21 of 100 drummers I’ve seen (Live) and in person since 1966. Featured drummer, Bobby Ramirez - Edgar Winter White Trash
21 of 100 posted 1-26-2023
Bobby Ramirez – featured drummer (Edgar Winter White Trash) – 100 drummers I’ve seen “Live” in person since 1966.
(21 of 100)
This article will be my final event of concerts at Orlando Sports Stadium. I attended 5 or 6 concerts during that early 1971-1973 period. The bands and drummers I saw “Live” in person include Floyd Sneed / Three Dog Night – Bill Ward / Black Sabbath – Kenney Jones / Faces with Rod Stewart – Ginger Baker Air Force.
Before I discuss Bobby Ramirez, I’ll speak about my seeing and hearing Edgar Winter. The first Edgar record I heard was Entrance. It was much different from everything in my listening history. The record came out in 1970, that’s when I heard it.
It’s a beautiful piece of music. More than a collection of tunes. Especially side one. The keyboard he plays is an RMI Electric piano. It was popular in the early 70s, before Fender Rhodes began its dominance.
The Entrance record is genius. It’s his first album. Artist first records are usually their best. I think this is Edgar’s best, not his most popular or successful. His vocals and instrumentation is original. Everything is perfect.
The world of popular music wasn’t ready for this in 1970. Record executives couldn’t figure it out.
It sounded like “Jazz” that was a hard sell to the public. (Still Is-always will be)
Gino Vannelli would have major success in 1978 with Brother To Brother. (After several earlier albums)
1970, was early for music with this much sophistication, in the popular, music arena.
If Edgar could have been on Blue Note, or a major Jazz label, maybe this record would have been more popular. It’s a bit of a cult classic. Musicians know about it.
Then again, who am I to say…in 1972, Edgar had commercial success with his album, They Only Come Out At Night. This record contained Frankenstein and Free Ride.
Edgar Winter’s “Entrance” album even has a drum solo, that’s the kiss of death.
Edgar plays alto sax like Cannonball and Charlie Parker. What’s that got to do with Rock N Roll. He scats with his voice. Smells like Jazz.
Yes, there were a couple bands in 1970 with saxophones, musicians that played hip changes. Traffic, Soft Machine, King Crimson, come to mind.
It’s not like Edgar’s career ended after this record. He’s been very active. (A regular member of The Ringo Starr All Star Band, for many years - Rick Derringer has also been part of Ringo’s ensemble)
In 1970, I flew from West Palm Beach into New Orleans for an audition with a group produced by Jose Feliciano. The group was created from scratch with Bo Wagner on Vibes and Marimba. Members from the group Eternity’s Children and the vocal group New Christy Minstrels.
After my audition, I went out and heard some music on Bourbon Street. I heard The Meters. There was also a club with a big window. The bandstand was viewable from the sidewalk. The group included Jerry LaCroix on vocals. This was 1970.
Edgar Winter’s White Trash, was one of the bands to perform at The Fillmore East, June 1971, for the venues historic closing. It’s a good live recording. Bobby Ramirez plays fantastic. I’ve had debates with drummer friends about whether Bobby was playing double bass drums. I believe he was. You hear them on the Fillmore recording, but not on the records. He may have been playing Fibes drums.
When I heard Edgar Winter White Trash, the band included Jerry LaCroix on vocals, saxophone and harmonica. Edgar and Jerry’s voices are a great match. Both are super soulful. The tunes on this record are gospel, rock, blues and swamp funk.
That night, Floyd Radford was playing guitar in the band. Floyd and Rick Derringer shared solos on the record. On drums was Bobby Ramirez. He was absolutely great. He swung and kicked the band. The band grooved like the Ray Charles group.
Local Orlando music fans have posted the Edgar concert at The Orlando Sports Stadium was September, 1971. I couldn’t find any absolute date. It’s documented because of circumstances during and after the concert.
For this concert, I was sitting in the bleachers. Tin House was the opening act, followed by Edgar Winter White Trash. John Sebastian was the closing artist. I certainly didn’t go there to see or hear him as a solo. I like his stuff with Lovin Spoonful.
During Sebastian’s set, the Orange County Sheriffs Department came into the venue and opened up, spraying tear gas. It was chaos as everyone exited the building. There was also a traffic incident with the death of several teenagers. After 50 years, online details are mixed about what happened that evening.
I remember seeing and hearing Edgar’s band. It was impressive. Bobby Ramirez was a great drummer. Bobby Ramirez was murdered in Chicago. (July 1972)
Edgar's brother Johnny (Hey Edgar, where's your brother?) was my favorite guitarist. Good memories here. I also loved Rick Derringer, the Bobby Caldwell era.