I have been really fortunate to work
with lots of really talented singers
and musicians. Here's a handful of
people and groups I've been most
involved with...
A band I played with regularly before
moving to American Samoa is The Strict
Middling Band, a delta-based rhythm and
blues band dedicated to spreading and
preserving the word of all things funky,
soulful and blue. The Strict Middling Band
took the stage with a BIG band sound;
5-piece horn section (The Tallahatchie
Horns) and a great combination of some
of the areas coolest pickers and singers.
I played and traveled with the
group Mohead for a couple years.
It was basically a jam band
centered around John Mohead's
singing and writing. Barry Bays
played bass with the band and I
played harp and percussion.
Drummers rotated frequently but
we frequently used Darin Dortin,
co-host for the Memphis-based
syndicated blues radio program
Beale St. Blues Caravan.
When it comes to low-down sho-'nuff
blues, Cadillac John Nolden and Bill Abel
make a heck of a combination. Bill knows
exactly what to play behind John's singing
and harp playing to produce that juicy
Delta/Chicago sound that I love so much.
Playing with them as part of the DSU Blues
Band was much fun.
Another talented young
man in the MS delta is
Chris Parker. He plays
and sings both old and
new music from Jimi to
Dave Matthews. Chris is
yet another new talent
that Barry Bays has
introduced me to. Also in
the picture is
percussionist Joe
Johnson, a very fine
teacher and musician.
Okay... so maybe you have noticed a
recurring theme amongst most of the people
I play with... Mr. Bays has been a great guy
to play music with. He has introduced me to
many great people and players. Barry is the
Guitar and Bass Instructor at Delta State
University in Cleveland, MS. We have
performed as a duo many times. Something
about having a big upright and a tiny
harmonica together really is charming. This
photo was taken at the ground breaking of
the Cutrer Mansion in Clarksdale.
Photo by Bill Powell
Cadillac John
& Bill Abel
