The Back
Porch Rockers are myself, fellow Radiator Reggie Scanlan on bass, and blues greats Dave
"Snaker" Ray and Tony "Little Sun" Glover. We got together in
Minneapolis, where the Radiators play regularly. Dave and Tony opened for us a few
times and invited us to sit in, and we had such fun we decided to do a regular - or should
I say irregular - gig or two. "By the Water" was recorded in Karl Bremer's
living room and at the Turf Club in St. Paul, and is a relaxed and easy collection of
acoustic blues classics. It was released in December of 1990 and is got some great reviews.
We especially liked being in Playboy. (Really, we were reading the
articles!) If you'd like your own copy,
click here.
Playing with Dave and Tony is a trip. They've been around since the early
60's, when, as the trio Koerner Ray and Glover (with "Spider" John Koerner)
they made history at Newport and other folk festivals as some of the first white guys to play black country blues.
Their early releases, especially "Blues Rags and Hollers," made a huge
impact on the folk and blues worlds and is still cited as a major influence by many
artists, ranging from John Lennon to Bonnie Raitt to Beck. I wonder why we aren't
opening for them.
Dave's vocals are honey-sweet and raspy down home from one minute to the next.
It's really a joy to make music with another guitar player who is playing and listening
to how the song is being played for the moment. With Tony, it's amazing to
hear a harp player who's able to think horn section, rhythm, melody, and feel all at the
same time. It's an honor to play with them, and to have made a recording of which we
can really be proud.
We play occasional gigs in Minneapolis, usually around Radiators gigs and sometimes at the perfectly lit Turf Club in St. Paul. (See above photo.) Hope to see you there.
Check out more about Dave Ray
Check out more about Tony Glover
Read rave reviews!