REMEMBERING OTIS REDDING WITH MY FRIEND STEVE CROPPER!

“Tonight I’m backstage at Space, a dance club at 49th and Broadway, by the Brill Building. I’m here to get the scoop on John Fred and the Playboys, who currently have the Number One record in the country with, “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses).” But the group I‟m really here to see is the opening act, Booker T. and the MG‟s, who are also the Stax Records rhythm section. The group consists of Booker T. Jones on organ, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, Al Jackson Jr. on drums, and Steve Cropper on guitar.

Their first number is a medley of a few the Stax and Atlantic hits they’ve either played on, co-written and/or produced including, “Hold On Im Comin” “Knock On Wood,” “Soul Man,” “ In The Midnight Hour,” and “Sweet Soul Music.” After the show I go to their dressing room, introduce myself and proceed to do my interview with them for Fusion magazine.

Photo l-r Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, and Al Jackson Jr.

I‟ve been corresponding with their guitar player, writer/producer, Steve Cropper (“Dock Of The Bay”) for over a year now, and he‟s already cut two songs I‟ve sent him, “Family Portrait” with Billy Lee Riley, and “Running Out” with Mabel Johns. Today is the first time we meet in person.

The Memphis Gang (which is what MG stands for), with two black members and two white, not only makes great music, but is an involuntary role model of how we all can work together. Stax Records is located in the heart of the Memphis ghetto and never loses touch with the neighborhood, which is one of the main battlegrounds in the Civil Rights movement. Cropper tells me that he wrote “In the Midnight Hour,” with Wilson Pickett at the Lorraine Motel where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, located only a few blocks away from Stax.

Booker says that they‟re currently writing, producing and performing on the soundtrack album of the Jules Dassin film “Uptight,” and tells me to watch out for the single, “Time is Tight.” As Al Jackson, Jr. and Duck Dunn smile at each other and nod in agreement, I take a few more pictures, thank them for their time, then go have a cup of coffee with Steve Cropper.

I express my deepest sympathy for the recent loss of his friend and songwriting collaborator, Otis Redding. I tell him that every time I hear “Dock of the Bay” I‟m overwhelmed with sadness, and a soothing at the same time.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCmUhYSr-e4&feature=fvwrel

I’m thrilled when Steve invites me over to Atlantic Records‟ recording studios the next day, to hear him mix down the multi-track of “Love Man,” which is the title of Otis Redding‟s next album. It‟s a memorable experience, to hear Otis talk and joke around, and watch Steve relive some of those wonderful moments, even though he chokes up from time to time. I thank him for an afternoon that I‟ll never forget; I wipe the funk off the soles of my shoes and boogie down Broadway back to my office.”

From my book, “I DID IT FOR A SONG” with over a hundred stories of the music business in the ’60s and ’70s!

CURRENTLY MY ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME IS FROM THE SALE OF MY BOOK. . I HOPE YOU’LL CONSIDER BUYING ONE DIRECTLY FROM ME THROUGH PAYPAL FOR ONLY $9.99 AT  artiewayne@gmail.com OR BY CHECK TO…ARTIE WAYNE  P.O. BOX 1105, DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA 92240

THANKS AND REGARDS, ARTIE WAYNE https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/celebrating-two-million-views-today-on-artie-wayne-on-the-web/

BACK TO ARTIE WAYNE ON THE WEB https://artiewayne.wordpress.com

BUDDY SALTZMAN R.I.P. ROCK IN PERPETUITY!

THIS MORNING I WAS AWAKENED BY A FACEBOOK POST  FROM MY FRIEND ARTIE KORNFELD, “THE FATHER OF WOODSTOCK, ” THAT OUR FRIEND BUDDY SALTZMAN HAD PASSED AWAY.

I USED BUDDY ON MY DEMOS  WHEN I WAS A STAFF WRITER AT ALDON AND MASTERS WHEN I STARTED PRODUCING. (“MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT MARY”).

HE WAS ALWAYS MORE THAN HELPFUL IN FINDING THE “RIGHT THING TO PLAY” AND WAS WILLING TO SPEND WHATEVER TIME IT TOOK TO EXECUTE IT PROPERLY SOMETIMES WITHOUT CHARGING ME.

ARTIE KORNFELD WRITES…

*

“Buddy Saltzman was, from 1955 through 1968 the most used studio drummer in recording history.You have in your collections many hits from “The Locomotion to”, “Any One who had a heart” and on and on. Buddy must have the most #1 records he played drums on.He did about 100 sessions with me.He even played on “The Rain,ThePark, and Other Things”.

John Cowsill now drummer for a long time with Mike Love and the Beach Boys , in gratitude has kept contact with Buddy and brought much happiness.A year ago, when the Boys played in Palm Beach John invited me and surprised me by putting me next to Buddy.His walker that he needed broke my heart .

Buddy died 3 days ago and was buried today.

I was going to go until I found out that his gravesite was within 30 yards of Linda Kornfeld,The Mother of Woodstock.

Buddy Rest In Peace. 

Artie Kornfeld

*

BUDDY…MAY YOU ROCK IN PERPETUITY!

RESPECTFULLY, ARTIE WAYNE 

*

Copyright 2012 by Artie Wayne https://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/celebrating-two-million-views-today-on-artie-wayne-on-the-web/

BUDDY SALTZMAN WEBSITE  http://music.msn.com/music/artist-biography/buddy-saltzman/

ARTIE KORNFELD http://www.artiekornfeld-woodstock.com/

*

THE CONDOLENCES ARE STARTING TO COME IN…

Dear Artie:
Buddy did quite a few hits with me, notably TIGHTER TIGHTER by Alive
and Kicking, and the Cowsills first and iconic hit, THE RAIN – THE PARK.

The Lord got a great drummer.

Best, Jimmy Wisner

*

ARTIE..I WAS SAD TO HEAR OF THE PASSING OF BUDDY SALTZMAN..WHEN I WORKED FOR BOB CREWE IN THE LATE 60’S I REMEMBER HE RARELY DID A SESSION WITHOUT BUDDY, WHO ACCENTED THOSE FRANKIE VALLI/FOURSEASONS HITS IN HIS UNIQUE STYLE..HE PLAYED ON MY EARLY DEMOS AND MANY OF MY FRIENDS..I HOPE HE I NOW AT PEACE PLAYING IN THE BEST BAND IN HEAVEN..

 LARRY WEISS (“RHINESTONE COWBOY”)

AND HERE’S THE ANTHEM THAT WILL WELCOME BUDDY AT THE GATE… WRITTEN BY ALAN O’DAY AND JOHNNY STEVENSON “IF YOU BELIEVE IN FOREVER LIFE IS JUST A ONE NIGHT STAND…IF THERE’S A ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN”, YOU KNOW THEY’VE GOT A HELL OF A BAND!

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT PLEASE SCROLL DOWN AND A BOX WILL OPEN  

BACK TO ARTIE WAYNE ON THE WEB