Swampland.com

Benefit for Buffalo Brings Out Artimus Pyle, Best Upstate SC Bands

Last Saturday was one of those rare and special days. First of all, the weather was amazing, a sunny, warm day for late November. Earlier in the day I had met some new friends, Michael and Sherry Gemme from Maggie Valley, NC for lunch at the legendary Northgate Soda Shop here in Greenville, SC. They were down for the event, a benefit concert some friends were staging to help me with the medical bills incurred over the past year.

I took a seat down front with Michael and Sherry and was soon joined by my friend Scott Greene.All I could think of was the seventies, when my friend the late Bill Hudson and I used to come from Spartanburg to Greenville every weekend to see movies, and many times stop in for a pizza in this very building. Fact is, the spot I was sitting in was the same area we used to sit in, right beside the juke box. Imagine that.

Marti Bielmeyer, an old friend and one heck of a singer/songwriter, had asked the folks at Gumby’s, a bar housed in a former Pizza Hut, to allow a benefit show. She teamed with Tom Peterson, who took the ball and brought together a wide array of local bands for the event, which began promptly at 4 pm and didn’t end until nearly 2 am.

As host band, Marti B and Them Dang Kids kicked it all off in style at 4 pm, turning in a set that included original songs and really good covers. Like I said earlier, Marti is one great singer, and her originals like “A Woman in Love” are smokin’ hot. The band aptly covered Sara Evans (“A Real Fine Place to Start”), Journey (“Faithfully”), and set the bar mighty high for the rest of the bands with a rocking rendition of “Baby Love” by Mother’s Finest. Marti also delivered a knockout punch with her Southern fried version of Melissa Etheridge’s “Come to My Window.”

The Nitekrawlerz were on deck next, beginning with “Nadine” and never letting up on a sweat soaked blues rock set. A great sounding trio.

An old high school buddy of mine, and the man who inspired me to first pick up a guitar, Doug Hooper raised the roof next. Just one cat and a guitar, delivering a blazing rendition of the Jimi Hendrix version of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Wowzer. My hero.

The Hoodoo Snake Doctors brought their excellent blues to the stage in a monster set that featured one of the songs I used to just love to hear the late great Toy Caldwell play, “Milk Cow Blues.” I also loved their take on the rockabilly classic “Matchbox.” Carl Perkins was smiling down from heaven. Man them boys can wear it out.

Brad Sackett played a set of tunes solo on his acoustic to great response, including some fine originals and covers like “In The Ghetto” and “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” His take on the REM tune “Don’t Go Back to Rockville” was my favorite. Reminded me of my days at Spartanburg Methodist College.

We were all caught off guard when local icon Rickey Godfrey dropped by to do a short set. With a pickup band that included some of Marti B’s band, Terry Collins, and guitarist Jake Haldenwang, Rickey just plain blew the roof off of that sucka. He started out with “Statesborro Blues” and without missing a beat went into ZZ Top’s “Waitin for the Bus.” I could no longer contain myself. I jumped up on the stage to sing backup. Rickey closed out with a rousing “Crossroads” with myself on lead vocals. Another great memory for me!

Kudzu Kreeper ripped it up next with some mighty tasty tunes, including a knockout version of Johnny Winter’s “Illustrated Man,” a really nice “Big Boss Man,” and a dead on Little Feat cover, “Spanish Moon.” Again, I almost ran up on stage, but contained myself somehow. Love me some Feat.

Moe Tequila was next, blazing on songs like the timeless blues of “Give Me Back My Wig.” They tore it up on a nice instrumental leading into “Texas Flood.” Some Stevie Ray is always a nice addition.

Jake Haldenwang just boggled my ever loving mind. This kid is 14 years old and plays like some abstract cross between Johnny Lang, Derek Trucks and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Beginning with “Killing Floor,” Jake raised the bar with every song, and had the packed house eating out of the palm of his young hand. His hour set of originals and covers came to a close with a mind blowing version of “Voodoo Chile.” A perfect theme song for this kid!

A very special guest dropped by next, on his way to New York where he would perform the next day with Warren Haynes and The Allman Brothers Band at “Another One for Woody,” a benefit marking the ten year anniversary of the death of Allen Woody. Has it really been ten years? Wow. We still miss you Wood-man.

Artimus Pyle, a member of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and long time drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd was backed by a pickup band that included Marti B, Brad Sackett and more. Artimus had everyone’s attention from the time he entered the building until he left after rousing versions of “Gimmie Three Steps,” “Simple Man,” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” which again drew me to the stage like a moth to a flame. I had to get up there with my old buddy Artimus. And I really honestly appreciate him coming by for the jam. Artimus is one of a kind and a dear friend.

Jim Summer had been busy running sound all day for everyone else, and my buddy has an amazing ear for it, but now it was time for him to step into the spotlight with his band Big Blue Planet. The Christian rock band blew it out big time with originals like “I Never Knew You,” “Smile,” and “I Don’t Want to Leave You Here Alone.” They also did some excellent cover tunes, including a spot on take of Kansas’ “Hold On.” Big Blue, we love you!

The final band of the evening was my dear old friends Silver Travis, who tossed out some brand new (killer) songs including “Chain Gang” and “Country Road.” They sounded as good as always with Rick Cash on vocals and the amazing Randall Calvert on lead. This was my first time hearing them with sax man/percussionist David Sheely sitting in, and it added another layer to the already incredible sound these cats make. I was so glad to hear the boys do “Long Gone,” an original  song they used to perform during the first coming of Silver Travis when I worked with them in the early eighties.

The guys brought up Justin McCorkle, son of founding Marshall Tucker Band member the late George McCorkle (a dear friend of mine) and just tore it up on Tucker’s “This Ol Cowboy.” Then I found myself once again onstage for “Can’t You See,” as Justin turned his guitar spot over to event organizer Tom Peterson, who shared the vocals with me and Michael Gemme. The boys wrapped their set, and the whole day up with a smokin’ Allman Brothers cover “Southbound.”

It had been one for the books. Some of the finest area bands all coming together and I was humbled and honored. There was a lot of love floating around that day, and I was so happy to see so many friends come out. I want to thank Marti B for getting the ball rolling, Tom Peterson for taking the ball in to the end zone, Gumby’s for hosting the event, Jim Summer for the p.a. and for running sound, US Legends guitars for donating a guitar that was signed by all the players and later auctioned off for $150, all the business who donated to the raffle, all the bands and musicians and everyone who attended. It was a day I will never forget.

Thank you! Michael Buffalo Smith

GALLERY

Artimus Pyle talks to the audience.

Artimus on drums.

Buffalo singing "Sweet Home Alabama" with Artimus.

Artimus, Buff and the US Legends guitar.

Marti B & Them Dang Kids

Big Blue Planet

Doug Hooper

Jake Haldenwang

Rickey Godfrey and Buffalo

Randall Calvert of Silver Travis

John Gillie of Silver Travis and Justin McCorkle.

Rickey Godfrey.

Justin McCorkle hits the note with Joey Parrish.

Rocking it home with "Southbound."

THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!

See many more pictures on my Facebook page!

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