From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Jul 19, 2002  1:13 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Matt Lucas
 
MATT LUCAS (By Tony Wilkinson)

Born on 19th July 1935, Memphis, Tennessee

Matt is multi-talented and can be best described as a rockin' rollin'
blues-singing drummer. He is a humorous and engaging raconteur, a larger than
life character. Raised in Poplar Bluff, Missouri as an adopted child, he found
himself back in Memphis in 1959 where he made his first record, the tasty
'Tradin' Kisses', for the Roland Janes label Good Records. He joined the Narvel
Felts band as drummer but was sacked after two weeks for doing the hootchy coo
on stage with a hootchy coo dancer at a carnival. He played various clubs and
dives learning his trade.

Fast forward to late 1962 and Matt was again the drummer with the Narvel Felts
band. The group was cutting various tracks with the aforementioned Roland Janes.
Matt tried his hand at recording Hank Snow's 'I'm Moving' On' and produced a
unique and original high energy rockin' version which was released in Memphis on
the Renay label. Picked up and promoted by Rufus Thomas in his DJ role, the
record started to take off and was acquired by Smash Records for national
distribution. It became a big stateside hit and overnight the group became Matt
Lucas featuring Narvel Felts on guitar.

The follow up was again an original interpretation of 'Ooby Dooby', a reasonable
success, and Matt went solo. Still being recorded by Janes, he switched to Dot
Records in 1963 and scored with his versions of 'Maybelline/Put Me Down' and
'Turn On Your Lovelight'. This was the last of his chart hitting days but he
continued to record and issue records, including some in demand northern soul
sides. Come 1970 he was residing in Canada, an acquaintance of Ronnie Hawkins,
and laying down some outright dirty blues.

Today, Matt is based in Florida and New Mexico. He plays on cruise liners plus
performs at r 'n' r and blues gigs and tours around the USA for around seven
months of the year visiting places that have taken the fancy of he and his wife.
He made an appearance at the rock 'n' roll festival in Las Vegas in 2001 and
demonstrated that he still retains his rockin' edge and original style. He was
one of the magnificent headliners at the May 2002 Hemsby Rock 'n' Roll
extravaganza turning in a take no prisoners rough roadhouse rockin' set.

More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/MattLucas.html

Suggested listening CDs:

BJ CD 100 'Original Hits' (This contains all the above titles plus others such
as 'The MC Twine' and 'Massage Parlour Blues')

BJ CD 7797 'Rockabilly 2000' (as the title suggests, recent recordings)