Son Henry
Barry Middleton(BM) interview with Son Henry (Son) - May 2010
band we saw a lot of, for example. Lonnie Brooks, Gatemouth Brown, Albert King, John Lee Hooker all came through the club. But some of the most important ones are probably names you’ve never heard of- Stu Schulman, Big Mitch, Louisiana George, Jake Matson, Lisa Monroe, Otto Lenz, Big Robert Tyler - all great musicians, as good as anyone out there. Those are the folks that really taught me things, working class musicians who were all masters of their craft.
And really, the Late Sam Meyers, God bless him, taught me the most important thing I think anyone has, and he did it over a microphone one night at the blues jam at Schooners in Dallas what must be a hundred years ago- “Son, you’d be a great guitar player if you’d learn how to shut up once in a while”. Hey, I was young, and he was right. Great advice, you should always listen to Elmore James’ drummer.
BM: It isn’t often you hear of an Alaskan born bluesman. How did you end up living in Scotland?
Son: Well, the company my wife worked for in Alaska for offered her a transfer to Aberdeen. And their timing was perfect- it was a really cold, dark day in December and I’d spent the entire day digging my truck out from underneath 3 feet of snow for the third day in a row. It took me about thirty seconds to think it over and start packing, if I thought about it at all. And as it turns out it was a great decision. Thankfully, it’s warmer here and I’ve been able to retire my snow shovel.
BM: What were your first experiences of the Blues?
Son: B.B. King, 1971, Rochester, New York. We moved around a lot when I was a kid, but at the time we were living in Upstate New York at the, not far from Son House’s old place. Rochester was a great town, it was a stop-over between Chicago and Boston along Interstate 90 so absolutely everyone came through town- Muddy, James Cotton, Matt Murphy, Albert King, John Hammond, you name it and I saw them. And you’ve got local players like Joe Beard who are just monsters. Back then the drinking age was only 18 and because I looked older I could get away with sneaking into clubs when I was barely into my teens. It was a great way to grow up, although I gave my parents a few gray hairs in the process.
BM: Who were the influences on your music?
Son: Over the years I’ve been really fortunate and have played with some great musicians. When I was just starting out I was one of the house guitar players at Pearl Street in Massachusetts and so I got to play with everyone that came through town- Koko Taylor’s
BM: Your main instrument is an interesting one. Why the Lap steel?
Son: Yeah, I love playing the steel guitar. I started learning to play the steel guitar in the 80’s. I was really into Western Swing at the time; stuff like Hank Williams, Bob Wills and the Western Swing players. Magical stuff.
If you’ve heard the band though, you know that’s not at all how I play at all. It turns out that if you plug a lap steel into a big amp and let it fly, it’s a totally uncharted territory. My playing is really rooted in traditional blues but with a major case of attitude. I’ll try anything from Robert Johnson right through to some totally psychedelic Hendrix covers. Our set lists can get a little unpredictable, but in a good way.
BM: Aims for the future and what do you hope to achieve within the Blues?
Son: Right now I’m focused on our next record, getting that finished. I’m also committed to finishing up my solo record too.
My goal for this year is to find a trustworthy business manager so I can go back to focusing on the creative side of making music.
BM: You are a singer/songwriter. What drives your song-writing?
Son: My songs are a way to take whatever is going on around me and make sense of it. There are stories behind songs like ‘Second Glance’, or ‘Painted Windows’- meeting my wife, losing a job. I can’t write or sing a song if I don’t have an emotional connection to it.
BM: What’s your advice to a young person just starting out?
Son: Man, where do I start? Trust yourself, make your own mistakes. Never, ever get a tattoo with someone else’s name on it, and above all, pay attention to the sell-by date on the sandwiches at the petrol station when you’re on the road.
There’s an old Japanese proverb that says ‘drink water, remember the source’. And that feels right when we talk about the relationship between modern and traditional blues. I think we need both, we just should never make the mistake in thinking that the past isn’t important. It’s the source.
BM: What other styles of music have you drawn inspiration from?
Son: I listen to everything from Charley Patton through to Anti-Flag and State Radio. There’s something inspiring in all of it.
Lately I’ve been learning how to play the Mountain dulcimer. It’s an instrument originally invented by Scottish settlers in Appalachia. It has a great deal in common with the bagpipes because of the drone strings, so Scottish folk music is really relevant.
BM: If you weren’t a musician (in a band) what would you be doing?
Son: I have absolutely no idea. I’d be lost without music, band or no band.
BM: If you had the opportunity to play with any blues artist dead or alive live on stage who would it be?
Son: Eric Clapton. Shoot, I’d even trade Eric a chance to fish some of my super-secret Alaskan salmon fishing holes in return for a jam! Can you pass that along for me?
BM: What can be done to keep the blues music fresh and modern or do you think it should stay in the past?
Son: Is this really an either-or question? Do we really have to choose?
BM: Who was the last blues act that you paid to see?
Son: Alvin Youngblood Hart. He’s a great player and a serious gear-head. I love the way he re-works his more traditional material in the context of a power trio. When I listen to him play, it was a flashback to the 1970’s when music was a real hodgepodge. Great gig.
BM: What was the last blues CD that you bought for yourself?
Son: A box set of the early recordings of Lowell Fulson.
BM: What do you do to relax when you have some spare time away from music?
Son: Lately I spend most of my non-gigging time standing on the sidelines of a football pitch watching my kids play.
BM: How would you like to see music change over the next 10 years?
Son: You know what? As long as I get to watch the changes from above the grass, whatever else happens is going to be ok in the end.
Thank you Son for a great Interview
Barry Middleton
Nottingham Blues Society
BM: Why do you feel that young people are not as attracted to the Blues as other Genres?
Son: Don’t most young people automatically reject their parent’s music? I sure did.
BM: You donated a track to the NBSoc CD fund raiser did you have any reservations when asked?
Son: None at all, I didn’t even pause to think about it. Any time you have people getting organized to support live music, well, we all need to help however we can. Plus, Tony Winfield and Sue Hickling, two of the organizers, have been great supporters while I’ve found my feet here in the UK. I owe them a huge debt and it’s great to be able to reciprocate in some small way. But I never expected to have the honor of being the opening track! How cool is that?
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