My Guitar Is a Camera
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My Guitar Is a Camera John and Robin Dickson Series in Texas Music Sponsored by the Center for Texas Music History Texas State University–San Marcos Gary Hartman, General Editor Casey_pages.indd 1 7/10/17 10:23 AM Contents Foreword ix Steve Miller Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii Tom Reynolds From Hendrix to Now: Watt, His Camera, and His Odyssey xv Herman Bennett, with Watt M. Casey Jr. 1. Witnesses: The Music, the Wizard, and Me 1 Mark Seal 2. At Home and on the Road: 1970–1975 11 3. Got Them Texas Blues: Early Days at Antone’s 31 4. Rolling Thunder: Dylan, Guitar Gods, and Joni 54 5. Willie, Sir Douglas, and the Austin Music Creation Myth 60 Joe Nick Patoski 6. Cosmic Cowboys and Heavenly Hippies: The Armadillo and Elsewhere 68 7. The Boss in Texas and the USA 96 8. And What Has Happened Since 104 Photographer and Contributors 123 Index 125 Casey_pages.indd 7 7/10/17 10:23 AM Casey_pages.indd 10 7/10/17 10:23 AM Jimi Hendrix poster. Courtesy Paul Gongaware and Concerts West. Casey_pages.indd 14 7/10/17 10:24 AM From Hendrix to Now Watt, His Camera, and His Odyssey HERMAN BENNETT, WITH WATT M. CASEY JR. Watt Casey’s journey as a photographer can be In the summer of 1970, Watt arrived in Aus- traced back to an event on May 10, 1970, at San tin with the intention of getting a degree from Antonio’s Hemisphere Arena: the Cry of Love the University of Texas. Having heard about a Tour. Jimi Hendrix was the headliner. No one music hall asking for volunteers to help build knew it at the time, of course, but Jimi had less the stage and still without a camera, he lent a than nineteen weeks left on the planet. helping hand. The Armadillo World Headquar- A few feet from the stage Alan Guncik, a close ters was about to open. friend, and I recognized the National Anthem Watt attended UT, taking classes as a photo- and with hands over our hearts, we jumped up journalism major. Finally getting a camera, his as if it was a high school assembly. Jimi jam- off-campus “major” was shooting photos of ming “The Star-Spangled Banner” introduction musicians. His beginning efforts were at Willie noticed and said to the packed arena “All Ameri- Nelson’s first Fourth of July Picnic in 1973 and cans stand up . .” with many of the touring bands playing at the A couple of songs later, as the last notes of Armadillo. “Voodoo Child” faded, Watt, only a few feet During a 1974 summer break from college, away from Jimi, found himself bemoaning the Watt worked concerts on Eric Clapton’s tour fact that he was too poor to own a camera to from New York to California, as both a roadie chronicle the oh-so-special people who were part and an unofficial photographer with a privi- of the soundtrack for musical and social change. leged, backstage point of view. “It was foolish of me not to borrow a camera,” Watt and his camera could be found at Watt says. “It was only after [Hendrix’s] death Antone’s Home of the Blues, located on Sixth a few months later that I realized I was less Street in downtown Austin, as soon as the club than ten feet from him and did not record or opened in 1975. Antone’s frequently billed local document the moment for anyone.” He swore bands like Paul Ray and the Cobras (featuring a to himself that he would make up for this in the young Stevie Ray Vaughan), Southern Feeling, days and years that followed. He had discovered Storm (featuring Jimmie Vaughan), Marcia Ball, his passion. and many others. The owner, Clifford Antone, Casey_pages.indd 15 7/10/17 10:24 AM soon began bringing in some of his blues heroes Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue in January 1976. from Chicago: Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Watt photographed most of Bruce Spring- Wells, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, and John Lee steen’s Austin and Dallas concerts in the 1970s Hooker graced the stage. Watt found his pas- and 1980s, plus Springsteen concerts in Colo- sion energized. Acting as the de facto house rado and Tennessee. He often ignored the “no photographer, he documented many of the men cameras allowed” restrictions by sneaking in and women who performed at Antone’s. But a camera body nestled in his boot and mak- the music scene proliferated at countless other ing handoffs of different lenses to friends who venues in Austin and around the state. Wher- brought in his other photography tools via ever you found music being played, you’d likely purses, pockets, and jackets. find Watt there with his camera to photograph Watt’s passion resulted in a tiny bit of “com- many of these acts: the famous, the soon-to-be mercial success” when some of his covert work famous, and the never-to-be famous. As he accu- was purchased for albums, box sets, books, or mulated thousands of negatives, his friendly magazines. But the money was never much and nature, combined with his professional persona had never been the point, really. Watt was shoot- and natural talent, afforded him a virtual press ing pictures because he was driven to do it. pass to any performance he chose to shoot. He Prior to a 2008 concert, Watt and his cousin was a local and regional fixture. Tom Reynolds, a fine musician and friend of Asked if he had any sense at the time that he Steve Miller, were visiting with Steve on his was capturing musical history, Watt says, in typi- tour bus. Watt was aware that Steve had spent cal, self-effacing fashion: “Not exactly. I was just years in Chicago playing with many of the blues photographing musicians I liked. At some point musicians that he had photographed years around 1976, a woman told me my pictures from earlier. Also a big fan of Steve’s, Watt presented Antone’s were going to be famous. But, as I told him a large black-and-white print of Buddy Guy, friends and others, since I didn’t play any instru- Muddy Waters, and Junior Wells that he had ments well, I just thought, ‘Okay, I’ll photograph taken at Antone’s. Steve was impressed and musicians instead.’ My maternal grandfather asked, “Watt, do you have a book?” He did not. and my paternal grandmother were both tal- It was not the first time the question had been ented musicians, so I know that music can be a asked. For years musicians and others familiar life-changing thing. Songs have such potential to with Watt’s work had encouraged him to put out speak to our spirits, whether we’re up or down, a book. But it was never quite the right time. happy or sad. I knew all that, so I guess that In 2012, while mulling over the possibil- shooting musicians was kind of my way of being ity of publishing a collection of his photos, part of it.” Watt thought again about Steve’s question. He As a photographer for the University of Texas decided the time was right. newspaper, The Daily Texan, Watt covered Now it is 2017, and all the parts have come Austin’s local music scene. He also traveled to together. Watt finally has his book. Houston for the Astrodome appearance of Bob XVI From Hendrix to Now Casey_pages.indd 16 7/10/17 10:24 AM Jim Franklin (right), creator of the trademark Armadillo art, and Gonzalo Barrientos, at that time a state represen- tative from Austin, during Armadillo Appreciation Week, 1976. Jerry Garcia at Arma- dillo World Headquar- ters, March 1976. 7 Casey_pages.indd 7 7/10/17 10:24 AM Casey_pages.indd 16 7/10/17 10:25 AM Mick Jagger. 28 Casey_pages.indd 28 7/10/17 10:26 AM Bonnie Raitt at Austin Municipal Audito- rium, October 24, 1975. One of the photographs from this concert was the first photograph I had published, appearing in the University of Texas student paper, The Daily Texan. What a thrill! 30 Casey_pages.indd 30 7/10/17 10:26 AM Stevie Ray Vaughan playing the Fender Stratocaster he called “Number One” at Antone’s during his tenure with Paul Ray and the Cobras. Stevie with Double Trouble at Sam’s BBQ in east Austin, July 20, 1981. Pictured with Stevie are Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon. This image appeared, among other places, in the Sony Legacy box set Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. 36 Casey_pages.indd 36 7/10/17 10:26 AM Muddy Waters and Lou Ann Barton, a member of the Triple When B. B. King smiled while he was play- July 4, 1976—and he made sure the Threat Revue and ing, it was just like the whole world smiled crowd knew he came to play. With saxes, later a founding with him. King had a contagious ebullience trombone, and trumpet blasting, drums member of Double Trouble. A similar that could not be stopped. He’d be deep popping, bass bopping, and the Ham- photograph ran in into the bluest song ever written, at a mond organist putting a churchy glow on Rolling Stone soon moment when it felt like he would take his songs like “Rock Me Baby,” “Don’t Answer after this was taken. audience to the bottom of the world. Then the Door,” and yes, “The Thrill Is Gone,” he’d break into a celebration with Lucille’s the club tilted on its axis as the audience six strings, and the audience would burst went into blues-induced delirium.