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Home , Capricorn Records, Criteria Studios, Dan Toler, Eat A Peach, Grinderswitch, Johnny Sandlin

Three national release August 7th

King Mojo Allstars, Vol.3

TGZ – Living Dangerously

Big Shanty – Ride With The Wind

Featuring:

TGZ, Big Shanty, Liz Melendez, Dick Wooley by Kiki Lee Russell Gulley, Little G. Weevil. “Some of the very Featuring: A Legend of King Mojo best original artists playing today. Their – the legendary The original Allman performances light up player formerly of the Brothers Band. fter watching a new generation of fans packing festivals and clubs the field in contempo- Allman Brothers Band and Photo courtesy of Phillip Rauls A featuring contemporary , jazz, and fusion music, Dick Wooley rary blues, roots, jazz & Great (www.philliprauls.com). started King Mojo Records in 2004 without major label backing. “It’s always fun and fusion music.” Southern; to be out in front of the big guys,” says Wooley. His history supports this enthu- Ed Zinner – the guitar “Is Big Shanty ‘the white Jimi Hendrix’ with siasm. He has launched several of today’s legendary artists, has been awarded The tracks from power of Southern Legend; a Neil Young grunge aestetics?.. A looping numerous gold and platinum and has himself become a legend. Big Shanty, Ron Gary – the piano wiz, drum beat from Scott Robertson, wild guitar Russell Gulley and formerly with Webster by Liz Melendez and Hendrix-like vocals by Little G. Weevil Young and Tom Browne. Big Shanty… In a sense, he’s a Bluesier version n 1968, Dick Wooley was managing bands motion executive for cov- are all previously “An unrivaled combination of of Beck…This is truly alternative music.” I in and promoting records in the ering the Southeast and Midwest. Dick wel- unreleased. talent, passion and imagination.” Dylann DeAnna, BluesCritic.com Carolina’s with F&F Arnold, where he had comed the opportunity and opened Atlan- started several hit records, including some for tic’s promotional office in Cincinnati. Atlantic Records. Dick’s successes prompted Record promotion was not an easy task ’s super-promo man Dick Kline to in- back in the halcyon days of vinyl records, be- troduce him to Jerry Greenberg at an Atlantic fore the Internet, or the Interstate highway King Mojo Records & Entertainment • www.kingmojo.com convention in the Bahamas. Jerry Greenberg system. Dick regularly drove fifteen-hundred would be the next president of Atlantic, and miles a week over two-lane black top roads

PHOTOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KING MOJO REC. Jerry invited Dick to work as a regional pro- throughout the Midwest and Southeast

U.S.A. distributor: Select-O-Hits, www.selectohits.com blues rocks the world • september-october 2007 | 47 gum” pop , which were considered safe. pendent FM stations and playing progressive Frank Fenter, Dick Wooley These paranoid radio programmers missed rock, driving the timid AM’s out of the and in 1972. out on a once in a generation music revo- market. Photo by Rob Durner-Fenter. lution by not playing Janis Joplin, Jimi After months of vacation traveling, Dick Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, … was energized, full of ideas, and ready for a This era was tough on record promoters challenge. In early 1972, Frank Fenter called too, their jobs depended on getting new Dick from Macon, and invited him records on the radio, and the following to a meeting with himself and his partner, personal account is just one example of the artist manager Phil Walden. “Big Brother” times. Dick Wooley was in Mi- Dick had worked with Frank Fenter at At- ami’s when legendary pro- lantic Records. Frank ran Atlantic’s Europ- Dick Wooley with platinum ducer was recording “” with ean operation from the company’s London “edition” of the Allman Eric Clapton, , Bobby Whit- office. He was a brilliant record man, and Brothers Band lock, Jim Gordon and Carl Radle, known as everyone was surprised when he’d moved in album. PHOTO © 2005 CARTER TOMASSI Derek and The Dominos. It was electric in 1969 from London to Macon to start Capri- on stage in Atlanta, GA. the studio each night. , the corn Productions. In Macon, Frank Fenter Concert of July 4, 1971. promoting Atlantic Records. It was challeng- President of Atlantic Records, loved the was the man behind the scene that pulled the L-r: , Duane ing work, because at the time Atlantic/Atco blues and was usually there. Much later, an- deal together with Atlantic Records, allow- Allman, Dickey Betts, only had six full-time promotion men to cov- ticipation for the album release was big, but ing Atlantic to finance the company. Then, , Jai Johanny er every radio stations, show promoter and major AM radio stations refused to play it, to start the ball rolling, gave Johanson, . Photo curtesy of record distributor in America. This small citing the same old excuses.“For me … this them a Top 10 hit single,“Sunshine” by Jon- Carter Tomassi, group of six guys headed by Jerry Greenberg, was the last straw in dealing with program- athan Edwards. (www.messyoptics.com). included Dick Kline, Leroy Little, Bob Green- mers who would not play great music like Phil and Frank persuaded Dick to come berg, Vince Faracci and Dick Wooley. Dick this,”Dick recalls.“They sold airtime as rock onboard and help them transform their pro- reflected,“I felt privileged just being a mem- and roll stations, so I reasoned, they should duction company into . tial. He decided instead of endless dialing of ber of that group, and it was a once in a life- play new progressive rock. New music is what In the new venture, Frank naturally would stations that he didn’t know, to target old time experience to be working for music ge- rock and roll is all about, right?.. Wrong! I manage the record company production, Phil friends at the new FM radios (and a few still niuses like Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler and knew I had to find a better way to get airplay would manage up-and-coming artists Wet at AM) and began calling in ancient favors Tom Dowd.” for new artists.” Willie and the Allman Brothers Band, and to play Eat A Peach.Even though Southern Back in the 1960s, Atlantic Records es- In 1971, Dick had a life changing motor- Dick would do national record promotions. jam rock was not the type of music these sta- tablished such legendary artists as Otis Red- cycle wreck and began to consider his own They shared what had been the late Otis tions were accustomed to, several of Dick’s ding, Percy Sledge, , Wilson and his family’s future. He said,“I’d worked Redding’s office in the ramshackle Redwall radio pals in Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles Pickett, Joe Tex, King Curtis, Sam and Dave, non-stop for many years with Atlantic, now Music Publishing building on Cotton Av- began playing the new album and were Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Buffalo the timing was right and I decided on a va- enue. From the first day, Dick knew it was go- stunned at the good response from listeners. Springfield, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek and cation … a long one.”For the rest of the year ing to be a tough work when he called radio Eat A Peach began to inch up the charts, Phillip Rauls and The Dominos, Cream, Eric Clapton, Led Zep- Dick, his wife and young son Christian trav- stations around the country and they’d ask: and Dick went to work on the more conser- Dick Wooley. pelin, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer. eled through Europe and North Africa. “Capricorn what? Allman who? Macon vative middle-American radio markets. The But, this was also a time when people were Subsequent to Dick’s leaving Atlantic where?” Many in the music community had album was added to more and more stations, marching in the streets protesting the Viet- Records, it took their great promotion staff, openly stated the Allman Brothers Band gathering chart speed until early the next year nam war. As Dick called on the major AM that now included Phillip Rauls and Mario would never recover from the untimely loss it became the Allman Brothers Band’s first radio stations to promote Atlantic artists, he Medius, a year of hard work to get “Layla” of their brilliant leader Duane Allman, and gold (later platinum) album. found most programmers were paranoid on stubborn radio playlists. at that time the Allman Brothers albums had Taking advantage of the growing success about attracting unwanted Government at- only sold a few thousand copies. But, Dick of Eat A Peach,Dick had the radical idea of tention if they played what they referred to ick’s extended hiatus was well timed, be- had listened to the tracks that producer John- creating a special New Year’s radio show to as “anti-war” or “hippie” music. So instead D cause the tide turned and radio had ny Sandlin was making for the company (raw promote . It was 1973, and of playing new progressive artists, these sta- changed. When he came back, many of his tracks from the ABB’s yet to be released Eat nothing had ever been done like this before, tions settled on playing mindless “bubble- old friends were programming new inde- A Peach) and believed in the band’s poten- but betting on strength in numbers Dick lined

48 | blues rocks the world • september-october 2007 blues rocks the world • september-october 2007 | 49 and West owner Bill Graham was to be the event promoter. Dick and Bill had invited San Francisco’s FM pioneer DJ Tom Donahue to be MC. Tom, in turn, asked several of his San Francisco rock luminary friends to sit in on the show to add even more flavor to the spec- tacle. Bill Graham was an original showman, and he proved it during the sold-out show when he descended from the highest balcony in the great hall onto the stage at midnight, inside a giant Plexiglas hour-glass, dressed as “Old Father Time” with a flowing white beard. The Allman Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Band, Marshall Tucker and the Grateful Dead all stopped playing for a The original Marshall Tucker Band. few seconds to hail the New Year, then up dozens of independent AM and FM sta- picked back up on the jam just where they left tions across the South, cobbled them together, it. It was a surreal and magic New Year! bought time on AT&T telephone long dis- The coast-to-coast event was the “first of tance lines and called it a “radio network.”It a kind” for radio. In addition, the show was had only cost about $700, so Dick gave the picked up by Armed Forces Radio and show free to his affiliated stations provided broadcast live all over the world to an esti- they played his albums in heavy rotation in mated 40 million listeners. By design, the the weeks prior to the broadcast and gave show launched a group that Dick and Frank Capricorn advertising spots during the brought into Capricorn, the Marshall Tuck- The original broadcast. er Band. . The New Year’s concert live from New Or- The results in album sales after the event that it needed “something” to become ready Tucker albums climbing to the top. (While leans featured the Allman Brothers Band and were immediate – the Allman Brothers’ for radio. He took the tape into his office and at Capricorn, Dick also launched into the na- . The program was broadcast in current and catalog albums sold through the played around with the arrangement for a tional spotlight the great Southern Blues only eight states, but was a big success for roof, and the debut Marshall Tucker’s album couple of days, trying to find the right band Wet Willie, venerable singer-- promoters, bands, radio stations, the new sold 250 thousand copies within a couple of combination that would fit seamlessly into writers and Eric Clapton’s “favorite band” “network” and Capricorn Records. And not months, becoming their first gold (later several radio formats. Once satisfied, Dick Cowboy, the legendary Southern Rock band least, Capricorn got several great tracks to use platinum) album. and Frank flew it to LA, like they had done Grinderswitch, Bluesman John Hammond in later ABB projects, and the classic live al- The New Year’s broadcast was a headline once before with the Marshall Tucker tape, Jr. and rising Country star Hank Williams Jr.) bum, Drippin Wet for Wet Willie, produced grabbing success. The following week, news and played the track for Warn- Dick decided to resign as VP of Promo- by . of the event was splashed across the front er Brothers’ Mo Ostin, Ed Rosenblatt and tions at the peak of Capricorn Records’ suc- With momentum building, Dick began page of every entertainment trade paper of Russ Thyrett. They loved it, and in just a few cess. planning the next New Year’s show. He the day, including banner headlines in Bill- short weeks “Fooled Around And Fell In Since Dick moved to Macon in 1972, the added 150 stations to the “network” (now board, Radio & Records, Cashbox. Later, in Love” became the number one single on all company’s growth had been truly astonish- called “CapCom”) and acquired two national July of 1975, the prestigious business mag- Top 100 record charts. ing. In four short years, Capricorn Records sponsors, creating the first vertically inte- azine Fortune printed a major article on the For a long time Dick had been restless and had come from a production company with grated Rock & Roll radio promotion. The up- rise of Capricorn Records with group and in- eager to make a change, he reasoned there an empty bank account and three guys coming 1974 event was on a much larger scale dividual stories on Phil, Frank and Dick. would never be a better time to start his own with a dream into a Southern Rock Empire than the first one. It would be broadcast from In 1976, Frank Fenter played Dick a track record company than with the Elvin Bishop with sixty employees, a roster of great artists San Francisco’s Cow Palace, with a capacity from a new Elvin Bishop album that was in single at number one, two Allman Brothers recognized worldwide and with sales of of 15,000, and the legendary production. Dick liked the song, but found albums high on the charts and two Marshall $30 million a year.

50 | blues rocks the world • september-october 2007 blues rocks the world • september-october 2007 | 51 Rabbit Records charted both the Grinder- coast of Savannah, Georgia. At the time, it As the new label began to evolve, its one switch and Winters Brothers albums that first was a quiet fishing village of about 1500 peo- principle was to find great music.“Find the year and built career momentum by book- ple, and a perfect spot to relax, think, write best original artists in contemporary blues, ing the bands on hundreds of tour dates songs for his publishing company Cotton jazz, roots rock and fusion, then showcase opening for the Charlie Daniels Band, the States Music, learn to sail a Hobie Cat, build them exclusively using the Internet,” Dick Allman Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker a beach house and look at the record busi- says. A few months search revealed several Band and . ness from the rear-view mirror. great artists equal to the challenge. By mid- Dick’s office on Walnut Street in Macon 2004 they were showcased on King Mojo’s was across the street from the Armstrong ast-forward to 2004, we find Dick en- first Internet based release, King Mojo Allstars, Booking Agency, and its owner Pat Arm- F joying sunset views from the deck of his Vol. 1.The artists were: Diane Durrett, the strong had an extensive roster of working beach house, still writing songs for his pub- cutting edge of blue-eyed soul; Mike Lowry, bands (he had also been Lynyrd Skynyrd’s lishing company and, with his business a multi-talented guitarist, singer, the real deal; first manager). Pat was anxious because he partner, Benchmark/Atlantic President Ar- the Polk Street Blues Band, a blues-rock jam hadn’t participated in Southern Rock’s pop- thur Schultz, having just finished building act; Grinderswitch. ularity and came to Dick one day in 1977 to and selling 500 new college and beachfront Dru Lombar and the new members of ask if he would help him launch a new band investment condos. Grinderswitch brought it all back home with . he managed, called Molly Hatchet. Pat said Never one to be without a project for long, the band’s first studio album in three decades, hat a wild year 1976 had been! Dick they were being looked at by a major pro- Dick decided that a new goal was needed. He Ghost Train From Georgia.Dru dedicated the W left Capricorn Records with several hit ducer and a record company. watched a new generation of fans fill to ca- new band and new album to his late Grinder- records at the top of the charts, opened the Dick went to see Pat’s band in the base- pacity the fusion-blues festivals and clubs switch bandmates Joe Dan Petty and Steven doors at Dick Wooley Associates (DWA), ment club of a seedy Macon flop-house called around the country and sensed an oppor- Miller. Tragically, his own life was cut short helped the Jimmy Carter presidential cam- the Dempsey Hotel. The venue was a night- tunity to serve an under-served market. Af- on September 2, 2005… paign fund with free shows, and started Rab- mare with water standing an inch deep on ter talking with musician friends, he reasoned After a surprising success, other artists bit Records. Dick’s old friends at Atlantic Rec- the dance floor.“It was a miracle nobody was that if he started a label, its artists would have were added on the second release, King Mojo ords became interested in financing his electrocuted,”Dick said later. However, as bad to be so special that they would brand it as Allstars, Vol. 2:Big Shanty, who transforms new Macon, Georgia based Rabbit label, and the surroundings, Dick found the band a unique, original, not just cookie cutter la- blues into beats, tales of hard luck, hard times a distribution deal was made. highly promising. Later that year, a month bel. On the short list of such original artists and hard women; Beau Hall, an unstoppable Flush with development money, Dick before Molly Hatchet’s album was released, was his good friend of 30 years, guitar legend force of energy; Bill Stewart and the ATL, asked top Warner Brothers’ promotion man Dick added so many radio stations to its pro- Dru Lombar, leader of Grinderswitch. They original jazz cooked up by the very best At- Al Moss to join the new company and invited motion, that within a week re- soon met, Dru loved the idea and immedi- lanta musicians; Little Phil, a great Southern two great working bands of the day to sign sponded by throwing big development mon- ately signed on to the new King Mojo label. Soul singer; Dustin Sargent, a jazz statement on with Rabbit Records: Dru Lombar’s ey at the new “bad boys” of Southern Rock. Traditionally, blues and jazz fans have made and a powerful new wave. Grinderswitch, managed by Alex Hodges, Molly Hatchet’s debut album was a big driven the success of blues music, but today’s In August 2007, King Mojo Allstars, Vol. 3 who today heads up Neiderlander, and the success, first going gold, then platinum. new generation of fans expect something was released, featuring some of today’s very Winters Brothers, managed by Charlie Da- Dick was happy because he had launched his new. They want all kinds of blues-based mu- best original artists in contemporary blues, niels’ manager Joe Sullivan. first million selling band since leaving Capri- sic integrated with roots blues, rock, jazz and roots, jazz and fusion music: TGZ, Big Shan- corn,which, unfortunately, after his depar- club beats. It’s really cool stuff, and it’s be- ty, Liz Melendez, Russell Gulley and Little G. ture had been unable to launch any major ing done nightly in the successful clubs, but Weevil. The tracks from Big Shanty, Russell artist and was going bankrupt. could it be a new direction? The whole la- Gulley and Little G. Weevil are all previous- In 1980, the “disco craze” swept over the bel just seemed to grow around that one idea ly unreleased. country like a tsunami and destroyed all air- and immediately found traction and gained play in its path. Dick had zero interest in dis- a momentum all its own. Website: www.kingmojo.com co music and decided to sit out the dance, take time off and start a quiet life at the near- est beach. King Mojo Records are distributed nationally by Select-O-Hits Dick Wooley, Becky Bondia In 1981, he moved to Tybee – a small is- www.selectohits.com and Al Moss in 1976. land at the dead-end of Highway 80, off the

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