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| REMEMBERING LUTHER ALLISON: An open-ended documentary project
Last update: 7/10/07 Project Director: Carolle Uithoven Email us your remembrance of Luther Post a story now Transcription Notes FRANK PELLEGRINO: Luther always struck me as bein' really down to earth. Again, somebody who I knew from when I was very young, and his bein' around the [Kingston] Mines and on the blues scene in Chicago. His son Bernard and I are very close in age, and so it was sorta like, when they'd come around me'n Bernard would hang out and Luther would be playin' or sittin' in or whatever. Bernard would just be sittin' there, like, takin' notes, mental notes in his head---and look where he is today... Most of the families in the blues were all growing up together in about the same era, and it was a very close-knit community, as it is today. And so many of the kids are now professional musicians...carrying on the family traditions. (7/30/00 AE) CHARLIE LOVE: I had a opportunity to play with him here at the Kingston Mines. Great guy, great personality---and he's all about love and peace and spreadin' em. And spreadin' the blues. He's very concerned about the blues bein' presented in a positive form. That's what I loved about 'im. And we jammed together---and that was incredible. And I'm a very fortunate person, to be able to play with such many great artists. ...Makin' the transition from street person into blues artist or entertainer---you have to perform and you have to carry yourself with dignity, and be respectful when you on the stage---those are things that he got across to me. Yes. (7/30/00 AE) LAFAYETTE LYLE: Luther, I didn' know him personally---I was overseas wid 'im and saw him play, and I was really amazed at how he played, 'cause I had always heard about 'im in the city but I was never able to catch 'im. But when I saw him overseas, the guy blew me away. He is a Blues Brother! (7/30/00 A) CURTIS OBEDA: I grew up as a teenager in Minneapolis. We moved up there from Chicago. And Luther had a regular tour---and one of his regular stops, he was in Madison. And he played at a club real close to my house called the Cabooze. It's a very big place. And Luther was there every six weeks. And if you ever heard Luther Allison play, you realize he could play everybody's style. He could play like Magic Sam, Freddie King, Otis Rush, Robert Lockwood. And I was learning how to play the guitar, so I would keep a guitar in the trunk of my car. And after every set I'd run out on the break and try to recreate what I had just seen Luther do. So, even though I don't sound at all like Luther Allison, Luther Allison taught me how to play the guitar. I listened to all these records, but you know it's very difficult if you don't see what they're playing. But I watched Luther, and all these things became magically clear to me. And so I was a very lucky man that he came every six weeks to give me another guitar lesson! And his drummer at the time was a man named Robb Stupka. And Robb was an excellent drummer, played with him for many years, and later when I was putting the Butanes together, he and his wife happened to move to Minneapolis. So, I had the drummer that was in my head! 'Cause I had learned to play with Luther Allison, so all I had to do when I hired Robb---it was so easy. And people said, "Boy, you guys sound like you been playin' together a long time." And it's like, "Well, we have---but just not us!" You know? We all know the same songs and we all play exactly the same and Robb didn't have to change a thing. He knew half the songs I was gonna play. So I was a very lucky man. (7/15/00 A) (This page is under construction. To be continued...) Back to top Home Site Directory Website (c)2000-2007 Carolle Uithoven/DHMA. All rights reserved. |