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THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE SAINT LOUIS SOCIETY Nov/Dec 2018 Number 93

3 St. Louis Blues Society General Membership Meeting and Board Election Information by Kelly Wells 4-6 St. Louis Soul Revival story and photos by Bob Baugh 7 The 17th Annual Baby Blues Showcase Lineup 8-11 Here is the Man: The Story of Gabriel by Robert Delaney, courtesy of St. Louis Media History Foundation artwork by Kevin Belford, courtesy of St. Louis Blues Society 15 St. Louis Musicians Listing back Road to Memphis/International Blues Challenge Benefit cover poster by Sandy DeMunbrun

Congratulations to the winning 2018 Road to Memphis groups: Hy-C & The Fresh Start Show Band and the Bottlesnakes. event was hugely successful this year and we have all of you to thank! The participating bands, judges, volunteers and attendees made for a tremendous afternoon of music and community. Please join us on December 9th at BB’s , Blues & Soups to raise some extra dollars for the groups headed to Memphis next year to represent St. Louis at the International Blues Challenge. The big topic for the next few months will be the STLBS Elections coming up in January. Each STLBS Member will receive a ballot in late December which will offer the opportunity to vote for the eight board positions. Elections are very important to a transparent and evolving organization. The ballot will include board members looking to be re-elected as well as a handful of new people interested in serving on the board. PLEASE make sure your membership is up-to-date, so you have the ability to vote for the leaders of the St. Louis Blues Society. As the process moves forward, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, comments or concerns! This issue of the BluesLetter features Gabriel. As another giant in our community passes on it is so important to spend some time reflecting on the job we are doing to support the history and promote the present of St. Louis Blues music. If you have ideas for ways to create a better St. Louis Blues Society or a better St. Louis, please reach out to us and let your voice be heard. This organization is for you! E-mailJeremy It is for the musicians, the venue owners, the fans, the studios, the radio stations I'd love to hear from you! and we count on you to help us be as successful as possible. Please write me at [email protected] and tell me your thoughts on the board elections. Thank you for supporting St. Louis Blues music in all its forms! Jeremy Segel-Moss, STLBS Board Chairperson

BluesLetter is published six times a year Offi cers Board of Directors by the St. Louis Blues Society. The St. Louis Blues Society is dedicated Jeremy Segel-Moss Michael Battle PO Box 78894 Chairperson Ridgley "Hound Dog" Brown to preserving and perpetuating blues St. Louis MO 63178 Jerry Minchey Glenn Howard music in and from St. Louis, while stlouisbluessociety.org Treasurer Rich Hughes Greg Hunt fostering its growth and appreciation. facebook.com/stlbluessociety Lynn Barlar Paul Niehaus IV Secretary Marty D. Spikener The St. Louis Blues Society provides Mary Kaye Tönnies Mary Kaye Tönnies Alonzo Townsend blues artists the opportunity for public Editor Communications Kelly K Wells [email protected] Johnny Willis performance and individual improve- Jeremy Segel-Moss Advisory Directors Directors Emeriti ment in their fi eld, all for the educational Co-Editor and artistic benefi t of the general public. [email protected] Charles Taylor Ron Edwards Legal Consultant Bernie Hayes John May e St. Louis Blues Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-pro t © 2018 St. Louis Blues Club corporation. Memberships to Society are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. 2019 St. Louis Blues Society General Membership Meeting and Election of Board Members by Kelly Wells, Election Committe Chair The St Louis Blues Society will hold its annual board elections in January, 2019

Each member of the St Louis Blues Society will receive a ballot in the mail in late Decem- ber. The individuals listed on the ballot will include a slate of candidates nominated by the board of directors for the St Louis Blues Society Board of Directors election. The terms of office will be for two years or until the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Members of the St Louis Blues Society. Ballots will include information about the candidates, mail-in instructions and deadlines, as well as information about the Annual Meeting of the Members of the St Louis Blues Society to be held on January 22, 2019. All current members of the St Louis Blues Society are eligible to vote in the January board elections. If you are not currently a member or if your membership has lapsed, visit www.stlouisbluessociety.org by December 15, 2018 to become a member so that you may participate in the upcoming board elections. Look for your ballot in late December and plan to participate so that the St. Louis Blues Soci- ety can continue to effectively serve the St. Louis community with its mission of preserving and perpetuating blues music in and from St. Louis, while fostering its growth and appreciation.

JOIN The Saint Louis Blues Society The St. Louis Blues Society is a Missouri 501(c)(3) not-for-profi t corporation dedicated to preserving blues music, to fostering the growth and appreciation of blues music, and to providing blues artists with an opportunity for public performance and individual improvement in their fi eld, all for the educational and artistic benefi t of the general public. Memberships to the Blues Society are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law Membership Contribution Levels: ___ Blue Plate Special $30/annual ___ Boogie Down/Family $50/annual ___ Blue to the Bone $500/lifetime ___ Blue Business $100/annual includes one issue quarter-page ad ___ Foreign Subscription add $10 (U.S. funds) to membership level

Name: Please check the desired renewing membership level and return this form with your annual membership donation to: Address: St. Louis Blues Society City: P.O. Box 78894 State and Zip Code: St. Louis MO 63178 Country: Phone: Or visit our website www.stlouisbluessociety.org Email: to renew and pay I would love to volunteer at shows and events through Paypal or  credit card The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 3 story and photos by Bob Baugh

earing “Would You Rather” a weekend with and I’ve when telling people about Bass, “I re- by the Georgettes in the re- been stranded here ever since.” cruited a piano player and later found cent Forest Whitaker movie Roxanne out she could sing her ass off.” A few It was a music scene being turned Roxanne or Bernie Hayes’ 1969 “Cool years later he would form his own band, upside down by ’s Kings of Strut” in a new Heineken beer com- “The Soul Revue,” featur- Rhythm and Little Milton’s Band. He mercial serves as a reminder of the soul ing Bass and McClure. Their 1965 hit would become Milton’s musical direc- scene that once flourished in “Don’t Mess a Good Thing St. Louis. The city never had Up,” for Chess provided the a Motown, Stax or Chess with royalties that enabled Sain its massive marketing and dis- to open Archway Studios tribution system. But, if there (1965-2003). was one musician that put a The studio attracted top stamp on our local soul, it was talent. In addition to Bass Oliver Sain, a band leader/ and McClure there was Ike musician/producer that Solo- and later Turner, Little mon Burke once called, “the Milton, , Shir- of St. Louis.” ley Brown, Barbara Carr, Sain grew up in a musi- David Dee, Larry Davis, cal family play- , Johnnie ing trumpet and drums in Johnson, The Montclairs, his teens and taking up the The Georgettes, The Sharp- sax following his service in ies, The Smith Brothers/ the Korean War. He played The Smith Connection, The Greenville, MS juke joints in Caesars, The 13th Floor, the early 50s with his step- The Laniers, Bernie Hayes father , Sonny and Uvee Hayes, and many Boy Williamson, and Char- more. And, Sain was a tal- lie Booker, as well as with ent in his own right with Little Milton who got signed multiple featuring by a talent scout his searing sax. One listen named Ike Turner. Sain met to his “Soul Serenade” tells the Chess brothers after mov- you all you need to know. ing to in 1955 and Jimmy Hinds, a re- began playing everything Flyer courtesy of Marsha Evans and Jimmy Hinds nowned bass player, was his from blues to jazz on drums or coproducer at Archway. Sain managed sax with Howlin’ Wolf, tor, begin writing and producing re- the relationships with the stars and kept and others. He would tell people that it cords on his friend’s Bobbin label and the studio filled with state of the art re- was a gig that got him to St. Louis, “I finding new talent like cording equipment. In the studio Hinds came to East St. Louis in 1959 to play and Bobby McClure. He would laugh was the musical director with both act- 4 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter ing as engineers and musicians, play- covers. One exception was Uvee Hayes The idea wasn’t just about visibil- ing their instruments with guitarist whose consistent releases sell ity; it was an organizing tactic for Se- Phil Westmoreland and drawing from and get radio play. Her latest works gel-Moss, “We wanted honest partici- a circle of Sain band members for re- includes two recent CDs, Nobody pation with our town’s musicians. With cordings. Hinds found their differing But You (2017), and From a Woman’s the CD they get one song recorded for styles to be complimentary, “Oliver Point of View (2018); and a new video free and encouragement to make nine had a country boy ear but was a stone “Basement Party.” more for their own CD.” The first one bluesman. I had my blues, but I was a was a learning curve. The compilation Motown baby with clarity of recorded songs submitted in hearing everything. We by musicians “was a tough had two different ears so sell,” according to Segel- our mixes sound different Moss, “we encountered but there was no conflict lots of ‘Nos’ and apprehen- because we came from the sion from older artists who same place. We were blues- had been screwed by record men.” companies. We also found many well-known local art- They drew from the ists didn’t have any original deep St. Louis talent pool music.” That needed to be and tapped a unique East remedied. St. louis model cities pro- gram. The Young Disciples 15 IN 15 took that step by (1967-72), developed by collaborating with Paul Nie- Allen Merry a woodwind Marsha Evans and the Coalition with special guests at the NBM for the haus, one of the most desired player who had worked with 2018 Big Muddy Blues Festival's Tribute to Oliver Sain sidemen in town (bass, , Curtis Amy, , Hank Wil- The exciting news is the emer- keyboards, drums and more), who was liams Jr., and , became a gence of a new and old soul scene opening Blue Lotus Studios. Niehaus mini Motown for training young mu- thanks to the efforts of the St. Louis works in many genres, but he is quick sicians. Hinds said Archway opened Blues Society. Jeremy Segel-Moss, the to tell you that, “my core all-time fa- the door of opportunity for the black STLBS chairperson, likes to tell how vorite music is Royal Studios High Re- community, “Oliver Sain brought his “for years my band (The Bottoms Up cords, the Memphis sound from early record industry experience from Chess Blues Gang) would be traveling and 70s.” It’s a template for him to “make to St. Louis. A lot of us would never telling people in the places we played music that has an organic quality and have seen the technology or how to use about the amazing music in St. Louis songwriting where all the songs on a it. White studios were very uncomfort- but we didn’t have anything to back it record are a cohesive statement with able to work in. They didn’t want us up.” That changed when he was elected threads harmonically woven through- [black musicians] learning the busi- chair in 2013 and set out to produce an out.” ness. Oliver opened for the annual CD. The first one released in Their plan worked and the hoped- black community to learn about music January 2015 was titled 14 In 14. for spin-offs became a real- and music production.” ity. Niehaus worked with Sain’s death in 2003 soul master, Roland Johnson, marked the end of an era after 15 In 15 to produce his memorialized today by the first original CD, Imag- Stax, Chess and Motown ine This. Soul artists Renee museums. Rap and Hip Smith and Gene Jackson cut Hop had become the youth original songs on 16 In 16 pipeline. In St. Louis, Sain with Jackson then writing his influenced artists like Mar- first original album, 1963. sha Evans, Renee Smith, Johnson’s and Jackson’s al- Kim Massie, Marty Abdul- bums received good reviews lah, Gene Jackson, Roland and Blues Blast nominations. Johnson, Marcel Strong They are working with Nie- and the Apostles and the haus to produce follow-up Ground Floor Band kept Renee Smith with the Blue Lotus Soul Review at the albums. the music alive performing 2017 Big Muddy Blues Festival continued on page 6 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 5 continued from page 5 There is a younger wave of soul/ Al Holliday and the East Side Rhythm R&B artists emerging as well. The up- Band is a 10-piece outfit that just re- 17 In 17’s soulful thrust included coming Blues Society Presents 18 In 18 leased a self-produced critically ac- Kim Massie, Marcel Strong and the will feature an 18-year-old Little Dylan claimed third CD, 4963. A European Apostles, Marty Abdullah, Brian Ow- Triplett who has taken to town by storm tour is in the works for November. Hol- ens & the Deacons of Soul and Cha- with his bluesy soul and R&B. He re- liday is also producing the first origi- risse “Swan” Sauls. Massie and Abdul- cently signed with Marquise Knox, nal CD for the seven-piece, three-horn lah are now working on original cd’s LLC and is writing songs for a CD. band, Big Mike Aguirre and the Blu with Niehaus. He has also been help- One of his early City All Stars. Both bands were fea- R&B performanc- tured closing acts along with Marquise es came early in Knox at last month’s Big Muddy Blues 2017 when he sat Festival. in with another This is a feel-good city story about reemerging local soul lost and found again. A village of soul artist with musicians, fans, new studios, produc- Motown roots, ers with soulful ears and a Blues So- Carolyn Mason, at ciety with a passion for original music the National Blues connects our past with the present. Museum. They have St. Louis doin’ the “Cool Two other Strut” once again. young Stax-influ- This article was published in the enced bands are Oct/Nov 2018 issue of Big City Rhythm making waves in and Blues magazine. It was Bob’s story town with original about in 2017 for KDHX music and an en- and the St. Louis Blues Society that at- ergy infused stage tracted the attention of the magazine. presence inspired They ran that piece and invited him to by horns, harmo- become a regular contributor to the bi- ny, key boards, monthly publication with a focus on St. and a sound that Louis stories.  makes you move. Paul Niehaus IV at his Blue Lotus Studio

ing promote the music by organiz- ing and ongoing series of Blue Lotus Soul Revues that include Chess, Stax and Motown tributes. And, the word is spreading. Ms. Zeno, the Mojo Queen, a legend, traveled to St. Louis to make her newly released CD, Back In Love, at Blue Lotus. Niehaus thinks Brian Owens, a Fer- guson native, with his Marvin Gaye in- spired soul has the potential “to be the Al Green of St. Louis.” He has already achieved national attention with The Soul of Ferguson and the critically ac- claimed The Soul of Cash (yes, Johnny Cash) and a single, For You, with five- time Grammy award winner Michael McDonald. He is currently doing pre- production work and writing his next album at Blue Lotus. Paul Niehaus IV at his Blue Lotus Studio 6 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 7 The Story Of Gabriel by Robert W. Delaney Reprinted and updated with permission from St. Louis Media History Foundation www.stlmediahistory.org

St. Louis Blues Society Gabriel Postcards photos courtesy of Gabriel artwork by Kevin Belford

fter the song fades out there is the music is still important enough to KDHX that sic was played. There were no limits on what Asound of a door slamming and a most of the drive-time Monday through Fri- could be played. This type of format was pio- grandmotherly female voice says “Gabriel! day shows are still blues shows. The Sunday neered by a San Francisco station, KSAN-FM. Stop making that noise!”. This signaled the end evening blues block is still there. And, blues is Most of the people working at KDNA were un- of Gabriel’s Tin Pan Alley weekly radio pro- sprinkled throughout the rest of the schedule. der the age of 30 at that time. gram heard from Midnight Sunday until 3 am Gabriel is the granddaddy of the KDHX blues In the summer of 1971, I was listening Monday mornings on community radio station DJs. You got the feeling in listening to him that to KDNA one Saturday morning about 3 am KDHX-FM, 88.1 in St. Louis, Missouri. none of the other blues DJs would be on the through headphones when I heard the follow- air if Gabriel hadn’t led the way. All of them There is a momentary feeling of emptiness ing: “And Now! For Your Dancing, Listening, acknowledge Gabriel’s programs over the and longing for more repartee and music. It is and Reminiscing Pleasure! Ladies And Gentle- years as one of their influences. Many of the really an empty, puzzling emotion. It brings to men! Here Is The Man! I Mean The Man! The other DJs have an encyclopedic knowledge of mind a visit with a good friend or close relative Sensational! The Incomparable! The and present excellent material, often and the feeling you get when the person leaves. The Blues! The Dynamic!” Then a friendly in thematic programs. Gabriel acknowledged It was such a good time you just had listen- voice announced he was “Gabriel…playing the their scholarship and consulted them for details ing to Gabriel that you don’t want it to end so 3 B’s for you.” The voice continued, “I do not when needed. It is through this radio station, soon. In a few hours, you may be back at work mean Bach, Brahms, and Beethoven…... but the St. Louis Blues Society, and the support of dealing with the mundane things of life in the Boogie, Barrel- the people in St. Louis that the St. Louis blues everyday business world. Listening to Gabriel music has survived all this time. exposed you to a deeper understanding of the little things in life that we overlook or ignore. So…How did I ever stumble across Gabriel and his program? In I suspect this scene and sudden emotion the summer of 1971 commercial ra- was repeated in many places and many minds dio station KDNA-FM, 102.5, was in where people listened to Gabriel. I’m sure a its 3rd or 4th year on the air in St. large group of the population with a musical Louis. It was classified as a listener- taste for blues and traditional gospel music supported station. It existed on the have heard his broadcasts at one time or an- donations of its listeners and the ini- other during his 66-year career in radio broad- tial capital provided by investors. Its casting in the St. Louis and other parts of North on-the-air staff was diverse and ever- America. changing. It included well-known lo- His listeners were a diverse group. His ap- cal personalities like Leonard Slatkin, peal was diverse in the community, perhaps then a St. Louis Symphony conductor. wider than any other media personality cur- It might include whomever walked in rently on St. Louis radio. In the era of strict off the street to start broadcasting their playlist conformity, Gabriel was (and KDHX agenda, if the mood was right. There is) a blessed oasis in the desert of ‘20 songs in were only a few scheduled programs at a row’ and classic rock stations. scheduled times, although certain DJ’s were usually on the same days. There At KDHX, the management and other was a lot of listener-DJ phone conver- blues DJs besides Gabriel come from a wide sation which was not yet as popular of background. Some of them are currently blues a radio format as it is today in the for- performers, some are just DJs as a hobby. Blues mat called “talk-radio”. All types of mu- 8 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter house, and Blues!”. As he spoke, a piano boo- The black per- gie tune started to play and continued while he son performing talked over it. the blues usually represented a per- The first record I heard him play was a son alienated from blues tune with nice guitar work and har- the establishment monica, but the singer had such as weird way for its poor treat- of singing the syllables: “You’re the one who ment of blacks rayeeeellly gave me a buzzzzz.” Years later, and racist atti- Gabriel would identify the song for me as tude. In the 1960s “You’re The One” by Jimmie Rogers, who was and 1970s many ’ Lead Guitar Player. Gabriel young whites felt played mostly blues tunes that night until about this same alien- 5 am. This was the music that influenced the ation and vowed top rock musicians of the 1960s. Groups such to eliminate rac- as the Beatles, the Experience, ism or reduce Cream, , The Animals, The Roll- its effect. Some ing Stones, , and numerous others people feel that all pointed to the blues as the major influence black music is ul- in their music. timately what won over large groups of whites the Coliseum Ballroom in the small town of The blues Gabriel was playing was an en- when segregation was an issue. This is a com- Benld, , about 75 miles from St. Louis. cyclopedia of new tunes to me. Hearing this plex question that can’t be answered with snap All the big-name performers, black and white, music for the first time was very intriguing. I answers and unsupported theories. The average performed there. middle-class white person in this age group had vaguely heard the name Gabriel mentioned He told stories about Ned Love’s club feels alienated today in this era of job lay-offs, as a DJ on a St. Louis radio station, KATZ, but in East St. Louis, where Ike Turner and the downsizings, temporary jobs, and the lack of I had never really listened to that station much. played when they first came loyalty between the employer and the employ- Gabriel was also running a retail record store at to St. Louis from Clarksdale, Mississippi. ees. These white people are feeling some of the the time, The House of The Blues, not too far misery and pressure that always existed in the from the location of KDNA. He described several St. Louis clubs in black person’s world due to racism. It was stirring, metaphysical stuff to lis- the where mixed race couples were ten to. Little did I realize that the blues was Most white blues enthusiasts, myself in- not frowned upon. He told a story about rid- the basis of most black gospel music. Gabriel cluded, have a genuine interest in the music’s ing around in a limo with Chuck Berry when referred to it as the “Holy Blues.” Most black history and wish to keep it alive and develop- “Maybellene” had become a hit. He told us of blues performers had grown up going to church ing. Gabriel often bemoaned the fact that most the day that he was the first person on radio or singing in church at one time or another. I younger black people don’t show much interest in St. Louis to report that President Kennedy didn’t really listen to the gospel with sincerity, or liking for the blues. Even the young black had been shot in Dallas. He acknowledged the more with curiosity. I had heard John Lennon gospel groups of recent years do not rely much support of the people he worked with over the of the Beatles say that he liked gospel music on the blues, another fact that Gabriel often years, especially Dave Dixon, Spyder Burks, and I had seen a film of the “Around the Bea- mentioned. Gabriel was quick to acknowledge and Leo Chears, among others. that without the heavy support and interest of tles” TV special the Beatles made in England One Sunday, Gabriel told a story of his as- white blues enthusiasts, the music would be in 1964 which included their rare performance sociation with Ike and . He met Ike dead commercially. of “Shout,” an Isley Brothers tune with strong Turner in the 1950s when Ike and his band were gospel influences. Gabriel felt that he played the best of the playing the clubs in East St. Louis. Gabriel was So here we are more than 40 years later, blues. His show was not a one-hour weekly rap involved in the recording of Tina Turner’s first and blues music is still holding in popularity session about the Blues Brothers. On Gabriel’s records. Gabriel talked specifically about his and record sales, concert revenues, etc. Why show he played the guitar work of Matt “Gui- relationship with Tina Turner, “Ike would ask is this so? The blues is a music that has been tar” Murphy and described Murphy’s virtuos- me to pick her up and take her to the gig or passed from generation to generation in the ity. He may have mentioned that Murphy was the studio or whatever. I was the only one he black community and this still continues in part of in the Blues Brothers movie. trusted to pick her up. He knew I wouldn’t try the Delta in Mississippi and other locations in He explained that Murphy did some playing to hit on her. She lived in what was basically the USA today. It is my opinion that the recent with Memphis Slim in the 1950s on an out- a garage near the Cochran Veterans Hospital. popularity of the blues has occurred because standing album. Gabriel would then discuss She already had children, not necessarily by it is now the “New ” of white the way Memphis Slim encouraged him when Ike. I wouldn’t say we were bosom buddies, listeners who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s he was a young musician, how he got him into but we might go get some White Castle ham- absorbing the music of their rock idols that was clubs to hear the music. He may have men- burgers, and sit in the car and eat them.” tioned that when Memphis Slim was playing firmly based in the blues traditions of earlier As you might imagine, Gabriel had quite in a St. Louis tavern late in his career, Gabriel decades. The persons in this age group (50 - a few of Ike and Tina’s recordings. Gabriel was spinning records there between sets. 65) are now a powerful economic demographic decided he would play some of Tina’s re- group. In their youth, the blues was admired by Gabriel didn’t always mentioned the his- cordings that she probably wouldn’t want rock musicians for its simplicity and authen- tory behind the song, but he may have given her current “pop” music audience to hear ticity. The blues has always been a music that us an anecdote about the performer, or even a such as her versions of “Amazing Grace”, tells the story of a person’s fate, good or bad. personal memory. He found Muddy Waters to “”, and “”. “The blues is the story of a good man with a be “friendly”, but Howlin’ Wolf was “hard to The records sizzle with down-home blues problem” is an often-heard phrase. know, to get close to”. He told stories about continued on page 10 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 9 excitement and that “Baptist Moan” in Tina’s idol. Gabriel played other instruments such as to . They were not interested in voice. Gabriel regards the “Baptist Moan” in a pedal steel guitar, but he never developed his his records either, but blues great person’s voice as being essential to success in talent on these instruments as he did with the gave him enough money to take a train back to the R & B and Gospel music field. trumpet. Unfortunately, the trumpet was not East St. Louis. the up and coming instrument in R & B at the Gabriel was born in Louisiana. His aunt These hard luck stories underline the deter- time he was recording. In the 1950s, the guitar came to East St. Louis and later Gabriel, his mination of a talented young man who would was making inroads as a dominant instrument mother, and grandmother joined her. Gabriel have a lifetime in music. This is a man for in all types of American music. Gabriel always will only say he is, “...not a day over 131” whom music was his life and broadcasting, a said he wishes he had learned to play guitar as when asked about the year of his birth. He true calling. This is a man who remained true well as some of his band mates. liked to play the song “Happy Birthday To to what he felt was good music and brought it Me” by Hank Locklin in the weeks before his Gabriel told stories of several trips to Chi- to the attention of the public. birthday came up. He liked to tell stories of his cago to try to interest record companies in the The structure of Gabriel’s radio program childhood and his grandmother. It is easy to demo records he and Ike Turner had made, was somewhat flexible. Each week he deter- see why the love and respect for others that his some with original mined which tunes he would play based on relatives fostered on him was a central part of listeners requests, personal preferences, his character. and topical or calendar-related references He talked about a terrible ice storm when such as Martin Luther King’s Birthday, he was in the first grade. He had to help the Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day. In June of younger children get across the street to go to each year he liked to do a Christmas show. school. Occasionally he will recall a teacher The unusual timing of this program was he had in school. His childhood friends still based on his observation that “we may not call him on his show to let him know they be here at Christmas time.” are alive and well. At an age when many Gabriel’s show included a heavy dose persons have lost track of all their old of the blues from the 1920s through 1990s friends and associates, it must a comforting with a few current performers occasionally feeling to reminisce with the old friends. included (such as Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, In this way, Gabriel was a rich man. The Mississippi Heat, Dave McKenzie). He economic reality was that Gabriel lived on liked to play any record he felt was good. He only his Social Security check and he just played things like the Baywatch theme be- barely got by on that amount. He had the cause he enjoyed the piano solo in the song. gas turned off in the winter and the elec- tricity turned off in the summer. He said He had a special place in his heart for when you see a utility truck in the neigh- those who are imprisoned. He felt that there borhood you always wonder if they’re is a large number of persons who are arrested coming to shut you off. He wondered and incarcerated by mistake. Prisoners sent why the government doesn’t help the him letters describing the brutal treatment they poor with energy stamps the same way have received and the prison’s censorship of they attempt to with food stamps. Gabriel’s show. He read the letters on the air, acknowledging the prisoner had gotten through Gabriel talked of going to Lincoln to the outside world. He was careful not to read High School in East Saint Louis, Illinois at material, and some portions of the letter that may get the prisoner the same time Miles Davis attended. He said with cover versions of currently popular blues in trouble. He would usually read the prisoners he knew Vernon Davis, Miles brother, but that material, such as “Baby, What You Want Me letters during the Traditional Gospel portion he never met Miles. He knew Vernon through to Do”. He summed up the conversations be- of the show. During this portion of the show, the high school band, where Gabriel learned to tween the record company managers, himself, he played a slow version of “Amazing Grace”, play the trumpet. According to Miles Davis, and Ike. “Ike would always say, “Gabriel, you played on a pipe organ by Maceo Woods. He there was an excellent teacher, Edgar Buchan- can go ahead and play your record first.” I lead a moment of prayer calling it “Meditation an, at Lincoln, who had quite a few students would then play my record and the record com- Time.” who developed into excellent professional pany manager would pause for a long time and trumpet players. then say, “Well, I can’t use that right now, but Gabriel reminded us to “...pray for your check back with me in six months.” Then Ike enemies, those who have done you wrong.” He In addition to his role as a disk jockey, would play his record and the record company told the story of a time when a cab driver could Gabriel also pursued many other activities at manager would get very excited and start talk- not make change for his grandmother when various time in his life: record engineering, ing to Ike about how many thousands of dollars she had a $5 bill. The driver took the money producer and distributor of his own and other he would get for the record. but never returned to give his grandmother artists records on his own , propri- the change. Gabriel said he saw the cab driver etor of a retail record store, concert promoter, Gabriel made a trip to VeeJay records to many years later. The cab driver had been in a and television and electronic equipment repair- try to interest them in releasing his records. severe accident and was crippled for life. He man. He said he didn’t see Vivian (Vee) and Jimmy (Jay) who were the owners of the record label. talked about times when a family had no heat Gabriel formed a band that would include He sat outside of their chief AR man, Ewart or electricity. When there was little food on the several superb St. Louis blues musicians over Abner’s, office overnight since he had nowhere table in his home his relatives ate less so he the years (Bennie Smith, Ace Wallace). Gabriel to stay and no money to buy food. Finally, could have more as a child. He spoke of go- was out-front on trumpet. Gabriel was an ex- the AR man gave him enough money to buy ing to the relief office with his grandmother to cellent trumpet player with heavy Louis Arm- chili mac and fries. He left Vee Jay and went sign up for relief. He refers to the current DHS strong influences. Louis Armstrong was his Food Stamp office as “The temple of doom.” 10 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter Gabriel’s story was as the B. B. King song “assembled” the program by selecting cas- Sadly, Dennis passed suddenly in March of goes, “I’m a Poor Man, But I’m A Good Man, settes, records, and CD’s from his large suit- 2015. Since that time, the job of answering the Understand.” cases according to the plan he had devised for phones for Gabriel has been taken-up by Lynn the show. He looked at the list of tunes he had Barlar and Matthew Heiple. Both have become Gabriel would often read a listener’s let- made during the week and pulled out the tunes well-known with Gabriel’s listeners. These two ter or portions of it on the air. He delighted he wanted to play that night. For this reason, he had already been involved with Gabriel’s show in hearing from listeners he personally knew, did not take on-the-air requests from listeners. for several years as they took turns each week went to school with, worked with, or grew up Radio station KDHX has a large music library picking him up and returning him home (after with. He had respect for all of his listeners. He which he rarely used. Many of the recordings a stop at White Castle) each Sunday. Lynn said announced the deaths of local musicians and he had are the original 78 records of a tune. For Gabriel’s favorite show snack was her mozza- benefits for ill musicians. He once announced this reason, they were often scratchy. Gabriel’s rella meatballs, but he always referred to it as that a local musician he played with was dead. comment on this was: “If you don’t like the “Swedish Meatballs.” The local musician was listening to Gabriel’s scratchy records, meet me at the record store program that night and he called to assure Ga- Gabriel and I exchanged email messages with your credit card and we’ll get a CD.” briel that he was alive! Gabriel also announces regularly. We discussed many topics: life, love, information concerning blues festivals. One person gave Gabriel the ability to take liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There so many calls while on the air and respond to were times when we are both experienced the For many individuals in nursing homes, them in a rapid fashion. That person was Den- blues. There were times when we were hap- senior citizens apartments, and government nis Brannaker. He was the “unsung hero” of py or sent a humorous message. Gabriel was institutions, Gabriel’s program was the only Gabriel’s listeners. While Gabriel was doing always able to laugh at himself and his situa- show on the radio they could listen to that con- the show, Dennis answered the phones and tions in life. nected them to their past friends, families, and passed messages to Gabriel. Gabriel read these everyday life. He did this through the music he Gabriel was a wise, outspoken man. He messages on the air and responded to them. played of course, but his uncanny memory for stayed above all the blues politics. He was Dennis had been a listener to Gabriel’s radio details and his easy way of setting the scene of mostly interested in the music and primar- programs on St. Louis radio since the 1950s. a memory was unique. He liked to bring in old ily expressed his opinions about the music. He recalled hearing Howlin’ Wolf for the first St. Louis newspapers and read articles and the Gabriel was the true article. He knew the time on Gabriel’s program. He said, “..it sent prices of items back then. blues! He is one of the treasures of St. Louis! cold chills up my spine..”. Dennis was always Gabriel took a sad song and made it better. ♫ Each week he arrived at the station polite and he made sure he got the messages about an hour before his program started and correct. He always brought Gabriel a snack.

Saturday, Oct. 27 - CJ Muggs Webster Groves, MO - 9p Saturday, Nov. 3 - Third Base Sports Bar Springfield, IL - 8p Monday, Nov. 5 - The Alamo Springfield, IL - 8pm Saturday, Nov. 17 - CJ Muggs Webster Groves, MO - 9p Friday, Dec. 14 - CJ Muggs Webster Groves, MO - 9p Saturday, Dec. 15 - BB's Jazz, Blues, & Soups, St. Louis, MO - 10p The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 11 SOULARDSinceSOULARD 1978 BLUES BAND

RFT “Best Blues Band” 13 years in a row (314) 832-4924 www.soulardbluesband.com [email protected] King Solomon Records Nosotros Hacemos El Blues 12 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter

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14 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter Musicians Directory Aaron Griffi n Marty D. Spikener’s The Rhythm Section aggriff [email protected] On Call Band Road Show 314.378.0022 [email protected] Andy Coco 314.435.7053 www.rsrs.co The Bottoms Up 314.255.3708 Blues Gang Melissa Neels Band Jeremy Segel-Moss melissaneels.net Sins of the Pioneers www.bottomsupblues.com 314.306.8407 Mark “Sunny Boy” Mason 314.482.0314 www.facebook.com/ One for the Road (solo act) TheSinsofthePioneers Brian Curran Harold Schellenger 314.481.3380 www.briantcurran.com [email protected] 314.753.1395 618.791.7106 Soulard Blues Band Art Dwyer Brother Jeff erson Band Paul Bonn www.soulardbluesband.com Jeff Chapman & The Bluesmen 314.832.4924 www.jeff chapmanmusic.com [email protected] 618.292.7196 618.632.9420 Uncle Albert Tim Albert Bud Summers Paul Niehaus IV [email protected] budsummers.com Blue Lotus Studio www.facebook.com/ 618.401.5845 www.bluelotusrecordings.com unclealbertband 314.397.3823 Gateway Blues Band 618.660.7935 Jeff Sieth Raw Earth “Casbah-ssippi” www.gatewaybluesband.com Ivan Martin Musicians 618.830.3347 www.facebook.com/ advertise your contact information in RawEarthNation the Jim McClaren 314.605.3474 BluesLetter www.jimmcclaren.com contact Kari Liston [email protected] 314.664.3449 a one-year listing includes a link on our website

The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 15