Johnny Winter And - Celebration of Life - Feelin Alright - Clay Gatton - Chambers Brothers - Howlin Wolf - Bimini Silence of the lambs - Monterey Pop Festival

1971

#44 $$$ Gig - 1971 - The Red Lion Bimini, Bahamas South Orange Blossom Trail/ in 1971, my gigs were usually in Orlando. My trio played a new venue called The Factory, a bottle club financed with “Family” money. When that gig ended the band moved to a topless bar called The Red Lion. Being employed was good. I was still interested in experiencing new music and life. My little gig at The Red Lion lasted a few weeks. We never had a contract. In those days topless clubs used real musicians and bands to play for the dancers. This was before musicians were replaced with DJ’s and pre-recorded music. Still recovering from a broken heart, I was enjoying the Florida sunshine and my summer of 1971. My Red Lion band mates John Rakestraw and Doug Farwig became good friends.

We enjoyed summer hangs at Rock Springs. This was a great State Park with swimming. I had amateur scuba gear for diving at Rock Springs. Previous musician friends in West Palm Beach had finally succeeded in the purchase of a 36-foot sailboat. I was invited to participate in the maiden voyage. What could have been a fatal disaster turned into a very interesting week sailing from West Palm Beach to Bimini, Bahamas. With zero sailing experience we ran aground our first night at sea. When the tide went out, I woke up from my sleep on the deck. The boat was in 3 feet of water on its side. When the tide came in another boat towed us off the reef.

293### Bobby Caldwell – Johnny Winter And/ After a week on a sailboat cruising to Bimini and back, I had the opportunity for more fun and enjoyment before going back to Orlando. Bobby was playing in Johnny Winter’s group. I traveled to a very popular venue called Pirates World for the concert.

My listening experience wasn’t as intimate as I would have liked. I was very familiar with The Edgar Winter record Entrance. I hadn’t heard much of Johnny. This band with Bobby, Randy Hobbs and Rick Derringer would become very popular. Various songs from that concert were recorded for the Johnny Winter And – Live album. My Red Lion band-mates were happy I was back to play the gig. My drummer sub was not what they expected. In closing – my memory of Bimini is much like the final scene from Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lecter hangs up the phone after telling Agent Starling he’s having an old friend for dinner. He puts on his hat and walks down the Bimini Street. That’s exactly how I remember Bimini.

294###(Celebration of Life 1971/ Celebration of Life was in McCrea, Louisiana, 24 - 27 / June 1971. I was still playing a topless entertainment lounge on Orange Blossom Trail, known as the OBT, that June 1971.

(The Red Lion) The buzz for hippie events was all hype following Woodstock. Tickets were sold at a popular Orlando “Head Shop” called Infinite Mushroom at Colonial Plaza.

Louie Simmons, my brother Fred Welch and myself, would buy tickets for Celebration of Life. Traveling to Louisiana through Mississippi was a paranoid consideration pertaining to popular herb smoking supplies. I had experienced that in 1968 with a night in the Hattiesburg jail. That incident could have been 20 years in Parchment Farm Penitentiary. Fred, my brother was on break from college.

I acquired a sub for my gig at The Red Lion on OBT, Orange Blossom Trail. We packed my 1967 Red Volvo 122S and hit the road. Before GPS, finding McCrea was not easy. Internet blogs have various memories from attendees. Some of those blogs say it was over 60,000 crazy hippies. My memory from the whole thing is a blur. The weather was horrible. Some blogs have the event billed as Eight Days In The Country. The facts are it was a poorly organized event that shut down after its third day.

A documentary film, “McCrea 1971” directed by Nick Brilleaux and Scott Caro features film footage of the ill-fated event. Different blogs report these are the acts that appeared: Stephen Stills, John Sebastian, Chuck Berry, Ted Nugent, It’s a Beautiful Day, Ike & Tina Turner, Country Joe McDonald, The Chambers Brothers, Melanie, War, Brownsville Station, Stoneground, Black Oak Arkansas, Blood rock, Jimmy Witherspoon,

Ballin Jack, Boz Scaggs, Delaney and Bonnie, Ruth Copeland, Pot liquor. The only music groups I remember are Black Oak Arkansas and The Chambers Brothers. There were publicity posters with musical acts. The Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Sly and The Family Stone. In the early 90s, I attended one of the Lollapalooza Events at Orlando Fairgrounds.

I was 40+, (very old) compared to those in attendance. The event was enjoyable and well organized. Those 60s “Peace and Love” Woodstock wannabe festivals never lived up to their billing. The exception is The Monterey Festival 1967. It became the inspiration for Woodstock. A documentary by D.A. Pennebaker shows a different atmosphere and reflection of the period. Those unfamiliar with 60s music this film has many well - executed performances from the artist at Monterey. Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Ravi Shankar, Hugh Masekela and others. It’s the best.

295### Peace and Love Break In – Plant Life/ When I returned from the Hippie Dippy festival I discovered my cottage was robbed. Fortunately my drumset was in the deserted house on my property. My stereo and a few personal items were stolen. I made a dumb mistake that could have been criminal. When I called the police about my robbery they came to my cottage and walked around my 5 acres. They didn’t see the young hemp plants growing on my 5-acre lot.

296### The Red Lion 1971 - 11 Bar Blues Slim Harpo – Mama and Papa Newman/ A highlight of my Red Lion gig was playing with Mama and Papa Newman. They were a black husband and wife couple known in the Central Florida area. In 1971, audiences in the majority of clubs and lounges I played were all white.

The Red Lion was on the O.B.T known as the Orange Blossom Trail. Even in 1971, it was in an area where hookers and pimps hung out. The Red Lion was not a family establishment. The clubs clientele was there to view the topless dancers and drink. I enjoyed playing with Mama and Papa. I really respect what they did in that environment with those audiences.

It was very brave. Mama weighed several hundred pounds. She sang tunes and told jokes. One of her lines referring to her weight was “All this meat and no potatoes” Papa Newman sang Slim Harpo tunes and played harmonica. Way back then, I was critical of Papa Newman’s usual avoidance of bar 12 of a 12 bar blues. “What was he doing? When that happened, myself, Doug the bass player and Rake would react like it was a mistake. In reality, I’ve discovered it was the way Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and those greats really played.

It was all about feel. “Ten Bars, Eleven Bars, Twelve Bars, listen and play with the leader, it’s music”

297### The Inferno – Bill Lynch – Billy Osborn – Jack Snipes – Billy Joe Ashe/ Orlando and Central Florida had an abundance of professional singers and musicians in the 60s and 70s. The first time I heard Billy Joe Ashe was at a club called Brownies. This was in 1968. I heard Billy Joe in 1969 with The Entertainers in Saint Petersburg, again in Orlando in the late 70s early 80s. I subbed with his group a few times. Billy Joe was a unique talent. I’ve mentioned the legendary Jack Snipes.

The last time I heard Jack was at The Inferno. This was a popular nightclub on the OBT, Orange Blossom Trail. I played a mile away at The Red Lion. The Inferno employed many musicians, singers and topless dancers. I never worked there but I knew the musicians in the band. It was a steady house gig. The band included rhythm section and saxophone. The singers included Billy Osborn, Jack Snipes and Bill Lynch. Billy Osborn was presented as a blue eyed soul brother. Jack Snipes did what he did best.

(Tom Jones and popular classics. Bill Lynch was an oddity to see at The Inferno. Bill was a very stylish legitimate vocalist. I never saw his former group called Salt and Pepper. To me, that means a variety of music genre. Clay Gatton was another popular singer in Central Florida. I first heard Clay in 1966. He was playing drums at Mar Lou’s in Sanford. Clay had a lengthy run as a professional entertainer.

#45 $$$ Gig - 1971 The Celebrity Room Pull The Plug Orlando, FL/ When my trio’s employment at The Red Lion ended (go figure) John Rakestraw, Doug Farwig and myself landed a gig at The Celebrity Room in Colonial Plaza. Back in 1967, The Celebrity Room was a very popular club for the over 21 crowd. The attraction was musician, bandleader, singer Tommy Cashwell. This was 1971.

Things had changed. The Celebrity Room was built with a bowling alley called Celebrity Lanes. In what was one the most popular malls in Orlando, called The Colonial Mall. Colonial Plaza Mall was popular for having a multi-floored store called Jordan Marsh. A famous 24/7 Restaurant / Deli called Ronnie’s was also in this location. This ensemble included Rakestraw, Myself, Doug Farwig, Mike McCann and Mike Nelson. The 2 Mikes were very versatile on horns, harmonica, piano and bass. Rounding out this ensemble was a very young Jason Jones on Guitar, Piano and Vocals. Lots of potential of this group but we screwed around without focus, discipline or awareness of reality.

We had an opportunity to build a versatile group, be commercial and employable. Instead we did the complete opposite. There wasn’t a leader. It was every man for him-self. Self-indulgent jamming without audience consideration’ the crowds were horrible. We did nothing to draw an audience.

There was also herb and crazy, cheap laboratory mind destroying drugs available. We continued doing our thing. Jamming with nobody in the club.

While playing “Feeling Alright” the Club Manager “pulled the plug” on us. All amplified instruments were dead. That was it. I don’t remember playing another note or if we got paid. Several years ago – I was curious and went inside that club. The bandstand was still there. The sunken bar was the same. Behind the bar the same curtains could be opened for a view of the bowling alley lanes. BaDaBoom