Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Feb 26, 2007 11:26:10 GMT -5
"Oooo Ooooo Oooo Oooo, Jackie Blue" went the chorus of the most popular song of this wonderful OZARK MOUNTAIN group. Yes boys and girls, I went to SCHOOL with members of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, who, as I heard on the radio on the way into work this morning, are reuniting, and will be performing a concert in Springfield, at the newly restored Gilloiz Theatre.
Okay, a couple of things, first - the Gilloiz was once a movie theatre. There were three that were downtown, very close to one another - blocks away, in fact - they were The Gilloiz - The Landers (Now Springfield Little Theatre Stage), and the Fox. (Didn't EVERYTOWN USA have a Fox Theatre?). The Fox didn't withstand the deterrioration of downtown, which, by now, is coming back. Go figure. Anyway, Springfield had the foresight to revitalize the Landers after newer theatres were born in town, and the downtown area was no longer considered the place to go (however it WAS, when I was a pre-teen). So, I watched movies at all of these places.
Now, one of the guys who was an original OMD is Michael Granda. I will never forget having Music Theory class with him. Imagine, here I am, just got back off the road with a bunch of guys playing jazz for a year, and here was this guy that sat next to me with hair down to his waist, and a beard almost as long - and he KNEW what he was doing, in terms of music theory (DUH!). I remember him asking question after question after question of our teacher. It was almost the Michael Granda hour.....but it paid off for him in a BIG WAY, eh? I guess the dude wanted to be a songwriter. That was in 1972. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (OMD) began their first recording sessions in 1973. Michael Granda was one of the members to have first signed the contract. I just remember thinking "is that the SAME Michael Granda that I went to theory class with?" Of course, when the first photo of the OMD came out, I knew in an instant, that, sure 'nuff - that was HIM.
The story gets better.
One of the typical "duo" acts in Springfield that was doing the circuit the same time I was (nice lounges, parties, wedding receptions, that sort of thing) was Nick and Ruell. Nick and Ruell played together in town for many years, before Ruell went on to become an OMD. He phoned me one night late (I usually always got my gigs at one or two in the morning) and said he was getting ready to go out of town immediately to join the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. He told me that, of course, Nick wasn't going to do the gig on his own, and that he had something else lined up, so would I be interested in taking over his current gig at P.J. Brennans - which was a prime rib house/lounge combo, connected to the Howard Johnsons in town. He told me he would leave his piano out there, if I wanted to take the gig, and would let me use it for as long as he was away, touring, if that was good with me. It was, of course. That meant I didn't have to MOVE my piano out there (yes, in those days, it cost $25.00 to have a spinnet moved, and I moved my Baldwin Accrosonic many a time when I was going to be playing somewhere for any length of time). So, I called a good friend of mine, Davey Scott, who is an awesome jazz trumpet player. Awesome. (Davey now lives in NYC, and teaches music at NYU - I have put he and Palma in touch with one another - as she sometimes needs good musicians to call on for her recordings - think Miles Davis, and you've got the kind of player Davey is). Anyway, I called Davey and he and his trumpet were available. PLUS, Davey also plays great keyboard, though all jazz-influenced chords - but we did a rather diverse gig for about 7 months, until I started working full-time at the hospital -the first one, that I spent 20 years working for.
I had forgotten about all of this until I heard this morning that the Daredevils were going to reunite for two shows at the Gilloiz. I think it's amazing that the Gilloiz is finally finished - it took over 10 years and as many million to revitalize it. My group, Yesterday Once More, used to play at a function called First Night Springfield, for many years, on New Years Eve. It's a non-alcoholic celebration for the town. We were one of many, MANY bands that performed each year. Part of the proceeds taken in through the overall ticket sales were to rennovate the Gilloiz. Almost 14 years later, and here we are. This is the first concert I've heard about that is going to be held there.
The Daredevils had quite a career - they were together recording to the best of my memory from 1973 to at least 1980, and perhaps beyond that. Who knows more about these pioneers of great music?
Anyone out there an Ozark Mountain Daredevils fan?
Think I'm going to go see them? Ah, yuh!
I wish you all the best from here in my corner,
Tim
