How I play gigs,
The band Electric GARRY and THE COMPLAINERS [bass, drums, guitar]
Acoustic in the Delta style GARRY COGDELL, THE COG, KID RED
There is a story for each nickname but not now.
Carter and Cogdell, Kid Red and The Rockett, Cog and Stretch
I know it's crazy but I love it all! But what really counts is Witnessing the
MASTERS!
THE IMPORTANT STUFF.
When I was about 19 years old I had the pleasure of seeing the great Sleepy John Estes. It was my first exposure to a real Delta Blues player.
There was a guy Named Wayne Watson in my neighborhood who could play better then I.
I thought, once I got better than him I could get a gig with the Rolling Stones, or at the very least
a band of that stature. A sad thought process, but it is where I was coming from that day,
leaning against a tree, at a workshop performance in a Washington DC folk festival. I looked
way too cool to understand the magnitude of what was about to happen to me. ..
Sleepy John sat at the side of a small plywood stage that was just about ground level, looking
to this foolish guitar player about 150 years old. I though what is that old guy doing there.
Then two guys just about carried him center stage, set his guitar in his lap, placing his hands
on the guitar. I thought, man what the, then it happened He never looked up, he just beat the
hell out of the guitar and played and sang with the intensity of a space shuttle launch. I can't
convey to you the shock amazement, even some jealousy went through me. He was
unbelievably cool. He sounded like nothing I had ever heard, and soul, man he didn't care if I
or anyone else was there or not, he was just letting it out! For the life of me I could not figure
out why this music was not a national treasure. He floored me and set me squarely on my rear.
It was clear I had a lot of work to do. I felt then, and now, nothing could ever match what he
was, but I sure had to try.
I think in general in The United States this music is still underrated and it is also trivia1ized.
The honesty and shear soul of this music we call Blues is something that is very rare.
Thank You! Sleepy John!