Why some guitars remain silent

Manufactured by Gretsch, each Traveling Wilburys
guitar featured a unique design.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

I can't play a musical instrument, but that hasn't stopped me from owning a few.

The guitar is beyond my capabilities, yet I have four electric models displayed on my wall.

I'm not a "wanna be" guitar slinger, either. I don't have a musical bone in my body, and I don't have to pick-up a musical instrument to prove it.

But, I love rock 'n' roll and guitars are an ubiquitous symbol of that music.

Just so you know, the first commercially successful solid-body electric guitar emerged in 1946 with the appearance of the Fender "Esquire." Rickenbacher was another early manufacturer.

Innovators of the blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly styles all made use of the six-string instrument in the development of their music. Pop music and the electric guitar grew up together.

At the dawn of rock 'n' roll, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly stood there with their guitars and made music young people could "dig."

The piano was a strong lead instrument in the early days, too, with Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis pounding out hits of their own.

By the mid- 1960s, a guitar-based sound was the basic ingredient in most rock 'n' roll music of the day. The Beatles' line-up of three guitars and drums became a template for bands of the era.

With Baby Boomers demanding more from their popular music, guitar heroes began to emerge. You know their names: Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and so many others.

Musicians might have been aware of the specific instruments these guitar legends played. I just knew I loved the music.

Now, back to those guitars I own.


The Fender Stratocaster Squier model
has been made since 1982.

One is a Fender Stratocaster, with a striking candy-apple red body and a maple fretboard. It's a "Squier" model, made in Korea, serial number E926019. Best of all, it was signed in black magic marker by bluesman and guitarist extraordinaire Robert Cray in 1990.

Cray is known for his late 1980's hits, "Smoking Gun," "Right Next Door" and "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." Sharp-eyed fans may also remember him as the bass player in Otis Day and the Nights, the fictional band from the movie "Animal House."

Ace Frehley, lead guitarist for the rock group Kiss, signed another guitar. The Hondo "Formula 1 Series" guitar is just an entry level instrument, but it's jazzed up with a red stripe around the body and sports a sharp angular design. The former Kiss guitar slasher signed the instrument's black body with a white marker. Frehley probably hit a high-point in his career in 1978 when he sang "New York Groove," a Number 13 hit.

A member of the British hard-rock band UFO, Vinnie Moore autographed the reverse of another instrument. This white-bodied guitar was manufactured by Fender under the Heartfield imprint. It comes complete with an inspection tag showing the ititials of the workers who assembled the hardware and controls as well as testing it for tone. Moore toured with Alice Cooper and played on his "Hey Stoopid" album.


Facsimile signatures of the Traveling
Wilburys are reproduced on the back of the
Gretsch TW300 guitar.

The final guitar was purchased from Gretsch and triumphs the Traveling Wilburys, famous for their superstar line-up. A limited edition of 300, the guitar was made in Korea. The multi-colored design on the body of the guitar is cut from a larger mosaic, making each instrument unique. The reverse of model TW300 includes the facsimile signatures of Lefty, (Roy Orbison); Charlie T. (Tom Petty); Lucky (Bob Dylan); Otis (Jeff Lynne); and Nelson Wilbury, (George Harrison). The headstop boasts the initials TW in gold letters. Charlie T. was known to favor Gretsch guitars.

Besides the guitars, I also possess two hand percussion instruments.

The Rain-bo Jingles tambourine carries a sticker stating it was made for the Marshall Tucker Band by Corder Enterprises of Huntsville, Ala. This tambourine does not have a drumhead. You may remember Marshall Tucker as the southern rock band which hit big in 1977 with "Heard It In a Love Song."

A second instrument looks like a small tambourine, but is actually called a buben. This instrument, including a drumhead and is signed by the group Emerson, Lake and Palmer, was a promotional item from their "Black Moon" album, released in 1992. Fans of EL&P appreciate the British band for combining rock and classical elements in their recordings.

Now, you might say I must know how to play a tambourine. After all, you just have to shake it or slap it against your knee or hip. But, I can't even clap to the beat of the music when someone on stage says, "Put your hands together."

That's why I don't know what got into my head a few years ago when I was watching public television. I saw a hour-long program called "Play Piano in a Flash," hosted by Scott Houston, also known as "The Piano Guy."

Before long, he had me convinced that even I could play. I went to Jim's Music, rented a brand-new 88-key Korg electric keyboard and set it up at home. Korg, a Japanese company, has a world-wide reputation for manufacturing quality electronic instruments.

I also picked-up Houston's book which promised I would be playing my favorite songs "within days, even hours."

Barely 100-pages long, the book even contained an appendix with various chord charts. I re-watched the video. I read the book. I practiced.

I learned to play "Greensleeves," an old English folk tune, but I couldn't progress beyond that. After a few weeks of stagnation, I returned the keyboard.

The greatest lesson I learned is that I can't play the piano, guitar or tambourine.

If I ever begin to think I can play an instrument again, all I have to do is look at my wall of guitars.

'Bootlegs' attracted collectors

Bootleg records, popular in the 1970s,
featured such acts at The Rolling Stones,
Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Unofficial recordings, such as live tracks, studio out-takes or demo tapes, fulfilled a need among collectors beginning in the 1970s.

Known as "bootlegs," these recordings usually offered material not included on an artist's long-playing record albums.

Not sanctioned by the record companies or the musicians themselves, bootlegs were sold on the underground or black market. They shouldn't be confused with "counterfeits" which are illegal reproductions of conventional albums.

I distinctly remember buying two early bootlegs featuring songs by The Beatles and Bob Dylan, probably the most popular rock acts of the era.

My first purchase came from reading the Los Angeles Free Press, a counter-culture weekly, which I bought during a visit to Michigan State University in East Lansing in early 1970. Glancing through one issue, I noticed a classified ad offering a new Beatles album not found in department store bins or other retail outlets.

Intrigued, and maybe a little skeptical, I mailed off my money. At the time, I owned many records by the Fab Four, most released by Capital Records, and new titles were issued at regular intervals. Still, I was looking for something more.

The LP I received from California was issued by a suspicious-sounding Immaculate Conception Records. The 11-track album contained "Christmas Message," recorded by the Beatles exclusively for their Fan Club; a brief number sung by Paul McCartney called "The Walk;" John Lennon's then-current single, "Instant Karma;" "Teddy Boy," which would appear in a re-recorded version on McCartney's first solo album; "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number), a 45 B-side; and "Don't Let Me Down," the flip-side of another single. The remaining six cuts would also appear on the Beatles' LP "Let It Be," released in May, 1970.

The bootleg disc was among the earliest to mine the fertile field of unreleased Beatles' recordings. The bulk of the album apparently originated from an acetate which circulated among various Los Angeles radio stations after recording engineer Glyn Johns assembled an album from tapes the Beatles recorded in January, 1969. The British rock band didn't like the proposed album, however, and shelved it for more than a year. In the interim period they recorded and released the "Abbey Road" album. Finally, the Beatles hired legendary producer Phil Spector to complete the project which he did by adding orchestration and background vocals to some of the tracks.

While I bought plenty of "underground" Beatles albums in the succeeding years, the proliferation of bootlegs actually started with iconic American folk singer Bob Dylan. Born in Minnesota, Dylan gained the attention of his generation by writing and performing such folk-rock hits as "Like a Rolling Stone," "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" and "Lay Lady Lay."

Two enterprising Los Angeles hippies launched the bootleg business in 1969 by marketing "Great White Wonder," actually 26 Dylan tracks never issued by his record company, Columbia Records.

I didn't run across the record until three years later when I was a student at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. Bulletin boards on campus posted signs about activities, jobs and transportation. But they also contained lists of records students had for sale. Record albums were almost like currency. If you had LPs in good condition by desirable acts of the day, you could sell them quickly for perhaps $2 or $3 each.

It was on one such list that I saw the Dylan album for $5, as I recall. The package consisted of two records in a plain-white cardboard sleeve with the title stamped on the front. The record labels were blank. While the packaging was minimal, it was the music which counted, after all.

Dylan performs with The Band on nine of the album's cuts in what became known as the "basement tapes," which were recorded in the cellar of the singer's Woodstock, New York home.

Most of the remaining tracks were recorded in a Minneapolis hotel room on Dec. 22, 1961, before Dylan signed to Columbia Records. These early recordings feature Dylan alone. "Living the Blues," meanwhile, was taped off network television when Dylan appeared on the Johnny Cash Show on May 1, 1969.

Some of the Dylan material appealed to me, but I wasn't really into folk-rock at that time. Eventually, when I was short on cash, I sold "Great White Wonder" and got my $5 back.

Although I purchased mostly legitimate records, I continued to invest in the occasional bootleg, especially when something interesting came along.


One of the most widely-known bootleg labels,
Trademark of Quality, used this swine-inspired
artwork as a logo.

One particularly prolific bootleg label I patronized was called Trademark of Quality (TMQ). Their unusual logo featured the drawing of a hog with the label's name circling it. The records were inserted into white jackets along with a photo-copied sheet of paper with the title, song selection, and perhaps a picture or two. The idea was that upon taking the record home, the customer could glue the cover on.

The TMQ records were pressed on red, blue, or yellow vinyl, adding some color to the package.

TMQ issued material by the most popular acts of the day, including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead and Frank Zappa.

I bought one by the Rolling Stones titled, "Stone Relics," comprising 20 of the group's early songs, including "Come On," "I Wanna Be Your Man," and "High Heeled Sneakers." The do-it-yourself cover pictured some rather innocent graffiti on a bathroom wall which was rejected by the band's record company as the artwork to their "Beggars Banquet" album in America.

Some of The Beatles' boots I acquired bore the titles "Yellow Matter Custard," "In Atlanta Whiskey Flat" and "Hahst Az Son." Many of the most sought of the Beatles' unreleased recordings were eventually issued on "Live at BBC" and the "Anthology" series.

By the mid-1980s, bootlegs started to appear in the compact disc format. While it had been easy to bootleg LPs due to the country's many pressing plants, there were few CD facilities and they were busy manufacturing legitimate product. It wasn't long, however, before CD plants around the world were pressing high quality bootlegs which often looked like official product.

My wife Sue and I were into the Grateful Dead by this time and we decided to collect every bootleg we could find. We bought dozens of titles from the United States, Italy, Luxembourg and elsewhere. An incredible amount of material was available because the Grateful Dead allowed fans to record their concerts and encouraged tape trading. Since they played thousands of shows, there was an abundance of material available. Bootlegs ran in quality from poor to professional sounding.

But after collecting Grateful Dead bootlegs for a few years, it became impossible to keep up with the flow of new titles. When the band decided to officially release many of their shows in several series, including "Dick's Picks" and "From the Vault," we decided to sell our bootleg collection.

During this period, terminology changed and bootlegs were often called "imports," making them seem more legitimate.

Singer/songwriter and rock satirist Frank Zappa, founder of the Mothers of Invention, beat the bootleggers at their own game in 1991 when he collected many of the best bootlegs of his material and re-released them as "Beat the Boots." With the turnaround, Zappa made the profit from his recordings rather than the bootleggers getting it. A second box appeared in 1992.

Today, computer technology has sent the bootleg into the history books. It seems few people want to buy a bootleg when the material is downloadable on the Internet for free.

Appealing to collectors at an earlier time, the bootleg has become an anachronism.

Blues stars thrill U. P. crowd

Erin Jaimes

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Blues superstars Tab Benoit and Watermelon Slim headlined the 5th annual Marquette Area Blues Fest over the Labor Day weekend, impressing crowds at Mattson Lower Harbor Park with a fascinating display of a genuine American music.

Louisiana native Benoit and Slim, who resides in Oklahoma, gave the event a distinctive southern flavor, as did Texas-based Erin "Icewater" Jaimes, a rising blues player my wife Sue and I waited a year to see.

While Benoit and Slim, also known as William P. Homans, certainly deserved their headliner status, closing the concert program on Saturday and Sunday, respectively; Jaimes performed her set early on the first day. She followed the On The Spot Blues Band, a group of young friends from the Copper Country influenced by Texas-style blues.

Referring to her marriage to Marquette native Thomas Oatley earlier this year, Jaimes introduced herself by telling the audience: "I just married a Yooper."

Plucking on her bass guitar with confidence, she opened with "I Don't Mind," a track she composed for "Soul Garden," her second compact disc, released last year. But, don't let her paucity of recorded output fool you.

She made a commitment to the blues by moving from Massachusetts to Austin, the live music capital of the world, in 1994, sharing the stage along the way with such notables as Double Trouble, Pinetop Perkins, Angela Strehli, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Hubert Sumlin and Sue Foley.

That experience was reflected in Jaimes' assertive bass-playing and powerful vocals on songs like "Find My Love," "Sneakin' Around," "Fear," and "A Woman Will Do Wrong." Marquette's Fast Eddie Consolmagno added harmonica during part of Jaimes' program. Her no-holds-barred style was probably best exemplified by her exciting version of the blues-classic, "I'm A Woman."

Another Texas act, the Eric Tessmer Band, performed next with Jaimes remaining on stage as bassist. Originally from Wisconsin, Tessmer moved to Austin after graduating from high school. The 27-year-old Tessmer and his band played a set which included songs from their "Blues Bullets" CD. A terrific guitarist, Tessmer seemed most at ease blazing through blues standards such as "I Can't Quit You Baby" by Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker's "I Want to Hug You."

Chicago-styled blues followed Tessmer's program with the appearance of Mississippi Heat, founded in 1992. Anchored by the harmonica-playing of leader Pierre Lacocque, a Belgian who moved to Chicago in 1969, the band has had numerous members through the years. During their Marquette stop, the group was bolstered by the smooth guitar talents of veteran bluesman Carl Weathersby. A highlight of their set was "Blues for George Baze" which featured a beautiful Weathersby solo and classy harp work by Lacocque. Singer Inetta Visor added her dynamic vocals to many of the group's songs.

Mississippi Heat counts Green Bay bluesman Billy Flynn among its former members. The Wisconsin guitarist was responsible for coaxing Nora Jean Bruso, the next performer, to return to music after she quit the blues scene to raise her two sons.

The Mississippi-born Bruso showed Upper Peninsula concert-goers why it was her destiny to sing the blues when she took the stage following Mississippi Heat. Appropriately, she opened with "Going Back to Mississippi," the title track from her second album, released in 2004. With vocals reminiscent of Etta James and Koko Taylor, Bruso wailed. While she performed many of her own compositions, Bruso seemed particularly motivated during "Wang Dang Doodle." She stormed through the blues classic, persuading the audience to sing along with the "all night long" chorus.

Tab Benoit

With a day-long build-up, the crowd was ready to hear headliner Tab Benoit, a Baton Rouge guitar slinger who ably mixes blues and Cajun styles in a rockin' blend which has earned him many fans. He has won the Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year Award from the the Blues Foundation for two consecutive years.

His die-hard fans know Benoit's name is pronounced "Ben-WAH." The emcee, however, transposed the syllables, announcing the singer as "Ben Taboit." Unfazed, Benoit launched into "Fever For the Bayou," but the malapropism became a running joke during the rest of the show.

Backed by bassist Leon Medica and drummer David Peters from Louisiana's Leroux, Benoit kept the groove going with "Lost in Your Lovin'," and "These Blues Are All Mine." Benoit asked for requests from the audience, some of whom had seen him play at Northern Michigan University in 2004. Following shouts from the crowd, the trio played "Night Train," the title track from Benoit's newest CD, recorded in Nashville last year.

Bringing Louisiana to the forefront, Benoit played "We Make Good Gumbo" as well as "New Orleans Ladies," the 1978 Leroux hit composed by Medica. Medica responded to the crowd's approval, saying: "You treat old people nice up here."

Pointing toward Lake Superior, Benoit asked: "What is that over there?" The audience replied: "Ore dock."

He powered through "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It," "Stackolina," Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and "I Got Loaded," a hit for Los Lobos. Following "One Foot in the Bayou," Benoit explained that New Orleans still hadn't recovered from the damage caused by Katrina. Unfortunately, the country acted like the hurricane didn't happen, he said. He finished with a medley of "Jambalaya," "Iko, Iko" and "When the Saints Go Marching In." During his encore, Benoit paid tribute to Freddie King by performing "Pack It Up."

Sunday's program got underway with the Red, White & Blues Band, a five-piece group calling the Upper Peninsula home. The band mixed original material with some classic Memphis standbys and Chicago sounds.

The Delta Jets kept the emphasis on the blues with dynamic performances of "I'm So Glad," "Howlin' for My Baby," and "Susie Q," among other songs.

Marquette's Flat Broke Blues Band followed with their fifth consecutive Blues Fest appearance. They were joined on stage by the Million Dollar Horns, led by Dr. Matt Ludwig, music instructor and band director at Marquette Senior High School.

Moving from the enthusiasm of high school players to the experience of a blues veteran, the audience was treated to a set by guitarist and vocalist Johnnie Bassett.

Bassett taught himself to play guitar in 1946 when his family moved from the south to Detroit. He opened with "The Cat," by renown film composer Lalo Schifrin. Fans also heard a pleasing rendition of "Bassett Hound," Johnnie's theme song.

Motor City Josh and the Big Three shook things up with their version of "funky blues." Frontman Josh Ford has been a full-time blues musician since 1991 and performs about 300 shows every year. For his Marquette engagement, Josh brought along drummer Eric Savage, 17-year-old bassist Alex Lyon and lead guitar-player Johnnie Rhoades, 22.

Their incendiary show took the crowd by surprise.

They opened with "Dust My Broom," the venerable tune by blues legend Robert Johnson. Audience expectations built when Rhoades stepped up to play the neck of Josh's guitar in a dual display of six-string virtuosity.

Josh left the stage to amp-up the excitement by walking through the crowd. "Woman With a Whole Lotta Dough," followed while the band earned the audience's respect with a jaw-dropping take on the Allman Brothers classic, "Jessica."

Watermelon Slim

With the crowd suitably fired-up, Watermelon Slim & the Workers appeared to show why they have been named 2008 Blues Band of the Year.

Fronting a band composed of bassist Cliff Belcher, drummer Michael Newberry and guitarist Ronnie "Mack" McMullen, Slim's committed vocals shone through on Slim Harpo's "King Bee," the original "I'm A Wheelman" and Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightnin'." The singer added dobro slide guitar and tasty harp work.

Slim, who has been performing since the 1970s, told his story in an autobiographical set which included "The Ashtray" and "Devil's Cadillac." Next came a terrific version of "Tomorrow Night," originally recorded by George Mayweather, one of Slim's mentors. "Dad in the Distance," about not seeing his daughter after a divorce, told another chapter in Slim's life.

Slim has seen his ups and downs. A Vietnam War veteran, he has been a truck driver, sawmiller, salesman and collections agent. He also has degrees in journalism and history and has a genius IQ, qualifying him for membership in Mensa.

Referring to his lyrics, Slim told the crowd: "It's all true stuff."

Next, Slim tackled "Call My Job," written by pianist and vocalist Detroit Junior. "Long Distance Call," had Slim summoning the spirits of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. "Juke Joint Woman" evoked more feeling while Slim dedicated the night's final song, "Archetypal Blues," to his friend Craig Lawler, a gifted harp player dying of cancer.

If that wasn't enough, many of the performers continued their musical exploits during a post-party jam session at the Skyboxx bar in downtown Marquette.

Because we knew we'd witness an amazing night of improvisational blues jamming, Sue and I virtually ran to the Skyboxx. That's where we saw Erin Jaimes perform for the first time last year, even if it was only three songs. This year she hosted the party along with guitarist Eric Tessmer. We weren't disappointed. Jaimes, Tessmer, Watermelon Slim and a host of other talented players entertained us into the wee hours.

It was an impressive weekend, from start to finish.


Marquette blues fest photo gallery


On the Spot Blues Band

Erin Jaimes and Band performing at the Skyboxx

Motor City Josh & Johnnie Rhoades

Johnnie Bassett

Eric Tessmer

Tab Benoit and Leon Medica

Nora Jean Bruso and guitar player

Huey Lewis brings back '80s

Singer Huey Lewis gestures while performing
at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris last weekend.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Coming out of self-described semi-retirement, Huey Lewis & the News brought back the '80s during two concerts at the Island Resort and Casino in Harris over the Labor Day weekend.

Fronted by an energetic 58-year-old Lewis, the veteran San Francisco band delivered a hit-filled set while debuting two catchy new tunes.

The current touring group features original members Sean Hopper (keyboards); Johnny Colla (guitar, sax); and Bill Gibson (drums). Bassist Mario Cipolina and lead guitar player Chris Hayes, who quit in 1994 and 2000, have been replaced by John Pierce and Stef Burns, respectively. The horn section included Marvin McFadden, Rob Suddeth and Alex Mersden.

The talented crew launched the Aug. 29 show with the familiar beat of "The Heart of Rock & Roll" as my wife Sue and I wondered just how many of their nearly two-dozen hits the group would be able to squeeze into their show.

It was evident from the start that the harmonica-playing lead singer had lost none of his distinctive style. Dressed in a black shirt and jeans, Lewis looked little changed from the band's heyday. He worked the front of the stage, delivering a mouth-organ solo while the horns added additional color to the opening song, the theme of which could apply to the band itself.

For the second tune, the band tackled a lesser-known rocker called "So Little Kindness," but followed it with "I Want A New Drug," a Ten Top smash from 1984.

The hits kept rolling with "Small World," which on record showcased Stan Getz; "Doing It All For My Baby;" and "The Power of Love," a chart-topper from the 1985. Featured in the movie "Back to the Future," the song brought the audience to their feet.

With energy flowing through the showroom, Lewis joked to the crowd: "We were a 'boy band' once, but that was probably before you were born."

A "brand new" Huey Lewis & the News song, "Pineapple Express" fit neatly into the program. Released just a few weeks ago, the tune is included on the soundtrack to the motion picture of the same name. "Pineapple Express" was written by Lewis, long-time bandmate Colla, and David Fredericks for the comedy, starring Seth Rogen.

The second new track slotted next. "Hurry Back Now," composed by Lewis and drummer Gibson, sprung from a remark made by a clerk in Mobile, Ala., when the band was passing through the area. The fresh song featured a bluesy harp solo by Lewis.

"This is for all the hippies out there," Lewis commented before the band delivered a hook-laden version of "Hip To Be Square," a Top Three hit from 1986's long-playing album, "Fore."


Members of Huey Lewis and the News stood
before individual microphones to sing acapella
versions of two songs during their recent concert
visit to the Upper Peninsula. Pictured from left
are Lewis, Johnny Colla, Bill Gibson, Stef Burns
and Sean Hopper.

Showing their versatility, the band charmed the crowd with several acapella numbers. Lewis, Hopper, Burns, Colla and Gibson each stood in front of individual microphones to sing a doo-wop influenced take on "It's Alright," a Curtis Mayfield song the band recorded in 1993. The audience sang along with enthisiasm to the tribute to the Chicago soul performer.

Moving to rhythm & blues, the five singers performed a memorable cover of "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um," the Major Lance hit from 1964.

The full band returned to more familiar territory with their next selection, a rousing version of 1983's "Heart and Soul," from the mega-selling "Sports" album. Lewis leapt off the stage during the song, even taking a picture of a fan without missing a beat.

Next up the group did "But It's Alright," their final hit, actually a re-make of a J. J. Jackson tune.

Giving the audience more than just their radio-friendly tracks, the band performed a soulful take on their song, "We're Not Here for a Long Time." Lewis asked the crowd: "Did you have a good time?" as the band walked off the stage to wild cheering.

"Back in Time," from 1985, was the first of their encore selections. They kept the energy going by returning to their breakthrough hit, "Do You Believe In Love?"

Lewis stood on a sound monitor to play harp during the concert closer, "Workin' For a Livin'," which he dedicated "to all the workin' people out there." The final two songs are found on the band's "Picture This" LP from 1982.

With a song catalog containing an embarrassment of riches, it was inevitable some songs had to be passed over. It's testament to the hit-making power of Huey Lewis & the News that they filled a concert program without playing "Stuck With You," "Jacob's Ladder," "Perfect World," "If This Is It" or "I Know What I Like," every one a Top Ten single.


Sax and harmonica sounds filled the
showroom at the Island Resort and Casino
recently thanks to Johnny Colla, left, and
frontman Huey Lewis.

The casino show came over two decades after Sue and I first saw Huey Lewis & the News perform. That mid- 1980s concert took place at Marquette's Lakeview Arena and drew folks from all around the Upper Peninsula at a time when the band was just a few years into their hit-making period.

We felt then we already knew them from watching all their clever and funny videos broadcast in heavy rotation during the early years of MTV.

While the hits stopping coming for Huey Lewis & the News in 1994, they have retained their popularity and their songs remain staples on radio.

In 2004, they recorded "Live at 25" to celebrate a quarter century since the band's founding. A 21-track greatest hits package was released on Capitol Records in 2006.

Today they maintain a relatively light touring schedule of about 80 dates annually, and rumors of a new album still surface occasionally.

From their founding, Huey Lewis & the News had a simple goal: make good-time rock 'n' roll with a light-hearted feel. That strategy made millions of fans happy and led to the band's enormous success.

Judging from their performance here last weekend, the formula still works.