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Now 73 years old, Bessemer born Andre Williams is launching his fiction writing career this month with the publication of Sweets. Since the 1950's Andre has distinguished himself as a singer, songwriter and producer (see September post on this blog for more details).
"Sweets is a narrative which takes you for a wild ride from Chicago to Houston, New Orleans, and New York City, as a teenage girl finds herself in a family way, without a family. Forced to fend for herself, she is taken under the wing of a local pimp who entices her into prostitution. The adventures that follow are a free-for-all foray through the fantastic world of pimps and their women, funeral directors, gangs and drug running, with sidebar anecdotes that are guaranteed to appall, alarm and astonish. Extreme entries remain unedited, and none of William's raw drawl storytelling style has been tampered in this standout fiction debut."
During a bout of depression, Andre entered a forty-two day program at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center to try to put himself back together. When he got there he called upon longtime friend Miriam Linna at Kicks Magazine. She suggested that he try his hand at fiction writing if only to while away the long days ahead at the center. In the book's preface, Andre describes how once in rehab he felt his mind begin to heal and thoughts began coming to him from all over the place, day and night. He began writing everything down and with Miriam's editorial help he was able to transform his rehabilitation process into the novelette, short story and song-poems comprising Sweets.
As author Nick Toshes writes in his introduction to Sweets, "Andre Williams has proven himself to be a survivor. The stories he has here written deserve to survive as well. They most certainly deserve to be read, as the rewards they offer are many and fine. Heed what I say. Otherwise you got nobody but your own self to blame." For some other folks' thoughts on Sweets, check the reviews by Mick Collins and James Sullivan.
The story collection is a posh pocket paperback originals release by the Kicks Books imprint www.kicksbooks.com which hatched from Kicks Magazine, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The book design is an homage to vintage PBO paperback originals; its "tall" 7 inch format makes it the perfect size to take it in your coat pocket or handbag wherever you go.
Kicks Books will celebrate Andre Williams' arrival as an author on November 14, 8 PM, at a reading and book signing at Phyllis' Musical Inn, 1800 West Division Street, Chicago, IL. There will also be Q&A session with Andre and DJ party featuring Andre Williams' music selected and spun by DJ John Phillips.
And for those in the Memphis area, Andre Williams will be performing at High-Tone Cafe on Saturday, November 7th.
The Crazy Teens. Left to Right: Dave Reynolds (standing with guitar); Ronnie Foster (kneeling with guitar); Billy Ward (at drums); James Farris (standing); and James Jones (clapping).
In 1959, a group of Tuscaloosa, Alabama teenagers recorded a song called "Crazy Date". Though it was never more than a regional hit, a lot of people agree that the song deserves its place in rock and roll history. Inspired by Chuck Berry’s "No Money Down", Dave Reynolds had written the song at the age of 13, and then his sister, Jeanne came up with the lyrics while they were living in Miami, Florida.
Besides Chuck Berry, Dave was especially influenced by Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters and Count Basie at the time, and he was musically inclined from an early age. Dave started out playing bass fiddle, and then the ukulele before turning to the guitar; at the time of "Crazy Date" he played a Gibson ES 125 guitar with a single pickup.
After the family moved to Tuscaloosa, Dave started looking around for other musicians to play with and found guitarist, James Farris; guitarist, Ronnie Foster; and drummer, Billy Ward. Dave’s father, William Neville Reynolds, supported his son’s musical efforts not only by encouraging him to start a band and driving him to rehearsals and gigs but by paying for the recording and pressing of "Crazy Date".
1956 Advertisement for Scott Recording Laboratory.
Dave’s dad went to the phonebook and found the Scott Recording Laboratory, located at the Tuscaloosa airport (which Dave remembers as resembling a living room) where he booked the session. James Jones, who was not a regular member, joined them to play bass for the recording of "Crazy Date"(click to hear Crazy Date). When the A Side was taken care of they realized they needed a song for the other side. So Dave wrote the B Side instrumental “Rebel Boogie”(click to hear Rebel Boogie) on the spot at the recording session. Finally, they needed a name. Since they were recording "Crazy Date", and they were all teenagers, the guys decided that the band should be named "Crazy Teens", and the recording was sent to MGM for pressing.
Lables from a record formerly owned by Jean Lake.
Dave recalls that 500 45 rpm single records were made. The band members kept 200 and 300 were sold. They promoted "Crazy Date" at the WTBC radio station (which was on 15th Street across from Horne’s BBQ - now Mike and Ed’s BBQ). The 45 was sold at a 5 & 10 store in the Leland Shopping Center in east Tuscaloosa. It was instantly a local hit that sold 50 copies on the first day it was out, and Dave went on to be voted most popular boy in 9th grade. He still worked a job at a filling station, but was able to earn most of his money by playing music at talent shows, dances and skating rinks.
Dave Reynolds, circa "Crazy Date".
Over the years Dave has played in other rock and roll and jazz bands including Alabama Cavaliers, the Furys, the Starlighters (who he recorded an LP with), and the Spooks as well as gospel groups and the country band, Endless Highway. He was a member of Salt and Pepper, one of the first integrated bands in Alabama, who played shows at the University of Alabama, the Citizen’s Club, the 61 Club in Tuscaloosa and throughout the Southeast.
"Crazy Date" has since been reissued on the "Sin Alley 1" LP compilation (1986) on the Crypt record label and on a Norton Records 45 single. As a result, the song got introduced to a new adoring audience and spawned cover versions by bands including Ray Condo and his Hardrock Gonners, The Hellhounds, The Senders, Speedball Baby, Ted & The Tall Tops, Thee Hamstrz and the Tri-Tones.
Dave now plays the bass and is a mentor for young musicians at Shelton State Community College, and he still sees fellow "Crazy Teens" James Farris and Ronnie Foster from time to time. He no longer plays the guitar, or consequently, "Crazy Date" but he does keep an ear out for cover versions by other groups. And, 50 years later, they’re still coming. Though, nothin’ beats that original craaazy song recorded by five teenagers at the Tuscaloosa airport!A very special thank you to Dave Reynolds and his daughter, Susan Reynolds, who interviewed her father and provided copies of vintage photos. Special thanks to Billy Miller and Miriam Linna of Kicks magazine and Norton Records, Tim Warren for his article on Dave Reynolds in Kicks #6, George Hadjidakis and Lori Watts.
Andre "Mr. Rhythm" Williams was born in Bessemer, Alabama in 1936, and spent his youth in Chicago and Alabama. Andre launched his musical career in Detroit in the 1950's, recording for the now legendary Fortune Records. He is best known for his especially greasy R&B Fortune recordings like "Jail Bait", "The Greasy Chicken" and "Bacon Fat" which made it to #9 on the R&B charts in 1957. As a writer and producer, Andre Williams worked with Stevie Wonder, The Contours, Ike Turner as well as 1970's funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic.
The Meditation Singers were a Detroit based gospel group formed by Earnestine Rundless in the late 1940's. They recorded on a variety of labels through the 1970's and continued performing into the 1980's. The group's line up changed over the years, and at various times included Della Reece, Laura Lee and Rev. James Cleveland.
Later in their career, the Meditation Singers recorded two albums on the Jewel label, the first of which "A Change is Gonna Come" was released in 1971. Andre Williams produced the LP and wrote all of the songs, except for the title track, which is a Sam Cooke song.
"Getting High on the Lord", (listen here) is a funky gospel number from that LP that's a departure from the Meditation Singers' earlier, more traditional shout gospel sound. And, producing a gospel record is a departure for Andre Williams for obvious reasons. The result is strange and interesting, though the collaboration came to an end after the "A Change is Gonna Come" Jewel LP.
Since the 1990's Andre has toured and recorded albums with The Dirtbombs, Diplomats of Solid Sound and Morning 40 Federation who hail from the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Recently he's been touring and helping to promote the documentary film, "Agile Mobile Hostile: A Year with Andre Williams". Check his MySpace page for up to date information.
From the mid-1960's to the late 1970's Neal Hemphill, a plumber by trade, operated a recording studio called the Sound of Birmingham that began in the basement of his plumbing shop in the Midfield suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. He recorded local and touring acts and released records on his Sound of Birmingham, Hemphill, and Crown LTD labels. He was known to give anyone who came to his studio a listen and recorded all types of music from country to gospel to soul to rock and roll. Hemphill suffered a heart attack in the mid-1970s after which he sold the studio (including the 16 track board from Jimi Hendrix's Ladyland Studio) to Don Mosley who still operates Sound of Birmingham at 3635 5th Avenue South. When Neal Hemphill recovered his health he opened Hemphill Studios where he continued producing into the 1980s.
Released on Stax in 1972, Frederick Knight's "I've Been Lonely for So Long" scored the Sound of Birmingham's first gold record. Among Knight's other accomplishments was producing and writing the 1979 disco smash "Ring My Bell", the first and only hit for singer, Anita Ward.
Recently I stumbled upon one of Frederick Knight's more mysterious efforts: the "Sauerkraut/Have a Little Mercy (on Me)" single on 123, an imprint of Capital Records. It's a promotional copy that may have been a demo as the release is not included in Knight's discography. Neal Hemphill produced the songs and is credited with co-writing the uptempo "Sauerkraut" and with writing the soul ballad, "Have a Little Mercy on Me". "Sauerkraut" sings the praises of that condiment, getting back to Birmingham to get some and even goes into the process by which cabbage becomes the song's namesake. You can hear a sound clip of it here.
If you have further interest in the music produced by Neal Hemphill's Sound of Birmingham studio, check out the two volume CD compilation "The Birmingham Sound: the Soul of Neal Hemphill". Also, see the myspace page for more background information about the studio.
George C. Wallace III (also known as George Wallace Jr.) is the only son of Alabama Governors George Corley and Lurleen Wallace. George Wallace Jr. had his own his political career, during which he served as Alabama's State Treasurer and on the Alabama Public Service Commission. As a young man he also had something of a musical career as frontman for his own garage band. George Wallace Jr.'s bandmate John Botts writes about them playing at father George C. Wallace's political rallies and that "while Lurleen was being treated for her cancer, she would often call the boys while they were rehearsing, place the phone by her hospital bed, and enjoy their music until she fell asleep."
George Wallace Jr's first record was released circa the mid-60s. The A side is an ode to his politician parents:
Side B, an ode to a "Little Blue Pill".
Though I haven't found a discography, I know that there are also several releases by George Wallace Jr. on MGM. According to a Huntsville Times article from 2008, George Wallace Jr. is now enjoying his life away from politics. Besides working on writing a book he says he is also playing music so, maybe his musical career is not over yet.
Many thanks to George Hadjidakis for the label scans and sound clips.
I am beginning to suspect that there may be hundreds of places in the Deep South where people get together for regular, usually weekly, country music jams. Though they're not honky tonks that's the preferred style of music, mixed in with some rock and roll and gospel.
Some are run by families and some by local musicians and/or their fans. While there is a core group of regular players and audience members, newcomers are welcomed to sit in with the band at most of the places I've been to. I've had a lot of fun at every one I've visited, but the Columbus Opry in Columbus, Mississippi is my favorite. Owner Benny Davis sets the tone with his great warmth, sense of humor and talent for letting it rip on electric and steel guitar.
Benny tells a story about when he was a child and his Sunday School teacher asked the kids to pick a favorite song to perform in church. The teacher didn't say what kind of song, so he picked Hank Williams' "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" which he'd been listening to on the radio whenever he got the chance. When it came time for the children to sing their songs, Benny was asked to go first. He sang "Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It, Yea! My Bucket's Got A Hole In It, I can't buy no beer..." to what was was surely a vast sea of raised eyebrows. After that he says his mother grabbed him by the hair and gave him the whoopin' of his life. To this day he still won't sing that song but he's created a place where people can go with their friends and families and sing anything, secular or sacred, that they like. Drinking, smoking and cussing aren't allowed at the Opry and kids are free to knock themselves out singing and dancing or playing hide and seek outside.
A Chief of Police Sings "Mind Your Own Business"
Another thing going for the Columbus Opry is Hilton Hammond, known professionally as Miss Hilton Hammond due to some confusion generated by her first release on K-Ark. People were asking why the guy who cut the record sounded like a woman, so she made her gender unmistakable on later records. She recently treated everyone to a couple of her old songs - "Charlie" which she wrote based on an overheard conversation about a planned knife attack, anthologized on the Collector Records CD "Girls Girls Rockin'", and her version of "King Size Poppa" also recorded by the blues singer, Julia Lee. Click to hear Charlie
Miss Hilton Hammond
She's there every Saturday with her husband Hap who plays guitar and son John who plays drums and sings. The Hammonds are also working to help Benny keep the Opry going. Donations are gratefully accepted and the lottery of donated items is a fun way to raise funds. (I've won some excellent sweet potatoes and pecans myself.) All the money collected goes towards paying for the property and utilities. So far, they have put in central air conditioning, enlarged the stage and put in a concession area where you can buy hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks. An electric sign awaits a tall concrete pole required by the city.
The Columbus Opry runs from 7:00 to around 10:00 every Saturday night. Regular Musicians (singers are marked with *) are: Violin: Jim Fain*; Finger guitarist: Gene Reed*; Rhythm guitar: Ron Bailey*;Lead guitar, fiddle, banjo, harmonica: Benny Davis*; Rhythm guitar: Hap Hammond; Bass: Linda Garrard*; Guitarist: James Cumberland*; Guitarist: Leon Winters; Drummer: John Hammond,Jr.* Singers not on-stage include: Carolyn Reed, Denzel Aldridge, Ruby Bell, Dale Cumberland, Hilton Hammond, Ruth from Aberdeen has joined lately (sings gospel), Doyle Spears picks and sings when he is there.
(left to right): Benny Davis, Linda Garrard, James Cumberland
How to get there: From the East take Highway 82 to the first exit in Columbus (Hw 12/50). From the west, Hw 12/50 is the last Columbus Exit off of Highway 82. Go East on highway 50 for approx. 1 mile. You'll come to a 3-way Stop (2 gas stations at the intersection ) and turn left onto Gardner Blvd. Go approximately 1/4 of a mile. There will be two 40 mile/hr signs, after the second 40 mile/hr sign the Columbus Opry is on the first alley on the right which is a dirt/gravel road. The alley is in between Jerry's Upholstery and a Pawn Shop. The Opry is a small white building on the right.
There are a couple of places to stop for dinner on 50 before you get to the 3-way intersection. Martie's Steakhouse is on the right and Doug and Hazel's Drive In is on the left. I can vouch for Doug and Hazel's, the food is good (particularly the Chicken Fingers) and it's decorated with tons of Elvis posters and memorabilia. I heard that Elvis actually ate there once, but the waitress denied that. Hilton says that even though Martie's looks like a barn, it's nice inside and the food is good.
Doug and Hazel's Drive In
Now 73 years old, Bessemer born Andre Williams is launching his fiction writing career this month with the publication of Sweets. Since the 1950's Andre has distinguished himself as a singer, songwriter and producer (see September post on this blog for more details). 
