I was telling about this gig recently and thought I'd write it up here. This was one of the most memorable shows I've played. It was a blues festival between Hattiesburg and Laurel, MS. in the late 90's. We (The Viewmasters) and one acoustic guy whom I didn't know were the only white people on the bill with Bobby Blue Bland (who was almost too scared to get on an airplane after his bus broke down in east Texas to get there - he finally did and got there late but the crowd was sure glad he did), Katie Webster (who ended up being too sick to show up and later passed away), Vasti Jackson (who also promoted the show and got us the gig - bless his heart), and Bobby Rush. Bobby Rush is cool.
We played right before him (NEVER FOLLOW BOBBY RUSH!) and sort of got a decent reception. The crowd was about 90% black and I've always felt like the true test of your blues is to play it to a crowd of Miss'ippi black blues fans. We didn't get booed off and a few people stood up and swayed to the music. Then we got down and mingled a bit in the crowd feelin' pretty good about it all, and all of a sudden there is this crushing surge to the stage. We got caught up in it, and I'm thinking "Did something just happen?" Well, yeah! Bobby Rush came out with his booty dancers and they were leopard skin-covered and JUST what the crowd wanted. I almost blushed. I've never seen booty dancing like this. These are mighty, mighty women! And Bobby Rush (say it like one word) is an entertainer extraordinaire. It was *showtime.*
Then later I was walking around the backstage area by Bobby's bus and the booty dancers rush out (they change outfits almost every song) and they asked me to zip them up. I zipped them up and they ran back onstage almost but not quite late. I have zipped up Bobby Rush's booty dancers!!!! If I do nothing else ever I have done that.
The Martin Scorsese blues documentary did a lot to showcase Bobby (and his booty dancers) - Followed him around on tour on his bus. He has an amazing work ethic. Yay! I love low-down Miss'ippi blues.
Miss'ippi girl (Bobby Rush may be the Jimmy Martin of blues)