Musicians Jan - 01 - Nashville Musicians Association

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20 The Nashville Musician January-March 2009 Becky Hobbs promotes brand new projects; Indian heritage Becky Hobbs laughs it up with guitarist hubby Duane Sciacqua. Ageless appears to be an apt description of energetic Oklahoma songbird Becky Hobbs these day. She’s the blonde artist-songwriter who hit the 1983 Top 10 jackpot with honky tonk hero Moe Bandy, teamed on the Keith Stegall heartbreak ballad “Let’s Get Over Them Together.” Then she wowed ol’ George himself with her own self-penned 1988 Top 40 single “Jones On the Jukebox.” As if that weren’t enough to fulfill a young girl’s dreams, she got much mileage out of her song “I Want To Know You Before We Make Love” recorded by Alabama for their 1985 double-platinum album “40 Hour Week,” charting 104 weeks; next Conway Twitty recorded it as a single (Billboard #2, 1987), included on his Top 20 album, “Borderline,” charting 55 weeks. Actually, those who have recorded Hobbs’ songs include Helen Reddy on “I Can’t Say Goodbye To You,” Ken Mellons’ “Rub-A- Dubbin’,” Lacy J. Dalton’s “Feedin’ the Fire” and Emmylou Harris-Glen Campbell duetting on their Grammy-nominated “You Are.” Other duets she helped write were 1985’s “Still On a Roll” pairing Bandy and Joe Stampley; and “We Sure Make Good Love,” coupling Loretta Lynn and George Jones. Others singing her co-writes have included John Anderson, Zella Lair, Charly McClain, John Wesley Ryles, Wanda Jackson, Vikki Carr, Janie Fricke, Shirley Bassey and Shelly West. Among her co-writers are Don Goodman, Stan Davis, John Greenebaum, Blake Mevis and Candy Parton (divorced from a cousin to Dolly Parton). In 1993, Alabama released their version of Becky’s “Angels Among Us” on Dec. 25, charting six weeks; re-released it a year later to chart again as a Top 20; and thus made the cut for their platinum-selling “Alabama: Greatest Hits, Volume III” (1994). “Angels . . .” was featured on NBC-TV’s 1994 special Angels: The Mysterious Messengers. Earlier, Alabama also recorded her “Christmas Memories,” spotlighted on their double-platinum album “Alabama By WALT TROTT - Dean Dixon photo Christmas” (#8, 1985), giving mi’lady a nice chunk of change from those holidays. When we met with Becky at the Union, she had just returned from a flight that put her in Switzerland for a music festival, which coincidentally she had played 20 years earlier. “When I went over this time they had a huge screen up there showing that reunion performance we did 20 years earlier, and it was kind of freaky on stage, looking up there seeing myself as I looked then on that big screen.” Becky shared the stage two decades earlier with the Bellamy Brothers, Rattlesnake Annie and Asleep At the Wheel, as the show was filmed by a TNN cable crew accompanying them. Amazingly, she hasn’t seemed to age that much, defying time. (Hmmm maybe there’s another song in that comment.) “I’ve been back to Switzerland before this through the years, but there I was in October at the same hotel we were at 20 years before in this small village (Grindelwald),” says Hobbs, 59. “It was like a picture-postcard scene there at the base of Mt. Eiger, from which I think you can see seven of the other Alps. Looking out the hotel window, we saw big red geraniums and pink roses still blooming and it was snowing. That’s amazing, as it was the first week of October. It was just breathtaking.” In August 2008, she performed on an island for Denmark’s Silkeborg Music Festival. Attesting to her fan following in Europe, she’s already booked for a March cruise from Stockhold, accompanied by Red Jenkins’ band, while sailing the Baltic Sea to Finland; followed by an Easter weekend performances in Northern Scotland at the Northern Nashville Country Music Clubs’ Festival in April: “I played this festival in 2004, and it was a blast!” Hobbs continues, “I don’t do many tours in the U.S., because time you pay the bills touring, you don’t make that much money. But I’ve got some shows scheduled in ’09,” including a Bluebird Cafe Jan. 14 Benefit for Alive Hospice! featuring A Cowgirl, A Diva and A Shame- less Hussy a.k.a. Hobbs, Benita Hill and Kacey Jones; then there’s her Songwriters Session in the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Jan. 31, featuring husband Duane Sciacqua. Becky known to fans as The Beckaroo was anxious to discuss her latest project, paying homage to her Cherokee Indian heritage, specifically the mixed-blood Chieftainess Nanyehi (meaning one who goes about) which history documents as a self-educated Ghighua (Beloved Woman), who became a proponent for peace. “This will be about her, my fifth Great- Grandmother, a mixed-blood woman of the Cherokees (1738-1822), also known as Nancy Ward (to the white man). It’s obviously a labor of love for me and I’m writing songs for an album and a play,” notes Becky, who hands us an advance demo containing six-tracks sans titles. Nanye-hi was the daughter of Tame Doe of the Wolf Clan (little is recorded on her father, though some speculated he may have been a displaced Delaware Indian). She won everlasting praise from her people by fighting side-byside with her Indian husband in a raid on the Creeks during the 1755 Battle of Taliwa. Once he fell in battle, she rose up to rally his warriors to fight on, even picking up a rifle to lead a charge that so unnerved the Creeks, that the Cherokees emerged victorious. Her valor earned her the title Ghigua, and she was so respected that she sat in with the Council of Chiefs, and later served as a peace negotiator with the whites. English trader Bryant Ward, who took up residence with the Cherokees, took her for his wife in the late 1750s. They had a daughter named Betsy, who would have been a closer great-grandmother to Becky. How long has this ambitious project been in the works? “Years,” sighs The Beckaroo, indicating its seed was sown in her youth. “It started when I was in high school in Bartlesville, Okla., when I clipped an article out of The Tulsa World newspaper with a caption on one of the pictures, reading ‘White man measured by what he has, and an Indian by what he did.’ I put that in my jewelry box. One of my songs - ‘Pale Moon’ - has that sentence in the lyric, which I wrote like in 1992. A lot of these songs have been a long time coming.” What will be the main theme of the work? “Now that I’ve really gotten into the Cherokee history, wow! This album’s message will be one of peace. A lot of the songs I’ve written in the last three weeks because I’m really getting into this now.” Assisting her is fellow Local 257 musicianhubby Duane Sciacqua, who earned his own spurs playing guitar 16 years with Glenn Frey following the breakup of The Eagles, and just finished three-and-a-half years with Rodney Crowell. He also played with Joe Walsh and Paul McCartney, and produced The Beckaroo’s “From Oklahoma With Love” album (1998). “Last May, we were married 12 years and that’s my first marriage,” Hobbs smiles. “I finally met somebody who could keep up with me. We’ve been very supportive of each other and we’re not jealous. You know Rodney’s a great guy, a good old down-home boy, but they would be gone so much . . . Duane stayed with him until the end of October, but it was a very amicable break . . . Now we’re just a couple of overgrown kids.” She and Duane have added a little studio in their basement: “That’s where we produced those tracks. Actually we both contributed all the music, him doing all the guitar stuff. Duane started off as a drummer years ago in California. We’re going out for Christmas (’08) to see his mom. We go back and forth quite a bit.” Sadly, Becky lost her mother Geneva (Clayton) Hobbs two years ago. They were very close and Mom had moved in with them for the last three years of her life. “My dad (Bill Hobbs) died in 1982 at age 59, way too young . . . I have a sister (Barbara) left who lives with her husband in Texas, their son (Garrett) and his daughter live there, too. So I don’t have any close relatives left in Oklahoma.” So what’s the status of their play? “I’m flying by the seat of my pants,” replies Hobbs. “But out in Oklahoma, (playwright-director) Nick Sweet is writing our play. He’s done a lot of plays including the (outdoor drama) ‘Trail of Tears’ (and ‘In Our Own Words,’ while in residence at Oklahoma’s School For the Deaf). We’re hoping to premiere it at Talequah, Okla. (headquarters of the Cherokee Nation).” Becky promises to keep us informed. Singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs. Vince Gill, CMF’s Artist-in-Residence Oklahoma-born artist Vince Gill has garnered his share of honors in a career that’s spanned three decades, none of which has been more esteemed than induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame (2007). Now the Country Music Foundation, of which he was once president, is calling on Amy Grant’s husband to serve as its Artist-in-Residence, a program saluting performers who have made a significant contribution to the arts. Gill will be appearing again at the CMF’s Ford Theater, 7 p.m. Feb. 24, in an upclose and personal meet augmented by memorabilia such as recordings, photos and film clips. The artist will also autograph his likenesses for the public in the on-site gift shop. Those honored previously include Cowboy Jack Clement, Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson and Jerry Douglas. An accomplished singer-songwriter, Gill hits include Grammy winners “When I Call Your Name” and “I Still Believe in You.” The 18-year Grand Ole Opry member was 1993 and 1994 CMA Entertainer of the Year. For further information on the CMF’s Artist-in-Residence program, check on line: www.countrymusichalloffame.com or telephone (615) 416-2001. The Country Music Hall of Fame is located at 222 Fifth Ave. S., Nashville.
January-March 2009 The Nashville Musician 21 Bluegrass winners bask in the IBMA spotlight during recent ceremony Kathy Mattea and Tony Trishka named nominees. Will T. Malone dies on Feb. 6 Bass clarinetist William Thomas Malone, known on the music scene as “Will T.,” died Feb.6, in Nashville. He was age 93, and a Lifetime Member of AFM Local 257. Malone played in Nashville orchestras such as The Southern Colonels, Owen Bradley’s band, Francis Craig’s big band (famed for their multi-million selling #1 single “Near You”), and was a charter member of The Establishment, a unit made up of business and professionals, supporting scholarship funds. Among fellow musicians in The Establishment were Otto Bash, Beverly LeCroy, Paul Lenk, Scoby Dill, Charlie Dungey, Dottie Dillard, Jack Strotman, Bucky Doster and, of course, Del Sawyer. Following graduation from Watertown High School in 1934, Will attended State Teachers College in Murfreesboro (1934-’36), and earned his business degree from Cumberland College in 1939. While on the Cumberland campus, he was the college’s first band director. He had played clarinet and saxophone in area dance bands. Will had also fronted his own orchestra, The Collegians. Malone served as organist in Nashville churches, most notably 45 years at First Baptist Church of Donelson. During World War II, Malone served his country in the military theater of operations in Europe. Back in Tennessee, Malone owned and operated Roy Warden Piano & Organ Company. He was also one of the first inductees into the MTSU Band of Blue Hall of Fame. He was predeceased by his parents Pattye (Evins) and S. V. Malone, his wife Ruth (Peek) Malone. Survivors include daughters Patsy Davis of Murfreesboro, Michelle Browne of Mt. Juliet, and Ann Kinney of Murfreesboro; son Bill Malone of Old Hickory, Tenn.; grandchildren Karl Gentry, Kelli Johnson, Jim Browne, Beth Wehmeyer, Robin Kinney and Melody Kinney; three great-grandchildren Haley Johnson, Wyatt Johnson and Charlotte Wehmeyer; and brother Charles Malone of Clarksville. Services were conducted on Feb. 9 at Mt. Olivet Funeral Home, Nashville, with The Reverend W. L. Baker officiating. Honorary Pallbearers: Charles Malone, Bill Amonette, Jack Evins, Don McEachern, Eric Wehmeyer, Troy Halliburton, Bucky Doster, John Evans and Jimmy Shea. Pallbearers: Glenn Davis, Scott Kinney, Jim Browne, Chad Johnson, John Halliburton and Mike Coakley. Dailey & Vincent won total of seven awards. PHOTOS (9) BY PATRICIA PRESLEY Andy Hall won best instrumental album. Fiddler Michael Cleveland accepts best instrumental award for his backing band Flamekeeper. The Grascals perform for the IBMA convention crowd. Harold Bradley holds a USAGEM appreciation plaque awarded to Local 257 (see letter, page 27). Assisting the former President in accepting the gospel award, is then Secretary-Treasurer Billy Linneman (right). Others pictured are (from lfeft) TV personality Melanie Walker, USAGEM President Daniel Johnson, wife Teresa Johnson, USAGEM Musician of the Year John Rees, and USAGEM Vice President Lynn Fox. Best Female Vocalist Dale Ann Bradley. Barry Bales won IBMA best bassist for first time. Rob Ickes took home best dobro honors. Adam Steffey voted best mandolinist. Next issue read about Local 257’s new leaders, President Dave Pomeroy and Secretary-Treasurer Craig Krampf; who they are and what they hope to achieve.
Page 1 and 2: AFM Local 257 election ’08 result
Page 3 and 4: January-March 2009 The Nashville Mu
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Musicians Jan - 01 - Nashville Musicians Association

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