Right now is right now and right now I am “right nowing” it in Florence Alabama. Once again I have the privilege to hang out with my buddy Spooner Oldham.
He invited me to hang with him at a recording session with a buddy of his from the band “Igor’s Jazz Cowboys”. I love that name.
I arrived yesterday after a rainy drive from Birmingham. Spooner and I kicked it for the afternoon exchanging jokes and stories. I spent time reading his gold and platinum albums hung with love in the kitchen of his Alabama home.
Spooner and I share the same joy in bad jokes, and taking the story a bit to long looking for the oddities to poke fun at. Yesterday someone called (wrong #) and left a message with a request for swimming lessons. WE looked at each other with puzzlement when Spooner said “ Well, I could call her back and tell her to start by workin on floating”. Man that cracked me up.
Just a bit about Spooner. He has played on all my releases and produced the Ghetto Blaster EP. On the others you have heard him on “Creatures in the yard” , and “When I’m Loving you”.
Spooner was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland this year (I was there….epic), and the Musicians Hall of Fame last year for his work since the 60’s.
The thing about Spooner is that you know his work without even knowing it….
He is a legacy to all genres of music. With Collaborations including: Neil Young, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Percey Sledge, Wilson Picket, Janis Joplin, and many more. Spooner has co -written such songs as "I’m your puppet" and "a women left lonely". He is one of my biggest inspirations. (go to www.spooneroldham.com for more info)
It’s great to be in the studio with him. His laid back approach and dedication to quality is a wonderful lesson to any aspiring recording artist. He said to me in his yard yesterday about recording “Hold back a little, and let go a lot”. That’s Spooner in a nut shell.
We are about to wrap up the session here in a minute and probably get a lil Waffle House or Cracker Barrel. (two of Spooner’s Favorites)
Spooner sounds like one cool cat. :)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Spooner is amazing and awesome and he totally rocks the casbah. As do you.
ReplyDeleteIn a completely unrelated story; I was in the car with a friend the other day and she shouted "Oh, look! Crotch Barrel!" and I (like the dingus that I am) sat up and said "What?! Where!?!".
Happy Cinco de Mayo! :D
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ReplyDeleteooh cracker barrel! how fun! :)
ReplyDeleteMan! I have been listening to/watching you in songs/videos with Jason Mraz for years, and I FINALLY got to see you at the Crawfish Boil this weekend. I was so excited when I saw you would be there. Happened upon your MySpace today and then your blog, and I find out that you're RIGHT HERE where I live. Today. In Florence. Like 10 minutes away. So strange. Hope you enjoyed it, even though the weather has been gross lately.
ReplyDeleteI love "I'm your puppet" that song reminds me of when I was a kid, I used to sit on the front porch with my grandpa listening to his "oldies but goodies". FUN TIMES! he still sits out there from time to time, and I'll sit out there with him when I can and watch the cars go by, he knows EVERYBODY! well not everybody but people who pass by anyway... lol.. they'll honk and wave or stop and sit with us. awwwww.. I love my grandpa... :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tina, Spooner does sound like a cool cat. too awesome...
I haven't been to Cracker Barrel in a long while.. I love their green beans... yummy.. ha.
hope your having a good one. <3
love the "start with floating" comment. too funny. have fun and safe travels b.
ReplyDeletetake care.
Billy that is SO COOL !! Ya know I'm a HUGE Dylan fan , I named my oldest son after him :-]
ReplyDeleteKeep on keepin' on
I'm a huge Bushwalla fan too ;-]