23 minute read
The Heat is Definitely on
A QUICK NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The heat is definitely on in August - both literally and figuratively. Along with the sweltering temps ahead, there's also a hot lineup of events guaranteed to set the tri-state on fire. That's hyperbole, mind you. I don't foresee actual flames arising from the streets - but anything's possible during these crazy, post-pandemic days. Truly, nothing would surprise me at this point; however, that's a discussion for another time. Let's just stick to the script. As I was saying, August holds a lot of promise - and that's especially true thanks to the welcome return of the area's most popular charity event: Guns & Hoses. The annual boxing competition between local first responders was put on hold in 2020 but returns with gusto this month to raise more money for a long list of wonderful organizations that support children and adults with disabilities in the community. Be sure to reserve your ringside seat (if you're lucky) at the Ford Center for the August 28 showdown. But that's just a taster of what's to come. In addition, the beloved Frog Follies classic car showcase is back (8/27-29) - 4000 street rods on display for all of you automotive nerds out there. I say "nerds" with the utmost respect, of course. Plus, there are numerous high profile concerts scheduled, including the Del McCoury Band (Lincoln Amphitheatre), Styx (Old National Events Plaza), Hank Williams, Jr. (Ford Center), George Thorogood (Beaver Dam Amphitheater), Samantha Fish (Lincoln Amphitheatre) and Lady A (Ford Center). We're talking bluegrass, blues rock, country, classic rock and more - take your pick! And to get you, uh, fired up, we've got interviews with Lady A, George Thorogood and Samantha Fish. Yup, this issue is pretty darn bad to the bone. Get it? Anyhow, there's plenty of good stuff to check out, so start flipping through and making plans to attend some of the tri-state's upcoming events!
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GUNS & HOSESXIII
Lucky 13?: Charity boxing competition between area first responders returns to break 6-all tie, raise more money for local children and adults with disabilities
FORD CENTER / AUGUST 28 / 7 P.M.
Of all the events that the tri-state missed out on in 2020, the biggest disappointment was surely the canceling of Guns & Hoses. The annual charity boxing competition between area first responders has not only become a major entertainment draw over the last decade-plus, nearly selling out the Ford Center on several occasions, but to date it's raised $1.8 million for organizations that provide services for children and adults with disabilities in our community. And that's more than worth getting punched in the face a few times, as participants on both sides can attest.
While many of the boxers are members of the EPD and EFD, the event continues to branch out and draft in first responders from neighboring counties and beyond. In fact, this year, four states - Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio - and 16 departments are represented. But most exciting of all, Guns & Hoses XIII will feature four female fights, including a highly-anticipated rematch between Taylor Merriss (Guns) and Paige Jones (Hoses). Their 2019 contest was the featured bout with Jones narrowly emerging victorious in an engaging battle. And with the overall competition deadlocked at 6-all, this hyped fight could prove to be a deciding factor in the pursuit of bragging rights - and the coveted belt. But most importantly, both sides want nothing more than to pack the Ford Center to the rafters and raise a boatload of cash. Bruises and egos heal but the financial impact on our community can last a lifetime.
Merriss and Jones kindly spoke with News 4U ahead of the big rematch at the Ford Center.
2019 WAS YOUR FIRST YEAR PARTICIPATING IN GUNS & HOSES. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GET ON BOARD?
Merriss (Guns): Part of the reason that I wanted to get involved with Guns & Hoses - outside of the fact that it's a great organization that raises money for charity - is that my defensive tactics were lacking. I'd never been in a fight prior to the police academy. So I wanted to get more training in it and what better way than to throw yourself in front of 8,000 people? That keeps you dedicated. It was something that I wanted to do for myself. But after seeing who all Guns & Hoses benefits, it really changed the way that I thought about boxing. I don't think I could ever sit in the stands again.
HOW DID YOU FEEL STEPPING INTO THE RING IN FRONT OF A HUGE FORD CENTER CROWD?
Merriss: I'd heard a lot of things about fighters feeling overcome with the pressure and the atmosphere, but for me I had an overwhelming calmness. I didn't see the 8000
people out there; I couldn't tell if they were cheering for me or cheering for her. It was just me and her - it was auditory exclusion. Everything came together that night. My footwork was so much better, my breathing was so much better. I don't know if it was the adrenaline that kicked in or what, but I literally felt as light as a feather.
AS A VETERAN OF THE EVENT, WERE YOU SURPRISED AT ALL BY TAYLOR'S PERFORMANCE AS A NEWBIE AND WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING THIS TIME AROUND?
REFLECTING ON THAT MATCH WITH PAIGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
Merriss: If I could say one thing that frustrated me the most was that I didn't give enough. I was scared that I was going to tire out or lose my breath - but after the three rounds I still had so much energy. I could have gone another three rounds. Jones: For being new, she had pretty good footwork. I know it's going to be a good fight. I feel like she's going to be a natural at whatever sports she does. But that's what makes it fun - we'll be dancing around the ring. She's a little taller than me which makes it a little tough, but at the same time I'm used to fighting people taller than me [laughs]. I'm just really excited. I'm honestly not just saying this: I think this is going to be one of the most exciting years.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING AHEAD OF THE BIG REMATCH?
Merriss: For my first year I probably trained harder - mentally, physically, there was a lot more that went into it. I've put on more weight this year whether I wanted to or not - I was doing weightlifting at the beginning of the year. That could benefit me or it could hurt me. We'll see how it all plays out.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN PEAK PHYSICAL FORM HEADING INTO THE REMATCH?
Jones: I feel great. I have to stay in shape all year long for my job - I have a very physically-demanding job. I do my own training regimen that I do all year long. Honestly, I am coming into this feeling very confident and I'm just ready - not nervous at all.
THIS WILL BE YOUR FIFTH YEAR PARTICIPATING IN GUNS & HOSES. HOW HAS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE EVENT CHANGED FROM THAT FIRST EXPERIENCE?
Jones (Hoses): It's like night and day. My first year I remember it was 2016 - I had never boxed a day in my life, but I trained my butt off for three months. I thought it was going to be a one-time thing to challenge myself and do something new. But I absolutely fell in love with it. And I've done it every year since.
DESPITE COMING OUT ON TOP LAST YEAR, IT WAS A TOUGH BATTLE. WHAT WAS THE MORNING AFTER LIKE FOR YOU?
Jones: I Felt pretty good after the match, to be honest. Last time I was thinking that I could go another round and whenever you think that, you almost get mad at yourself. Did I give it my all? Was it my adrenaline or did I cheat myself? I think this year since we have experience in the ring together we're definitely going to put it all out there.
FOR TICKETS, VISIT TICKETMASTER.COM. THE FORD CENTER IS LOCATED AT 1 SE MLK JR. BLVD. IN DOWNTOWN EVANSVILLE. FOR MORE INFO, VISIT 911GIVESHOPE.SPORTNGIN.COM.
LADY A
FORD CENTER / AUGUST 29 / 7 P.M.
Guitarist Dave Haywood talks What a Song Can Do, killer choruses, idolizing James Taylor and more
One of country music's biggest acts since forming in Nashville in 2006, Lady A has routinely dominated the charts with a varied run of unforgettable singles - everything from upbeat party anthems and sweet ballads to mid-tempo lovesick rockers that echo the band's fixation with Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and Tom Petty. And there's no better example of the latter than "Need You Now," the 2009 number one smash that completely changed the lives of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood - and to date has racked up hundreds of millions of streams.
Countless huge hits followed, including fan favorites like "Just a Kiss," "Downtown" and "Bartender," as well as armfuls of industry awards solidifying Lady A's stranglehold on the country genre. Now, after waiting out the pandemic, they're back with What a Song Can Do Chapter One, the first part of an ambitious project that speaks to the challenging times we all faced during the days of Covid. But ultimately, like the title says, it's a tribute to the power of song. And after being forced to cancel their 2020 tour, the band is pumped to play live again, eager to perform both new tracks - including the 80's-influenced lead single "Like a Lady" - and all the classics. "I don't know when I've been this excited to play before," guitarist Dave Haywood shares. Haywood kindly spoke with News 4U ahead of the show at the Ford Center.
WHY DID THE BAND DECIDE TO SPLIT WHAT A SONG CAN DO INTO TWO SEPARATE RELEASES AND HOW DID THE
THREE OF YOU CHOOSE WHICH SONGS TO INCLUDE ON EACH CHAPTER?
We obviously had to cancel our tour for our previous album, Ocean. And so we just put our heads down and started writing. And there was a lot to write about - you know, the fear of not knowing how long we're going to be in this thing [the pandemic], figuring out what we want to stand for as people. We want to make sure that we stand for love and unity and inclusion. We tried to pour all of that into the songs. So we had a good batch of 50 or 60 songs probably by the end of the year. Once we recorded a selection of them - we had about 14 songs - we kind of had this moment where we were like, consuming a large batch of music is just a little exhausting. If we were to just throw 14 songs out there, or even more than that, I just don't want people to forget about the last 10 and only listen to the first four. And it's sort of part thematic, about wanting to have some more time-sensitive material on the first chapter. But I think the second batch really rounds it out in a certain way. There's a really exciting collaboration on the second half - actually with a few artists which we've never done before which is a big old party. Later this fall we'll release the next seven [songs].
"CHANCE OF RAIN" ON THE NEW RELEASE ALMOST FEELS LIKE A TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY - PARTICULARLY HIS SOLO ERA WITH JEFF LYNNE PRODUCING.
Our whole career that's been the goal. You know, even on "Need You Know" there's a way that we stacked all the acoustics which was an old Crosby/Stills/Tom Petty thing. So for our whole career we've really loved..."I Run to You" almost just has that pulsing, straight, you know, standard strumming acoustic thing a little bit, too. Anytime we can do that - you're talking about our top three idols: Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and Petty. We're all circling all that stuff and musically those guys...it feels so timeless to me, that kind of music.
AND THEN THERE'S "THE THINGS HE HANDED DOWN" WHICH SEEMS TO REFERENCE JAMES TAYLOR WITH ITS ACOUSTIC GUITAR FINGER-PICKING. IT'S A SONG THAT ECHOES A PREVIOUS ERA YET STILL SOUNDS FRESH.
Thank you, thank you. Again, you're hitting all my high points. I'm in my basement studio right now and no joke I have a six foot painting of James Taylor on the wall. A local artist painted it for me because I'm a huge fan and that's how I learned to play guitar was with my dad listening to a lot of James Taylor records. So, yeah, that kind of picking is my happy spot from an acoustic guitar standpoint. I think the acoustic - especially thematically with the lyrics being about a dad handing down an old Martin guitar - it just kind of fit right in. It's a beautiful one that Charles wrote with Thomas Rhett and a couple other writers, and man, when I first heard it I was basically brought to tears.
LADY A APPEARED ON AN
EPISODE OF NBC'S SONGLAND
- A SHOW THAT GIVES ASPIRING SONGWRITERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS - IN 2020. HOW COOL WAS IT TO BE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE CONSIDERING THAT THE THREE OF YOU WERE ALSO ONCE ASPIRING SONGWRITERS TRYING TO MAKE IT IN NASHVILLE?
LADY A NEVER FAILS TO DELIVER A KILLER CHORUS - REGARDLESS OF THE STYLE OF SONG. WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO CRAFTING A CHORUS THAT ACHIEVES LIFTOFF AND PULLS THE LISTENER IN?
I think from the very first day when we wrote a song called "All We'd Ever Need" - and then we ended up writing "Love Don't Live Here" after that as just a writing trio when we started - there was just something about the blend of the voices that felt unique. In order for us to find a good blend of those voices I think it's helpful if the melodies can be kind of simpler and easier to kind of sing along to - it lends itself to better harmonies. And so I think musically that might be what kind of helps with the liftoff. But for us, we're obsessed with great melodies. Hillary's our little...we call her our "pop music queen" because she's always like, 'Y'all heard the new BTS?' And Charles is kind of like our classic rock veteran. And then I'm kind of your James Taylor and 90's country guy. I think we're really students of loving great structure - song structure and arrangement and melody. So I think our goal is to make those choruses pop with great melody as well in that way.
It was a huge honor. And even to piggyback on that, we're putting out an old web-series we used to do called Webisode Wednesdays - we're re-launching it today. The opening clip is from 2006 with old footage of us, and I was just thinking back on the journey of three single, crazy kids to now 40-yearolds with families. But yeah, it's been an incredible journey and to be on a national stage with that TV show and to be able to showcase what we do behind closed doors is probably the greatest moment of gratification for me. It was a great snippet of what actually does happen - and like what I was just saying about coming up with a melody, it's really just that, a very informal, 'ooh, what if you did that?' Everything in songwriting starts with 'ooh, what if we did that?' The creative process is our happy place.
FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO, VISIT FORDCENTER.COM. THE FORD CENTER IS LOCATED AT 1 SE MLK JR. BLVD. IN DOWNTOWN EVANSVILLE.
GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS
The king of the boogieblues talks Live Aid, hanging with blues legends, the origin of his playing style and more
BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / AUGUST 21 / 7 P.M.
The summer concert season at Kentucky's Beaver Dam Amphitheater is really humming with shows featuring country music star Steve Earle and southern rockers the Marshall Tucker Band on the horizon, but first up is the king of the boogie-blues - the one and only George Thorogood. Known for stomping originals like "Bad to the Bone" and "I Drink Alone" as well as a career's worth of fiery blues covers (i.e., "Who Do You Love?"), the 71-yearold Delaware native continues to do what he does best: rip it up on stage with his longtime backing band The Destroyers. Together, they've played some 8000 shows and sold over 15 million albums worldwide, marking their partnership as one of the greatest of the rock era.
And yet in 2017, Thorogood returned to his roots - just a man and his guitar - for his debut solo release on Rounder Records.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers famously performed at Live Aid in 1985 in front of a massive crowd. What sticks out for you about that momentous occasion?
While the late Georgie Segal - of whom I'm a big fan - was getting ready to introduce us to the audience, the curtains were closed and standing off to stage right there was this man that came walking across the stage. And he's got what looked like a bowling shirt on and shoes to match it and I said, 'Well, who's this guy?' And he walks up to me and he goes [impersonates famous actor], 'Georgie, it's Jack' - and I went, 'Jack Nicholson, you know who I am?' And he goes, 'Oh yeah, I always follow the rough boys.' [laughs]
During the Live Aid set you brought blues legends Albert Collins and Bo Diddley onto the stage to play with the band. Were they - and other blues legends - appreciative of what you were trying to achieve with your
sound?
Party of One garnered critical acclaim for its bare bones renderings of popular and obscure blues songs, including "The Sky is Crying" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." But it's back to business this summer as GT & The Destroyers prepare to rock us all senseless - just the way we like it.
Thorogood kindly spoke with News 4U ahead of the show at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater.
Oh, more than appreciative - over the top. Albert Collins and us and Bo Diddley, we just got along great. When I first happened on the scene and we ran into people like Albert and Bo, John Lee Hooker - we looked up to these people, you know. When we ran into them we were blown away by the way we were
treated - not just as musicians but as people in general, which was actually more important to us. So yeah, we fell into the fraternity almost immediately.
Your finger-picking style of playing the electric guitar is quite unique. Was it based on the playing style of the blues legends that you idolized? And did you start out playing with a pick?
I tried but I was terrible at it. I couldn't keep the pick in my hand, so I ended up just playing with my fingers long before I even discovered, you know, the blues world. And then once I saw John Hammond play and Freddie King and Brownie McGhee and Fred McDowell and Hound Dog - they all played that way. Probably because they all started out on acoustic blues. So I got on the inside track of that because that was just a style that felt natural to me.
Back in the day - the 80's, in particular - bands like The Destroyers and Huey Lewis & The News and artists like Bruce Springsteen all incorporated horns into their sound. But horns have all but disappeared in modern music. What happened?
People like myself and Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny, our background in music - people like Little Richard and Wilson Pickett and, you know, other artists like Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs with the greatest sax solo of all-time in "Wooly Bully" - they influenced us. I didn't want to put a harmonica in the band because I thought it would put us in the era of just another blues band. You listen to the sax solo in "Locomotion" which is great; the sax solo in "Lucille" by Little Richard is just off the radar. That was just something that was natural to us [using horns]. I think some of the youngsters coming up think that getting a saxophone, that's "old fogy" stuff. They all want to plug in and be Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, which I don't blame them for. But that might be a reason they kind of stay away from that.
Even after 50-plus years of rocking, you still play with so much joy on stage. Is there anything in life - apart from your family - that gives you as much joy as strapping on an electric guitar?
Yes...[long pause]. The other thing that gives me a thrill like playing... well, I kind of keep that to myself [laughs]. If you know what I mean, pal? There are other things that match up to that - it only takes about seven or eight minutes. But hey, what can I tell you?
SAMANTHA FISH
Electrifying blues-rocker talks Kill or Be Kind, bringing people together through music, reaching the next level and more
LINCOLN AMPHITHEATRE / AUGUST 28 / 6:30 P.M. IT MUST BE A RELIEF TO GET BACK TO TOURING SEEING
AS YOU WERE UNABLE TO FULLY PROMOTE KILL OR BE KIND DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. For me, Kill or Be Kind kind of got shortchanged. It's weird for me because I kind of started moving on [from that record], but when I look back on it, I think about how we recorded it, where we recorded it and the stories that came about. You know, I really wanted to do it in Memphis because Memphis is a special place for me - I think Memphis is the heartbeat of that album. I definitely took chances with my songwriting, you know, tried to push it in some different directions. Especially, like, texturally with my guitars. I really focused on how I could layer these songs and on writing hooks. Yeah, I definitely put my all into Kill or Be Kind.
Just an hour northeast of Evansville, the stunningly beautiful Lincoln Amphitheatre - a nationally-recognized venue that books an impressive variety of artists, bands and tribute acts - is back up and running this summer with a full schedule of full-capacity live performances. August features a typically great lineup of shows, including the legendary Del McCoury Band (8/7), ONE: A Celebration of U2 (8/14) and Creedence Revived: Creedence Clearwater Revival Tribute (8/21). But they've arguably saved the best for last with blues-rocker Samantha Fish set to rip it up on August 28.
The Kansas City-born singer/guitarist has steadily built a loyal following over the last 12 years through a series of acclaimed album releases and constant touring not to mention racked up a slew of awards from prominent blues organizations and publications. And still it seems like Fish is just getting started. 2019's Kill or Be Kind was hailed as her best collection of songs to date, incorporating keys and synthesizers to play off the Memphis soul foundation and create a dynamic blues-pop hybrid. In turn, the fresh sonic approach pushed Fish to craft some truly inspired lyrics and vocal melodies that stick with you long after.
THE TITLE TRACK SPEAKS TO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BUT IN A BROADER SENSE IT SEEMS TO APPLY TO THE DIVIDED STATE OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. WE ALL HAVE THE CHOICE TO "KILL OR BE KIND," IN EFFECT.
That song I specifically wrote about the duality of love and hate in a relationship that's failing - how quickly things that you loved about somebody can go to something that you sort of detest. But then again you have that inner choice of, you know, how are you going to walk away from this? Are you going to take the high road or the low road? And yeah, on a broader level that applies to a lot of us today and how we just conduct ourselves normally in society. Are you going to take the high road or the low road? Unfortunately, we've taken a lot of low roads, lately. But I have
faith in the people; I think we can pick ourselves up and just, I don't know, act right [laughs].
WELL, YOU'RE DEFINITELY DOING YOUR PART TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH YOUR MUSIC AND AMAZING LIVE PERFORMANCES.
Well, thank you. I do my best, but, you know, I play music and I try to keep it to that [laughs]. But I definitely know that there is, like, a responsibility as a performer because we bring people together. It's about uniting people and this connection at a live show - which we found during the pandemic can't be replaced. I was worried; we definitely tried. But that experience of a live show, it brings people together. I feel like that's my job and that's what I'm here to do - to make people feel better through music.
UNLIKE A LOT OF MODERN MUSIC THAT OFTEN FLATLINES, DYNAMICALLY SPEAKING, YOUR SONGS TAKE THE LISTENER ON A JOURNEY - BOTH MUSICALLY AND VOCALLY.
I'm always pushing myself to kind of push it into a different direction. If I write a song that feels kind of old school, I try to figure out a way... how can I modernize this and make it sound different and make it sound unique and like me? If I write a song that sounds super future poppy, then let's use some more classic instrumentation to root it into this sound. It's kind of case by case, song by song. "Bulletproof," for instance - I wanted it to feel like this kind of hill country, old school, fat posse song, but I wanted to put it to, like, a really contemporary, really industrialized beat that we could break apart like a DJ remix. I don't know, man, I just want everything to sound new and different and like me.
FANS ARE ALWAYS INCREDULOUS THAT YOU'RE NOT THE BIGGEST ACT ON THE PLANET. BUT YOU'VE CLEARLY BEEN GETTING MORE POPULAR WITH EVERY RELEASE. TO YOUR MIND, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
Well, the music industry has changed so much, even in the last five years. Man, I used to think that if I could just get on the radio, radio, radio. But the thing is that even the people that I love and admire that were on the radio five, 10 years ago, wouldn't be on the radio today because the world has just changed so much. Now it's all about pure data - your streaming data. I guess my goal always is to have a song that resonates with a lot of people - and that's a hit regardless of whether it's on the radio or not. I think enough people listening to it on their own and streaming it would push it to radio. I think it's just about getting to the people - the people are the ones deciding who gets to go on to that next level which is really powerful and really cool.
