CULTURE [IN MEMORIAM]
For Those Who Paved the Way St. Louis is naming a street in honor of local blues icon Kim Massie Written by
JAIME LEES
K
im Massie was a true queen of St. Louis soul and blues. When Massie passed away last fall, an already-devastated St. Louis music scene was brought to its knees. At the time, everybody swore that her life and legacy would continue to be celebrated, and that promise has been kept: The city is naming a street after her. Kim Massie Way will be unveiled during a presentation on April 17. Massie’s birthday, April 19, has been declared Kim Massie Day. The new Kim Massie Way will begin at the intersection of South Broadway and Cerre Street and will run through the stretch
[SPLITSVILLE]
At the Crossroads The Bottle Rockets, Americana torchbearers for 28 years, have broken up Written by
DANIEL HILL
T
he Bottle Rockets, the Festusborn, St. Louis-based band of alt-country stalwarts some 28 years running, have broken up. The news came via a statement
Kim Massie, who passed in October, lives forever in our hearts. | PRESS PHOTO
29
award-winning karaoke queen before scoring legit gigs singing with St. Louis blues icon Oliver Sain,” we wrote when she passed. “She hustled and struggled for decades to become one of the most respected and trusted artists in town. You knew if you hired Massie for a show that she would give it her all.” Mayor Lyda Krewson will present the proclamation to Massie’s family during the sign unveiling and proclamation ceremony at 2:30 p.m. April 17, a Saturday, at the intersection of South Broadway and Gratiot Street. The ceremony will be open to the public, with the city’s COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions in place. “We know that she would deeply appreciate this honor, love and above all else the respect she always desired and ‘dreamed’ of,” Autumn Massie, daughter of Kim Massie, says in a statement. “The entire Massie family are so thankful and grateful for this honor that helps her legacy live on in the beautiful city she called home forever.” Massie joins a proud collection of musical luminaries who have had streets named after them in the places they called home, including Bob Dylan Way in Minnesota, Flaming Lips Alley in Oklahoma, Sam Cooke Way in Illinois, Dave Grohl Alley in Ohio, Joey Ramone Place in New York and Run-DMC JMJ Way in New York. n
of South Broadway where Massie performed for years in St. Louis’ legendary “Blues Triangle” — an area with a trio of blues clubs that ruled the scene for decades, including Beale on Broadway (which closed in 2019), Broadway Oyster Bar, and BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups. Massie was a legend in St. Louis
and beyond, able to harness both her unrivaled singing voice and her magnetic charm to thrill any audience in front of her. In addition to hosting intimate bimonthly gigs at small local clubs, she’d also play parties and headline music festivals. “Through her years, Massie morphed from church singer to
on social media. According to the post, guitarist, frontman and cobandleader Brian Henneman has decided to retire, and the group simply can’t go on without him. “Although he’s in good health, he’s been feeling the passage of time and has lost interest in anything that distracts from or takes him away from home,” the post reads. “Unfortunately, this means the Bottle Rockets can’t continue as we know it. This is a difficult and emotional outcome for the band, and we share the sense of loss over this ending, but it can also be framed as an opportunity for new directions.” Accompanying that post is a statement from Henneman himself that makes clear the decision was not made lightly. “Been thinkin’ about it this entire time off,” Henneman writes. “I’m more certain of it than any-
“Some go on into their 80s, some quit in their 20s ... . Ol’ Number 60, that’s me. 60 o’clock, that’s quittin’ time for this guy. Kickin’ off my travelin’ shoes and slippin’ on my house shoes.” thing I’ve ever been certain of before. I’m turning 60 this year. Including my time with Uncle Tupelo, I have been doing this recording/touring thing for 30 years. I don’t consider myself too old to do it anymore, but I do consider myself too old to want to. “Every musician has their own shelf life for doing what they do,” he continues. “Some go on into their 80s, some quit in their 20s and never look back. Ol’ Number
riverfronttimes.com
60, that’s me. 60 o’clock, that’s quittin’ time for this guy. Kickin’ off my travelin’ shoes and slippin’ on my house shoes. Home is where my passion lies these days. That excites me now the way the band used to.” The Bottle Rockets formed in 1992 out of the ashes of outlaw country act Chicken Truck, and following a stint for Henneman as a guitar tech and additional musi-
MARCH 10-16, 2021
Continued on pg 31
RIVERFRONT TIMES
29
