Sonny Landreth, singer/songwriter/slide guitarist, is about to link up with some old running buddies— John Hiatt & the Goners —for a reunion album and tour.
“This is for fun,” Landreth said. “We’ve been wanting to do it again for a long time.” Hiatt and Landreth will be joined by Kenny Blevins on drums, and Lafayette’s first bass-man Dave Ransom.
“John’s such a great singer/songwriter,” he said. “It’s always fun to work on his tunes. I miss that, actually. It’ll be fun to do that for a while.”
They’ll be looking at some 30 shows in July and August, including a trip overseas. The last time the Goners played together was at an impromptu Chicago jam three years ago. For the record, the closest the Goners ever got to Lafayette was a Jazz Fest gig some time ago.
“That’s the only time we’ve played in our beloved state”said Landreth. A Lafayette date is not a far-fetched scenario, Landreth said. “Once the album is released, we’re talking about doing a co-bill kind of thing,” Landreth said. “If we can release albums at the same time-a strength in numbers kind of thing, it would be fun. I’d love to do it.”
After the recent frantic festival season, Landreth returned to California and his initial follow-up project to South of I-10 with producer Mike Post. “It’s real rooted in hometown stuff,” Landreth said: “It’s going to be different from the last album, a lot more lyrical. I kind of went in deep on this one. I’m real happy with it, though, I think it’s going to come out really well. I’m really happy with the songs.”
The depth of the project can be found in the lyrics. “It’s a lot more poetic in a way,” Landreth said, adding that he’s using a small town as the backdrop for all the songs and ideas, as well as the theme on. the release. “It’s even more of a conceptual piece of work than probably the last one,” he said. “At least it is at this point.”
This release will feature Landreth originals, save for a pair written by Landreth and Will Jennings (who wrote with Steve Winwood on Arc of a Diver and more recently wrote the Titanic theme.) Landreth is also working on an instrumental blues deal at Dockside Studio in Maurice.
Country music’s Sammy Kershaw’s annual trek to Kaplan in his continued effort to’ raise money for children’s charities in his hometown area, was another success during the second weekend of May. Sam Jam 1 brought in fellow Nashville recording artist Lorrie Morgan and Tracey Lawrence, as well as locals Wayne Toups and Hunter Hayes. Between the concert and the Sammy Kershaw Golf Tournament, almost $1 million has been raised the past seven years.
Courtney Granger’s debut recording, “Un Bal Chez Balff will soon hit the streets. With a great-uncle named Dewey Balfa and an all-star cast of players, including Christine Balfa, Steve Riley and producer Dirk Powell, there’s a lot of anticipation awaiting the 16-year old Cajun fiddler’s recording on Rounder Records.
With Zydeco Joe on the stage and T-Coon serving jambalaya, Adam Hamilton, bartender at Hamilton’s Club, threw in the towel one last time Saturday. May 15. Adam, who with other members of his family, including manger William Hamilton, have operated the zydeco dancehall since the ’50s, Jimmy C. Newman, Mamou native and current Nashville resident, released an all-French release, “American Cajun.” The Vermilion Parish fiddle style will be recognized at Festivals Acadiens, in September, as fiddle legends Wayne Perry, Varise Connor, Bascom Mouton and Leone! Leleux will have the event dedicated to them.
Terrance Simien & the Mallet Playboys’ latest Tone-Cool release “Positively Beadhead” is on the streets. The recording includes folk classic “500 Miles” and Wet Willie’s “Keep on Smilin.” Terrance and his wife/manager Cynthia dropped by The Swampwater Saloon (May 15) to catch the CD release party of “Badmouth” by New Orleans’ harmonica man, Rockin’ Jake. Free the Poet. the third release by the Kevin Danzig Trio, is out and available for purchase from the band.
Thomas “Big Hat” Fields and the Foot Stompin’ Band are working on an upcoming Maison de Soul release.And recording at Bad Weather Studios, in Kinder, is former Creole Zydeco Farmer Murphy Richard. Richard will be joined by Fred Charlie, sax; Jimmy Prejean, bass; T-Jim, guitar and Jim Edmond, drums.
Local new age recording artist, Isadar (aka Fabian Thibodeaux), recently gave a pair of solo piano concerts highlighting his new release Active Imagination, at Angelle Hall on the University of Southwestern Louisiana campus. The Minneapolis Cajun group, the Bone Tones, will officially retire in September.
The slim and trim (now that it’s dropped from almost a week’s worth of music and carnival fun) SummerFest ’99 is set for Saturday June 26th at the Carencro Fairgrounds. The line-up: Jean Pierre & the Zydeco Angels, Lee Benoit & the Bayou Stompers, and Richard LeBouef. Keep an eye out for the return of “the Miss Louisiana Bikini Contest.”
Lafayette’s independent rock crowd showed up in full force for the first local music showcase at Grant Street Dancehall (Saturday, May 8), according to Dave Hubble, concert organizer (and owner of Toys Alternative Music, as well as a host of The Fringe, KRVS 88.7 FM, and End of the World, 96.5 FM. Hubble said there were “outstanding performances” from Santeria, Urbo Sleeks, Rumblefish and Frigg A-Go-Go. “Man,” Hubble said, “this is a great place to live if you love rock and roll.”
