Back in 1962 at 17 years old, Booker T. Jones (and The MGs) recorded Green Onions. Later, came Chinese Checkers (1963), Hip Hug-her (1967) and Slim Jenkins Place (1967). All are among my 50s and 60s R&B Top 100. I have purchased every Booker T. record from day one, including the excellent 2009 release Potato Hole. I have been to the fantastic Stax Museum (Booker’s early label) in Memphis.
Last Fall, I went to see Booker T. and the MGs get inducted into the Musicians’ Hall of Fame. Finally, this Tuesday at the Regattabar in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I got to meet Booker. What a great guy. There were eleven of us in our group and Booker generously gave his time to chat with everybody and sign t-shirts and CDs. His one and a half hour concert was, we all agreed, one of the finest musical events we had ever attended. Along with Booker, it was nice to be able to meet and speak with Ronnie Jones Webber, Booker’s bass player, the bass player on my 2007 record of the year The Jimmy Reed Highway and a veteran of Fabulous Thunderbirds outings. Booker’s tour dates are posted on his web site (hit Dick’s music links on essential music page). I hope you will get a chance to see and speak with one of America’s true musical icons. Of all the hundreds of Jazz and R&B artists I’ve enjoyed so much over the decades, I’ve always considered Booker T. Jones my personal favorite.
Booker T. Jones: American Musical Icon
June 2009 Week 4
June 2009 Week 4
