Amen Break - The Winston’s - Color Him Father - 100 drummers I’ve seen and heard (Live) since 1966. #24 of 100 features = Drummer - Greg Coleman
#24 of 100
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During the years 1971 to 1973, I commuted back and forth from Orlando to Clearwater, St Pete and Tampa. The majority of those gigs were with Donnie Gregory. All of that driving in my red 1967 Volvo 122S, would eventually lead to my drivers license suspension. (One year)
I’ve written about playing with and learning from those St Pete / Tampa musicians. I’ve written about my first journey in 1969 to play with Vic Waters and Donnie Gregory in my book. Notes of a “Young” Drummer 1966-1969
I returned again in 1971 to play with Donnie at The Cheshire Cat. Donnie Gregory on guitar and vocals, Al Kraemer – Hammond B3 and former Entertainers bassist Don Hettinger. It was a strong group.
The local music scene had changed since 1969. Whatever was happening in the music business, I’ve never figured it out / still a mystery.
Playing as a professional, working 5/6 nights a –week was always a challenge, but it started to get harder. Even for someone as commercially acceptable as Don Gregory.
I worked The Blue Room with Donnie a couple times. On our night off, management brought in Wayne Cochran and The C.C. Riders. They pulled up in the bus, set up and played that night. It was Jaco Pastorius on bass. He was playing his Fender Bass through the Acoustic 360 amp. Allyn Robinson was playing drums. The band was fantastic.
My gig at The Blue Room included a free room. There was a lot of musician, after gig and daytime mumbo jumbo happening there, 24/7.
[Bands breaking up and reforming] [Different bassist, drummers, keyboard players all residing at the Blue Room motel] Not to mention other unmentionables.
Through Donnie Gregory, I met Phil Tolatta and Sonny Peckrol. Phil and Sonny were from a group called, The Winstons. They were originally from Washington, D.C. I don’t know what brought them to St Pete.
They weren’t working anywhere, full time. I didn’t know anything about them. I’d heard the tune Color Him Father, on the radio in 1969.
I remember hanging in Sonny’s room, he pointed to a table/shelf and jokingly said something like [ya wanna see my Grammy? I didn’t know what he was talking about.
My great Orlando friend, John Rakestraw was from Washington D.C. When he met Sonny, they immediately went into old DC stories. Clubs and musicians they knew including Roy Buchanan. Sonny played bass in Roy’s DC band.
That Saint Pete scene (1972-1973) with The Winstons, The Entertainers and a group called The Melting Pot was an interesting period.
Looking back, 50 years at what happened to The Winstons, Sonny, Phil and drummer Greg Coleman, is something very odd. At least for the music business in 1969.
The Winstons had a million selling 45 called, Color Him Father. They also won a Grammy Award in 1969 for, best Rhythm and Blues song. They had one 45, never recorded an album.
There are, in the business, what’s called “one-hit-wonders” (BUT) a million seller/ and a Grammy is different. That’s pretty-pretty-pretty…high profile. One 45 record and out, that’s it.
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also the negative side.” HST
I don’t know how much Sonny, Phil or Greg capitalized on that record as touring artist. I remember Sonny talking a little bit about contractual issues etc. It’s another music business story.
I went with Sonny one day to drummer Gregory Coleman’s house. Greg lived with his wife. She may have been a public school teacher. Greg seemed happy to be in the place he was at, not involved in the music hustle. I remember seeing his drumset, but he didn’t play it.
Sonny always talked highly about Greg’s style. There was talk from Sonny about The Winstons band playing with the Impressions. Greg had also played with the Marvelettes and Otis Redding.
I finally heard the 3 of them play for the first time. Sonny, Phil and Greg played a gig at The Office Lounge. They were very good, funky, polished and professional. Greg definitely had that thing. Greg had the sound and energy I experienced in Mississippi, when I heard Jabo Starks play. Greg’s set was a Ludwig Super Classic, I think. He had his name on the front bass drum head. His kit was tuned tight, like that sound you hear on Stax and Motown. Jabo, Clyde, Al Jackson Jr.
Phil sang, Color Him Father. The band played the B-side called Amen-Brother. Greg’s snare and kit sound, had that thing.
I’d never heard Amen-Brother.
Amen-Brother…I heard it live at The Office Lounge that night in 1972. Who could have predicted the future of music with that B-side tune.
In the 1980’s, Greg’s (Amen-Brother) drum track started getting sampled and used in popular music. The drum-break last about seven seconds. It’s been used in thousands of recorded tracks, making it the most sampled recording in history.
I heard Sonny and Phil play a few other times. They had a group called Rooster. I played with them a few times. [Laddie Hutcherson] from the Memphis, 60s band, The Guilloteens played guitar. Mickey Smith and Jerry Thompson, from The Melting Pot, were also in the group. Rooster covered RnB, popular Blues and did nice renditions of The Allman Brothers.
Looking back, I realize what a soulful, funky unique player Gregory Coleman was. As usual, another great drummer, I failed to friend and study with. Not to say, my brief introduction of hearing him that single time, wasn’t a lesson in itself, it was.
Notes From An Old Drummer
Featured Drummer – Gregory Coleman