GARY CLARK,JR.

grown folks were doing. I would hear the
inside stuff at the kitchen table and at
family gatherings.
BR: Did you hear much blues around the
house growing up on the South Side?
TC: Oh yeah, blues and soul music.
Whenever family came over, aunts,
uncles, older cousins and me would peek
through the “blues beads” leading to the
living room. My grandfather loved Little
Walter, especially “My Babe,” and Al
Green. Many nights I would wake up to
the same song that was playing the night
before. As far as radio in that era, it was
early funk and R&B like Chaka Kahn, Sly
Stone, Funkadelic, etc. So, I would hear
that too.
BR: When did you start playing guitar?
What was it about Hendrix that most influenced
you and why does he continue to
be a major influence on guitarists? Any
favorite Hendrix tunes?
TC: I was 22-23 when I first started to play.
My sister bought me an acoustic guitar – a
Harmony that I still have. At that time I was
listening to a lot of reggae. That’s where I
learned my first chords. Then I saw my
first video of Jimi Hendrix, man; it was
visually and audibly beautiful. The lyrics
were right there for you to see. Dig the
lyrics to “Voodoo Child,” “Are You Experienced?,”
Hear My Train A-Comin’,” “Bold
As Love” without getting caught up in the
music part of it, you can see his lyrics.
What Hendrix put down in three and half
years is huge. I don’t care who you are, if
you play electric guitar, there is no way
you can avoid what Hendrix did for guitarists,
and for sellers of electric guitars.
Some try to deny his influence and talk
about their heroes, which is cool, but
chances are their hero was touched by
Hendrix, so they are getting touched by
proxy. Favorite songs would be “Hear My
Train A-Comin’,” “Message To Love,”
“Machine Gun,” “Spanish Castle Magic,”
the list could go on and on.
BR: Who are some of your favorite blues
guitarists?
TC: Right now it’s Gary Clark, Jr. But in the
beginning it was, of course, the three
Kings, B.B., Albert, and Freddie, Buddy
Guy, Otis Rush, Chris Cain, Elmore James.
Hound Dog Taylor, Joe Bonamassa,
Lonnie Brooks, Magic Sam, Ronnie Earl,
Shuggie Otis, TuTu Jones, and Son House.
There’s more but it would take too much
time.
BR: Your Delmark debut is not just a showcase
for your musical and vocal talents but
also for your songwriting. You said that
working as a bus driver for the Chicago
Transit Authority provides inspiration for
your songs. Does your job continue to
influence your new songs? Any favorite
songwriters?
TC: I owe a big thanks to my writing partner
Lawrence Gladney. He has helped me
get my words and thoughts out. He helps
with the music also. I would have lyrics
and situations that I would write down at
work. When I couldn’t go any further in the
songs he would go into this Zen state and
come up with some amazing hooks or
connecting lyrics to my words. Everyday
my job is an inspiration for songs. I work
in a very rough side of town. I see so
much bad and good in the bad (if that
makes sense) to come up with different
situations. But I’ve lived some life too, so
some of my lyrics come from personal
experiences. I find it easier to sing about
things I’ve been through or had some first
hand knowledge of. Some of my favorite
songwriters are Keb’ Mo’, Chris Cain,
Bobby Womack, Robert Cray, Bob Marley,
and Lawrence Gladney.
BR: Your CD is dedicated to the memories
of Chico Banks, Little Jimmy King, L’il Dave
Thompson, L.C. Walker, and L.V. Banks.
What are your feelings about each?
TC: I’ve played with all of those guys
except Little Jimmy King. Chico Banks
was a beautiful dude, funny, fun to be
around, and he could rip your face off with
the guitar! I actually used him as a gauge
about my playing ability. When I first came
on the Chicago blues scene there was a
jam at B.L.U.E.S. that he was part of.
Whenever new cats were in a situation to
play with him, he would come down off
the stage. So, I told myself I’m going to
play with him. I took it as a challenge. I’m
sure he didn’t think two thoughts about
getting up with the jammers, but it motivated
me. Before his death we played San
Jose, Lima, Ohio, and were supposed to
do a show in Michigan before he got sick.
BLUES REVUE 23