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Well, I have to update my Myspace (chick1951) page now.  I have Jimmy Thackery listed as one of the people I’d like to meet, but I took care of that little item last Thursday night. This was the 10th time I’d caught his act in a variety of places like Granby, Winter Park, Trinidad, Brendan's and the Walnut Room in Denver, and even in the middle of a cornfield in freaking Arnold, Nebraska! But it was the first time I got to talk a little with him and get my picture (also on Myspace now) with the guy I consider my favorite guitar player. There are a ton of greats out there: Bonamassa, Castro, Trout, Winter, Benoit, Montoya, Cummings and young rising stars like Shawn Kellerman, Shawn Starski  and Nick from TUF and I am not going to attempt to say who the best is, just that Jimmy Thackery is my personal favorite. He also has a helluva sense of humor and I really enjoyed talking with him (note: do not mention Joe Bonamassa in his presence though, lol, or Tab Benoit’s ability as a drummer).

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever catch my favorite guitar player in my favorite blues hangout, the Outlook. For
that one, all I can say is ‘thank you’ ‘thank you’ ‘thank you’ to Dan King and Honey. You guys did good…real good on this
one! I may be prejudiced, but I think it was the best show I ever saw at the Outlook. Thursday’s show was vintage Jimmy. Jimmy’s playing has the cleanest sounding, richest tone to it. When he plays no note is ever distorted unless He wants it distorted; he is a fret-bending Master at producing crystal-clear notes. It’s as if there is a telepathic link between his brain and guitar, there isn’t a frenzied blurring of his hands when he plays, but a calmness that is as eye-opening as it is ear-pleasing. He coaxes long forgotten sounds out his Strat…sounds I never heard from anyone before except Hendrix and Roy Buchanan. And generously throwing in some Ventures/Dick Dale sounds mixed in with his wah wah-infused solo’s. Throughout the night he was brilliant, every guitar solo went above and beyond and was highlighted by crisp, expressive riffs.

His backing band The Drivers were hitting on all cylinders as well. Mark “Bumpy Rhodes” Bumgarner, his long time bass player was solid as always. Russ Wilson on drums is new to the band and is a hilarious as well as talented. He did what was easily the most entertaining drum solo I ever heard or saw, leaving his drum kit and using the mic stand, tables, beer bottles, glasses, trash cans, and poking my gut to boot. Russ is a riot.

Jimmy did a bunch of my favorites--he would have needed another 4-5 hours to do them all.  He laid into “Bullfrog Blues”, “ Hobart 's Blues,” “Apache,” plus material from his new CD, I loved “That Dog Won’t Hunt”. When a fan yelled for “Cool Guitar” he reminded him that “I don’t come to your work and tell you how to make coleslaw” lol, but then kicked into what is becoming his new anthem with the audience screaming out the chorus “Gonna sell the bitch’s car/and buy myself a cool guitar” (can I say that in the BL,?). The piece d’resistance though was the “Star Spangled Banner” whew-wee!!!!!!! Talk about Jimmy doing Jimi, he alternately made his guitar snarl, howl, and scream while the audience stood in amazement. I know I saw a few puddles of drool come out in the middle of this start-to-end guitar solo. Finishing off with a little behind the head action, and then tonguing his strings for good measure.  A-freaking-mazing!!! The best part was turning to a young guy next to me and ask, “You ever seen anybody like him?” and all the kid could do was shake his head in wonder ‘noooooooooo’. All I could think is his buddies will not believe him the next day.

A quick note on this Wednesday. Candye Kane is here. We caught her act New Years Eve in Cheyenne and she was awesome. A superb entertainer with a great  voice. Candye is spectacular, pure on-stop fun. AND for those of you who are guitar hungry like me, wait until you catch her lead guitar player: Laura “Devil Baby” Chavez. This young girl is smoking hot and just tears those strings up when Candye cuts her loose (which is often). We paid a $174 NYE package to see her and I got my money’s worth at her show.  Wednesday’s show is like $5, jeezus that is like free!

Thanks Chick, and today, I have a special reward for all your hard work for the Blues Letter:  I know you loved Thackery Thursday, and now it's time to prepare yourself for Tab Tuesday...I GOT HIM!!! TUESDAY, AUGUST 18!!! TAB BENOIT!!!  HE'S MINE!!! FINALLY!!!  That's all.  I'll be back next week at our regular Wednesday posting.  Our Web Wizard will be out of the office for the rest of the week, so we're going out a day early this week.