIranWar? After all, Clark had testified and debated Perle in the 2002 HSAC hearing against going to war. I asked questions, did a little research and found out that her vote, as my senators, Levin and Stabenow, was among others who voted yea on Kyl -Lieberman. This didn’t make sense. There had to more to this.
I surmised (to the best of my knowledge) in the end that it was a political tactic by Dems, to prevent war with Iran, and in the end, the amendment was stripped of the use of force. (See pgs 8 and 9) While the Republicans were able to use bellicose language and thump their chests. A fellow Clarkie explained to me she had asked Wes and that he said it was the right vote and it accomplished it’s task. I’m fairly positive Clark has no love for Lieberman and the feeling, I’m pretty sure is mutual. And I had no qualms about the IRG being labeled as a terrorist group.
Especially if doing so prevented another war.

However I digress. Whatever leanings I had toward Barack ended with Rezko, when I found out his constituents were freezing and without heat during a brutal Chicago winter. He either turned a blind eye or didn’t care enough to fight for them. And a song kept playing in my head. It was from 1967, written and performed by Lou Rawls - the classic “Dead End Street.” During the narrative intro before the tune Lou, originally a native Chicagoan describes the Hawk. The icy wind of Chicago which blasts off of Lake Michigan. Partcularly the part about he and his family having no heat during a brutal Chicago winter.
Here is an excerpt.

Dead End Street:
Written by Lou Rawls
————————–
(Intro)
I was born in a city they call the Windy City
And they call it the Windy City because of the Hawk. Almighty Hawk
Talking about Mr. Wind. Kind of mean around winter time.
I happened to live on a street that was a dead-end street
There was nothing to block or buffer the wind, the elements -
(To) Keep them from knocking my pad down, Jim I mean really socking it to me
And the boiler would bust and the heat was gone
I would have to get fully dressed before I could go the bed
Put everything on but my goulashes  ’cause they had buckles on them
And my folks didn’t play that (they) said - ”Don’t you be getting up in there with
Buckles on them goulashes and tear up my bed clothes.” but I was fortunate -
As soon as I was big enough to get a job, save me enough money to buy me a ticket, I split.
I got myself together now so I’m going back there to see about it see if its still the same
I just wanted to tell you about it, you know its all right..

Sen. Obama’s  lack of compassion toward his constituents when they needed him the most was a deal breaker for me. I could no longer support him in the primary and the more I learned about Sen. Clinton, the more I realized she spoke for me. 

     Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, BB King, Albert King, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan all at one time or another have stated how much they profoundly respect and admire Otis Rush.  When Muddy Waters says his music is “deep”, you can count on that. Singer/guitarist Otis Rush is truly the rarest of the rare when it comes to being a master of the blues. His depth, passion, mastery and sheer genius is unsurpassed.

     Otis practices his calling with true humility, no gimmicks,  stage theatrics, or guile. Like all great artists he plumbs the deepest parts of humanity for inspiration. While the soft spoken southpaw may not be a household name to many, any blues fan knows no one has done it any better than Otis. His immense talent is matched only by his sweetness, and Otis telling me he liked my playing still means the world to me. 

     When I think of any musical decision that I regret, what immediately comes to mind is passing on a tour of Japan with Otis. I’ll never forget how he refused my fee because it “wasn’t enough” and proceeded to offer a few thousand dollars more for me and the band.  This was unheard of in an era where musicians would have to fight or prepare to fight in order to get paid, and I witnessed occassional gunplay in those days. (”The Blues Brothers” movie is more true to life than you might think).   I had been playing with Etta James for a couple of years by that time, and after I agreed to the Japan date, a last minute gig with Etta forced me to cancel.  Remembering that decision is painful to this day.  Still , I was blessed to record with  Otis on Tops, a 1985 live recording from the San Francisco Blues Festival. 

      I really cannot overstate his influence. Jeff Beck was dumbfounded when he heard Otis Rush for the first time. Eric Clapton has covered Double Trouble (namesake of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band) and emulated Rush’s guitar on “All Your Love”(I Miss Lovin’) on his classic recording as a member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Hearing Otis’ vocal nuances for the first time brings to mind just how much he has influenced Clapton. Jimmy Page lifted Otis’ “I Can’t Quit You Baby” almost verbatim on the the first Led Zeppelin album. Jazz great Pat Metheny told me Otis  inspired him to “play for yourself”.

    True to his craft, Otis never played politics. His lack of interest in schmoozing, or rock stars sitting in with him, or doing duets with big names would have frustrated any manager. This didn’t mean he wouldn’t have the “creme de la creme” in marquee names and musical icons at his disposal. When I backed Otis in San Francisco, Carlos Santana (a huge fan) came by and asked to sit in while we were playing. I passed Carlos my guitar. The audience went nuts, but Otis wasn’t thrilled and he beckoned for me to get back up and take my guitar back from Carlos. Another time at the now defunct Lone Star in NYC, Aykroyd and Belushi sauntered up to the bandstand. Otis walked off. Several of Otis’ contemporaries are the opposite in that regard. Otis’ pal and fellow Chicago blues great Buddy Guy has always encouraged rock stars to play with him. (Welcoming these opportunities is perhaps the reason Buddy is better known.)

     Otis suffered a stroke in 2004 and has toured on a limited basis since then, as a singer. He is up for a Grammy  nomination for Best Traditional Blues this year for a recording entitled “Live and From San Francisco” which was recorded a few years prior to his stroke. I am proud and humbled to have made a cameo on it but regardless of that, I hope he wins. He deserves it and has given the world the very best of what this country has to offer. I love you Otis, and I always will.

Respectfully dedicated to Masaki Rush, Otis’ loving wife, companion and the other half of a great team.

The producer was none other than Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, one of my favorite musicians and someone I really looked up to. He also had two back to back gold records at the time and was finally getting his due.

My part was going to be tricky, I had to overdub an intro without very much of a count on top. That intro was the lead into the song.

“C’mon, Lick Man, you’re up,” he said with a cigarette dangling out of the side of his mouth.

Johnny had two crowned gold teeth, he was an original if not THE original “playa” or “gangsta” who now owned a Bentley, a Stutz and of course, always a new Cadillac.

I was nervous and I missed the first try and I knew if I didn’t nail it, Johnny would do the part. “God, this isn’t fair! I thought, “Why wasn’t there a count for me?”

The engineer rolled tape and I saw Johnny looking at me. I nailed it. Johnny’s face lit up and he high fived me. ‘”I knew you could do it, man!”

Holy shit, I was relieved. The atmosphere in the studio was now festive, it was party time.

Johnny “Guitar” Watson was the most talented musician I have ever met.

Not only a superb guitarist, he was an incredible keyboard player, songwriter, bassist, vocalist and producer. He could easily move from a gut bucket blues, sophisticated funk or a complicated jazz tune. Originally from Houston, John made the move with his family as a child to Los Angeles. His credits included Louis Jordan, James Brown, George Duke, Frank Zappa , Cannonball Adderley and Freddie Hubbard.  Zappa said the reason he played guitar was because he heard Johnny. He influenced Jimi Hendrix,who emulated John’s extroverted performing style. Rappers have often cited Johnny as an influence, Snoop Dogg was one. 

(Witness Johnny’s “Space Guitar” from 1954) Steve Miller (Who covered JGW’s Gangster of Love) Prince, and Jimmy Vaughan are a few that fell who under John’s musical spell. No one more so than my boss, Etta James, who’s vocal phrasing is built upon John’s style. He and Etta were real close, like brother and sister. We do a JGW tune entitled “Ta Ta Ya, Baby” and Etta always gives him his due.

He was also a really funny guy and incredibly smart.  Johnny also had his demons, which caught up with him and despite a rough spot he came through the fire. His career had rejuvenated and things were looking up.  He had opened for Prince in LA and had all but stolen the show. Johnny died onstage from a heart attack in Japan in 1996, while performing his hit “Superman Lover.” Through the years, we had become close and I really loved him. He’ll always bring a smile to my face.

I’ll never forget June 9, 1971. It was my eighteenth birthday and our high school graduation party. The entertainment was

none other than  Albert Collins - Texas blues guitar great. I was seated next to my

best pal - band mate, classmate and fellow guitarist, Robert Cray. We had lobbied hard to have Albert perform for us - and the work paid off.

We couldn’t wait! There was a delay and apparently they hadn’t arrived yet. I recall going outside for a smoke, and laughing to myself.

“What are they going to do, suspend me?” 

Soon a white van pulled up with a U-Haul attached. A coupla scary lookin’ guys (Whom I correctly ascertained to be musicians) burst out of the van laughing, then came Albert. You could tell he was the man. Within a few minutes, they were set up and ready to play.

The band fired up a tune and warmed up. I think it was Jimmy Smith’s “Chicken Shack”

Soon a band member sauntered up to the mike and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s SHOWTIME!

Put your hands together for the one and only Albert Collins!”

And then a lean, dapper man with chiseled features and intense yet playful eyes, strapped on his telecaster, shrugged his shoulders a bit, (like a batter readying himself for a pitch) smiled and hit some notes on his guitar that I’m still trying to emulate.   And then he tore it up. Cray and I looked at each other in disbelief. 

What a sound! What phrasing, tone and technique. He was so powerful. Sure, I was familiar with the King’s - BB, Albert King and Freddie. And of course the bad ass rock guys like Beck, Clapton and Hendrix.

Yet Albert’s guitar was speaking to me in ways that turned my world upside down. (Some of you may remember Albert’s brief performance in “Adventures in Babysitting.” It was Albert who said no one leaves here without playing the blues or something to that effect.)

Anyway, it was a night that will always live with me.  I knew then and there that I wanted to be like him.

We eventually became close friends (Albert gave me my first road opportunity, I moved to CA to play with him.)  His beloved wife, Gwen wrote most of his songs that managed to capture Albert’s personality and his sense of humor. They really loved each other.

And he mentored me. He took me under his wing when I was in my twenties once he found out my father had recently passed. And he referred to me as his “baby.” You see, I was fortunate enough to have two “dads.”

He told a singer/friend of his that I worked with (Texas blues/soul man Frankie Lee, whom I played with for many years and we’re close) that he had better not hear of him mistreating me or “I’ll have to hurt you.” He wasn’t kidding.

I played with Albert on and off until he left us in 1993. We spent time in the US, Europe, South America and Japan. Often I would do double duty with Albert and Etta when we did shows together.  Like the late great Sam Cooke said, “That’s Heaven To Me.”

Musically he was a profound influence on me and of course many other big timers such as Jimi Hendrix , Jimmy Vaughan, Robert Cray, Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name a few. You see, Albert never met a stranger - even if he had just met someone, he made people feel as if they were most important person in the world to him. And guess what? They were. He always made time .

Albert told me it was important to get my own style (As opposed to emulating him and BB) and it was who you were off the stage that defined you.

BB King played tenderly at Albert’s hospital bedside in Vegas, when he left us all too soon in 1993, after succumbing to cancer.

He was so proud of me when I got the gig with Etta.

I recall a few years back when we were in London with Etta. We had word that Mick Jagger was coming to the show at the Towne & Country. After we had sound checked, a kid about fifteen told me he loved my playing and had been practicing my style. He asked if I could just hear him - we were busy and on our way back to hotel to get ready. The blond English kid implored me. He even had a little amp in a backpack. I told the guys to wait up a minute and they did. The kid had me down pat - even my mistakes. I invited the young man and his girlfriend (She witnessed the whole thing.) to the show that night, assuring management that I would make sure they wouldn’t drink. Mick and Jerry didn’t seem as important then.

So Albert, I hope I haven’t shamed you and I’m still trying to be a decent guy offstage - and to make time, like you did for me. 

Hi, my name is Bobby Murray, aka taters. I’m a musician and I play guitar. I’ve been with Etta James (whom I adore) for almost 20 years now, since ‘88. We just got off the road, we did Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, San Diego, Anaheim a few others in SoCal & Northern CA. Then it was on to Oregon and Washington. Some of the dates included Al Green and pretty much all of them, we were with BB King. (Etta had her first hit record when she was fifteen and went steady with BB when she was sixteen. She says BB’s “Sweet Sixteen” was about her.)

I’m pretty comfortable on a tour bus. My forte is blues but I love and listen to all kinds of music. My classical guitar teacher threw me out of class after he admonished me for playing the Ray Charles classic “What’d I Say.” Even at the tender age of 12, I knew that blues was worthy of the same respect that any other music was worthy of. I’ll always be grateful to that teacher.

Taters (Bobby) continues:

Proudest moments would include performing at Bill Clinton’s first inaugurationand represnting the US with Etta in Barcelona at the ‘93 WOMAD pre Olympic cultural fest. To hear all those languages in the hotel and to be with a musicians truly from allaround the world was a thrill I’ll never forget.

Less than proudest would include well that stuff isn’t worth mentioning, right?

Playing with Etta has afforded me many opportunities and I was fortunate to have played on two Grammy Award-winning recordings with her. I also played on a BB King recording which won a grammy. He is a mentor and a dear friend was and always will be a profound influence in my life. Seeing him on my seventeenth birthday reaffirmed what I wanted to be - a blues guitarist. I was with him and played forhim on his 70th birthday and I’m happy that I was with him on his 82nd, last week.
Here’s a link to a review of our last concert, in Washington, where our beloved Susan resides.

And here’s a link to my bio, I also lead my own band when I’m not w/Etta.

Please feel free to ask me any questions. And of course, one of my loves is being here with all of you here at No Quarter.

Love ya,
Bobby Murray aka tates

LINKS:
Here’s a link to a gig I did at the Monerey Blues Festival. It’s got a bio and a good friend linked it on his site. It’s also got an mp3 link to a song entitled “Here I Am” off my first CD entitled “The Blues Is Now” - released in 1996 and recently re released.

Bobby-Murray ( A link to my first solo recording)

Bobby with Etta:

AOL link

Link at CDBaby.

:::::::::

Susan speaking here: I saw a story about this young man today on CBS Sunday Morning (which is a show I tape every Sunday because it tells stories like these, and it has an overall positive tone that is heartening).

He spends his entire life hauling tons and tons of garbage — from refrigerators to bowling balls — out of rivers all over the country, and he’s inspired thousands of volunteers, and coastal cities and towns, to do the same:

Here’s Chad’s story:

In From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers (National Geographic Books), author and crusader Chad Pregracke, with Jeff Barrow, chronicles his incredible journey cleaning up America’s rivers one tire at a time. The book shares Chad’s personal story and the beginning of his grassroots organization, Living Lands & Waters, which has captured America’s imagination and motivated thousands of people across the country to clean up our country’s rivers and waterways. What started as one man’s crusade has become an ever-evolving worldwide movement to educate people and connect them with their environment.

While working as a commercial shell diver in high school and college, Chad was overwhelmed by the amount of trash that littered the bottom of the Mississippi, a shocking sight that launched him on a quest to do something. After four discouraging years seeking government help without success, Chad took his fundraising efforts private. He landed a corporate sponsor who was impressed by the environmentalist’s determination, passion and drive to make a difference.

Ten years later, Chad’s one-man project has grown into a $500,000 operation with more than 60 sponsors. Chad has accepted numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious Jefferson Award for Public Service, which is America’s version of the Nobel Prize for Public Service. His efforts have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Today Show, and countless other national and regional news outlets. His grassroots, can-do spirit thrives aboard a 135-foot barge that serves as home base for Living Lands & Waters, a floating environmental classroom and an inspiration to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Go here to find out how you can pitch in.

P.S. I checked how Chad’s book is doing, expecting it to be at around #21,000 in Amazon sales. It is #88 in sales. Wow. It seems a lot of people are interested in how to directly affect and improve the environment.