| Show WEDNTSDAY PLUS W 1T3 Lester 'Big Daddy' Kinsey Lives the Blues By Bob Kostanczuk GARY Ind — He beard it called the "devil's music" when he was a kid Lester "Big Daddy" Kinsey knew better though "Blues is the most real thing in black history" chides Big Daddy He has made a name for himself playing it everywhere from Elks clubs and earthy roadhouses to Montreux and other European hot spots The former steelworker says he's led a rich life even without the first big record deal of his career which has come at the age of worked e nickKinsey's name matches his bulk He got it in Gary "That started as a result of me working with my children" he said "I think we was playin' at the old Elks on 21st and Broadway Somebody hollered up on stage one night 'Hey big daddy!' I don't know who it w as but it larger-than-lif- very own musical giant "I haven't been no place yet that people hadn't heard of me you know" Still Kinsey concedes that the deal with PolyGram — which kicks off with October's US release of "I Am the Blues" — will be "beneficial as far as get-tibetter known" Although long respected in blues circles Big Daddy Kinsey doesn't have the national name recognition of genre stars like BB King Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker Unlike them he e hasn't performed with white acts such as U2 Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt to broaden his fan base He also didn't have any of his music on records until 1985 "I don't think he's underrated" said manager Paul Koch "I think he's underexposed "He is starting now to have market value internationally I think what Big Daddy is gonna try to do is stay in that traditional old blues and preserve that" "semireKinsey's tirement" may be flying out the window with the PolyGram deal A blues original is being rediscovered "Usually that's the way it happens in blues" he laughed "You don't really get hot until you too old to enjoy it" BB King the sultan of guitar blues is happy to see that his friend's career has received a lmore BLUES "I made good money out n' priority" He eventually found time to play with a Gary group called the Soul Brothers and another local band Great Baby Boy and the He blew a mean harp and was even billed as Slim Harpo for a while although he was actually quite hefty The Gary-are- a roadhouses of his early days were a font for spillover music from the Chicago blues scene Known for gambling and operating illegally they were prime targets for police raids Big Daddy knew the feeling of being in the middle of one But greats like How lin' Wolf Muddy Waters Junior Wells and Memphis Slim still came and played In fact Kinsey recalls hearing the live music of How lin' Wolf wafting to the front steps of his Chase Street home Those roadhouses Kinsey happily recalled were places "where we really used to let it all hang out back in the late '50s and early farmwork near Pleasant Grove Miss the boyhood home of Kinsey "He used to come out in the rural communities and play Friday and Saturday night fish fries" said Kinsey "Wasn't making that much money: He was gettin' known "I must have been about 12 years old and I was very sheltered as a child My dad didn't allow me to go around those places too much I was playing guitar back then in the church "But I sneaked off" A friend who played the harmonica joined him "We sneaked off the night that Muddy was playing at this farmhouse on the next plantation from where I lived We were too young to go in but we just stood around out in the dark and peeped through the cracks That's when that blues bug hit me" Kinsey paid homage to his hero when he headlined a Muddy Waters tribute this summer at the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland his-se- lf self-impos- boost "I'm no critic" he said "but as a person and as a musician I think there are none any better He does what he do and he does it as well as anyone else There's only one as far as I'm concerned Big It wasn't long before Kinsey's Ralph born in 1952 and Donald born in 1953 started playing music with their father "We were playing clubs as early as age 12" said Donald Kinsey revved up the crowd: "We're gonna bring up the big man with the little-bittguitar — Mr Big Daddy Kinsey! Big Daddy! Big now 40 Pop Kinsey and his boys became known as Big Daddy Kinsey and his Fabulous Sons "I wanted all boys you know I wanted to make my own band" said the Kinsey patriarch "That was my dream from childhood" Young Donald had taken to the guitar especially fast "By the time Donald was 6 years old he was playin' BB King" recalled Big Daddy "I mean he started playin' things that I couldn't play" The Kinseys landed their first key gig at an East Gary Ramada Inn Recounting how he snared the job Kinsey said "A friend of mine told me 'I haven't seen no black band out there yet You should come out and talk to the Ironically the three sons Kinsey weaned on traditional blues and steered toward music — collectively known as the Kinsey Report have eclipsed his career in many ways They've already realbums leased more major-laband have — collectively or individually — performed with the Rolling Stones Aerosmith Living in front of the reverential European crowd The voice did the talking During "Mannish Boy" — a cut off of his new album — he growled and churned: e man "I'm a man I'm a I'm a rollin' stone" He smiled a contented smile to himself as if he knew he had nailed the delivery y Daddy!" His rings shimmered but Kinsey was not animated or theatrical of missed the mainstream through the years" manager" Dressed to the nines for the job interview Big Daddy borrowed his father's new Cadillac "to look good goin' out there" Not only did he get the Ramada job but Kinsey and his sons had become a touring act by the early '70s They were known in the South The family was making it Dad had not only put a guitar in Donald's hands at the age of 3 or 4 but also eventually showed him the seamier side of the music business "My dad was always a firm believer in knowing something about the music business" said hoochie-coochi- el full-grow- Colour the Allman Brothers Band and reggae legends Peter Tosh and Bob Marley Big Daddy and his sons have often performed as a team But now it's dad's turn to travel full-fledge- n Introducing the self-penne- d "Good Mornin' Mississippi" Kinsey stressed he was being true to Muddy Waters: "I recorded it in the tradition of the late one" Plucking the guitar strings with solo show- cases some of his songwriting is already out in Europe boasting a cavalcade of blues standouts who wanted to back up Kinsey such as Buddy Guy James Cotton Billy Branch Sugar Blue and Pinetop Perkins There's also Kinsey's ringing slide guitar a talent spawned from his childhood days The son of a strict Pentecostal minister Kinsey got his first guitar — a Sears model costing $3 or $4 — at the age of 6 He had a homemade one even before that His father though believed a guitar was meant for church music not blues "He was just like the other older people — he said the blues was devil's music and stuff like that" recalled Kinsey in an interview at his home "My dad didn't give me the freedom that I gave my children as far as gettin1 on out there — exercising my talent "If he had turned me loose I would have been the best blues guitar player ever lived because everything I heard I could play I never went to school for it but it was just a gift But he kept me out of it I stayed out of music until my wife started haying babies "If he had let me loose I would have been either dead or one of the greatest bluesmen that ever lived" he laughed "I'm good on the guitar but being a lead guitar player for somebody else I'm not into that I play strictly Big Daddy "I think my voice is my biggest asset right now but like I said I have forgotten more about guitar playin' than the average guy ever 7 r! "t' 1 r:71:!?'' l'N) !I T v3-11- 1 4t1 s 7 Ist-xTirio min ow - 4- ' ''''' t- - 4z: - t kiL a$4 b DR RON BROWN Podiatrist root Sparta list 0 Bone spurs yost insurance are extra omon MI MN Ingrown Toenails Mit NEM 10111 NM OM -- 9 '' 2 i 114t51t There's no debating that Lester "Big Daddy" Kinsey sure looks like the blues: A weathered but affable persona forged by the fertile Mississippi farmland of his - ' q'------ t 1iSSIrat3) o I I of c' Lt titled -1': : - 1-- --4 ' -- '' - - "' e - 41'"" -— - s i - 1 se I i 410nalAk' - AND MO iit z - SET-U- Perfect Sleeper or Luxury Firm 149 199 549 799 Perfect Sleeper Wig A k ' $ A0(300 P! 129 179 399 559 ULTRA Firm START AT DELIVERY King YOUR CHOICE ADJUSTABLE BED FREE Queen pc ti::orirs tee 0114tinita456 ' - :'' FULL ea 99 149 359 459 II Serta Pedic 4 s i P 1- TWIN ea pc 79 129 299 399 Celestial Classique ' 'k :41 it- -- - Confott Ile '' BEST MATTRESS i : - -- 4 A -'- pt: - - - ThE WORLD'S t '441A SAME DAY DELIVERY DAY OR NIGHT See Store for 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Harmon Building 3540 South 4000 West West Valley City House says CZ has the same problem holding onto good groups that all independent labels have but there's not much a small company can do when 11111 ''k16Y"'''N:ceb'::) 14°' '1 1'0'7'"41:-kwr"P''''''- i is pleased to announce the opening of a new practice for General Ophthalmology on October 4 1993 The office will be located on the second floor of the IL" ' ' fe c 7' - Ili :r1ttio 00 sethy ark P project from members of The Gits Alcohol Funnycar and Coffin Break titled "Pop Sickle" as well as a studio project called "Built to Spill" Engine Kid and Gnome both have CDs out this month and in October it's Alcohol Funny-ca- r The Gits and a compilation called "Teriyaki Asthma Vol A moms A - ' w God-give- n learned" et vile - Jeffrey D Gold z i7IMIII0-0-BEF - - tartti wci i - Á lietto17Ati6 1 : "Grunge Lite" came out in July August saw a 4- Oro ) D 111 ico e CNN scheduled A Ai1MN Warts 7333: I993 f- - 11M MI5 & upper limit "Our biggest group at the moment is 7 Year Bitch" whose last release "Sick Em" is selling well House said The label suffered a big loss in June when Gits singer Mia Zapata was strangled by an unknown assailant The group had just finished its second CZ release and was scheduled for several dates in the Rock For Choice tour with 7 Year Bitch and Hammerbox "Everything was pretty much falling into place for them the week it all happened" House said CZ has several releases - "A 7 (r213 BEA 6 1 heel pain full-lengt- - 1 LASER SURGERY FeeptFd:s if needed) litRESAMVAMNATION NM & h calls "hard-edge- d pop" He h releases says most can be expected to sell 7000 to 15000 copies with 20000 the n t A full-lengt- ' IT 71-7)-----:s- 1 one-perso- ' r 7'munions - ie MI rer ENS' 7 "If this doesn't formally end the phenomena then nothing will" House said The release is mainly for fun That's what they still have at CZ where the staff works in and jeans on desks plastered with band stickers and such pronouncements as "I Hate Your Band" and "I Buy Music for Minors" House who with his nearly buzzed hair shorts and blue sneakers looks like he could be getting ready to go onstage with his former band Skin Yard runs a loose but extremely busy shop The label which 212 years ago consisted of House and a staff using one computer one phone and a fax machine now has 10 employees six computers on a network and two or three releases each month The label still signs mostly Northwest bands but is now considering bands in New York Chicago and San Francisco House said "We'd like to think we're cementing a solid place for ourselves in indie (independent music label) America" House said "We're getting respect from a lot of people out there in the scene" The label had its beginnings in 1986 with a release called "Deep Six" featuring the first recordings by Skin Yard Green River The Melvins Malfunkshun and Sotmdgarden That's a fair chunk of Seattle scene history on one release Malfunkshun's lead singer Andrew Wood went on to sing for closer-tohom- 1 ''''' t ty:!::ti?- songs er d SURGERY & DISEASE TREATMENT 4370 South Redwood Rd i warm-weath- sons ar st singer-saxophoni- '60s" The master of ceremonies Daddy Kinsey" Brett Bonner a writer for Living Blues magazine terms Kinsey "a fatherly figure" on the Chicagoland blues scene who "has ldnd e blue-coll- Party-maker- s Big Daddy's style was inspired by the best: the late Muddy Waters a blues trailblazer who did high-profil- teen-ag- Mother Love Bone before his death and Mother Love Bone's members went on to form the hugely successful Pearl Jam Green River was a seminal band early in the scene The Melvins have been credited with inventing grunge on a whim by deciding to slow their hardcore punk set down about 10 notches and going with it Soundgarden of course has gone platinum and made wads of grungy money House kept CZ going mainly as a hobby and actually worked for independent Seattle label Sub Pop for a few years until he decided to concentrate full time on CZ in February 1991 The label has released more than 70 singles EPs and releases since "Deep Six" focusing on what House PRESS WRITER SEATTLE (AP) — Daniel House says it's time for grunge rock to die He's sick of seeing New York designers rip off the working-clas- s boots and flannel affected by pioneer Seattle grunge musicians He's sick of reading and hearing about grunge and running into people who think the only music coming out of Seattle is low loud and raw "It's time to nail the final nail in the coffin" the head of CZ Records said touting the new CZ release "Grunge Lite" a collection of Muzak-styl- e covers of popular grunge The elder Kinsey warned his son: "This could easily happen if you don't know somethin' about your business" Once the Kinsey clan was established as a musical force Big Dadwork bedy's daytime came expendable By the early '70s it was history His wife of 47 years Christine had suggested the change The Kinsey family's first recording came as backup musiEddie cians to Silvers: Dad was on the harmonica Donald on guitar Ralph on drums Bass player Kenneth the youngest son wasn't in on the session which took place some 25 years ago It took until 1985 for Big Daddy Kinsey to release his very own record — "Bad Situation" an album of Kinsey family songs done with his three sons He doesn't regret waiting Despite the renaissance that has come with his current record deal Big Daddy has no plans to leave Gary where his three sons also reside Unlike the Jacksons — Gary's other famous musical clan — the Kinseys have not moved to a mecca "I love Gary As a whole Gary's been good to me" said the Kinsey family patriarch eager to give something back to the city by helping to develop its young musical talent He has some time for that Lester Kinsey's comfortable lifestyle does not hinge on selling a lot of solo albums He is financially set noting he and his boys have made $6000 to $7000 for a mere 55 minutes of work He has a large red brick house on Gary's south side a FAX machine in the dining room prized cars and a television commercial for an insurance firm Despite his age Kinsey is still busy touring following up large-scal- e spring and summer tours in e Japan and Europe with appearances in Michigan' and Ohio never was my thing I wasn't happy Music has always been my top ing" By Luis Cabrera ASSOCIATED max" there" he confirmed "but it just Etc a club which has showcased Kinsey and his boys "It's a type of voice a lot of people try to do Unless you were from the South and are of a certain age you just don't sound like that There are a lot of younger guys who try to fake — try to achieve — that sort of voice "It's just unfortunately vanish- five-albu- m came teen-age- of Chicago's er I Kinsey brought the Delta blues to Gary when he moved north as a r He remembers the exact date he started working in the steel mills: Jan 3 1944 Born and raised in the rustic Mississippi Delta Kinsey has been known to talk with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips spinning out a catalog of old blues stories in a deep croaky voice "It's a very traditional sort of Delta blues voice" said Bill Gi- "I mean the blues has been good to me already" said Gary's Where the blues and from" stuck" 66 "I Am the Blues" which it The Seattle Grunge Rock Coffin Donald detailing the time his father took him to see bluesmanguitarist Jimmy Reed a heartbreaking example of a noted musician on the skids "It was just him and a drummer" recalled Donald "Jimm) Reed wasn't able to buy himself a pack of cigarettes He was just down down down on his luck He hadn't taken care of himself plus he had been ripped off to the his chunky fingers Kinsey wailed: "Good momin' Mississippi You raised me in your arms Well you know I'll never forget boyhood and the roasting steel mills of Gary where he later NEWSPAPERS KNIGHT-RIDDE- Time to Drive the Final Nail hito '4- ' vps 5 DAYS ONLY ' - t ! 14 i tpz b Hurry Sale Ends TuesdaytIt F October 5th 9:00 PMZ7 01 —0 |
