Published Thursday, March 13, 2003
is 'Whiskey Store' show
Herald Staff Writer
Guitarists Jimmy Thackery and Tab Benoit have found their new partnership musically satisfying, but it was born of their heads for business.
While their playing styles are very different -- Benoit is deeply steeped in the Cajun and Zydeco music of his Louisiana youth, and Thackery draws inspiration from Chicago blues and the bluesier side of rock -- they thought touring together would give their fans a blues double shot.
"The idea was we were trying to convince the booking agents to put together some packages, which tends to make things more of an event and bring in more people," said Thackery, who performs with Benoit March 20 at Moondog's, Blawnox, Pa.
As a rule, booking agents would rather stay clear of package deals, he said.
"I think we just bullied them into it and said, 'If you're not going to do this, we're going to do it ourselves,' " said Thackery, a Pittsburgh native who lives in Arkansas.
The agents relented, and Thackery and Benoit, who both sing, joined for a run of co-headlining shows, although they didn't abandon their solo careers.
Both men were signed to Telarc Records and suggested putting together an album, which the label agreed to.
Thackery and Benoit called in some ringers to help with what became "Whiskey Store": drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, who backed Stevie Ray Vaughan as Double Trouble.
"It's a special record in that I hadn't seen Tommy and Chris since Stevie died," Thackery said. "We were pretty good buds."
For good measure, harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite sat in for a few songs.
"The whole mixture of musicians on there, it's one of those once-in-a-lifetime things that can end up being magic," Thackery said.
Thackery, 50, and Benoit, 35, contributed tunes to the record, but also picked Bob Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat," Neil Young's "Unknown Legend," Percy Mayfield's "Strange Things Happen" and the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time."
Thackery, who is jumping back and forth between "Whiskey Store" promotion to gigs with his regular band, the Drivers, said he hopes his fans will be tolerant with "Whiskey Store."
"That ain't no blues record," he said. "It's very different. There are some things that are departures for Tab and I."
Thackery and Benoit play at 8 p.m. Information: (412) 828-2040 and www.vallelywebdesign.com/gurutu/moondogs/