Musician By Night: Eric Gale

Showing posts with label Eric Gale. Show all posts

Monday, July 1, 2013

Eric Gales . . .

Eric Gales (aka Raw Dawg) (born October 29, 1974, Memphis, Tennessee) is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. As of 2011 Gales has recorded ten albums on major record labels, and has done session and tribute work. He has also contributed vocals on several records by the Memphis rap groups, Prophet Posse and Three 6 Mafia.

Gales picked up the guitar at age four. His older siblings, Eugene and Manuel (Little Jimmy King), took to teaching him many songs and licks at a young age, in the style of Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, B. B. King and others. In 1985, the young Gales began to play at blues competitions with his brother Eugene backing him on bass.

Although Gales plays a right-handed guitar "upside-down" (with the E-bass string on the bottom), he is not naturally left-handed; he was taught by his brother who is left-handed and never second-guessed the untraditional technique.

In late 1990, Eric and Eugene Gales signed with Elektra Records, and together with drummer Hubert Crawford released 1991's The Eric Gales Band and 1993's Picture of a Thousand Faces. Guitar World magazine's Reader's Poll named Eric Gales as "Best New Talent", in 1991. During this time he scored two rock radio hits, "Sign of the Storm" (#9 U.S. Mainstream Rock) and "Paralyzed" (#31 U.S. Mainstream Rock) and had spots on television programs such as The Arsenio Hall Show.

In 1994, Gales performed with Carlos Santana at Woodstock '94. In 1995, Eric Gales teamed up with both of his brothers to record an album under the band name of The Gales Brothers. Left Hand Brand was released in 1996. 2001 saw Gales return with his album That's What I Am on MCA Records.

Gales has released the albums Crystal Vision, The Psychedelic Underground,The Story of my Life and Layin' Down the Blues on the Shrapnel Records label. Relentless (2010) was followed by Transformation (2011) and Live (2012).

Eric Gales in the 2008 Jimi Hendrix Tribute tour

He maintains a strong friendship with record producer Mike Varney. Gales has two daughters, Jasmine Gales (born 1992) and step daughter LaAsia Chandler (born 1996) and is married to LaDonna Gales from Greensboro, North Carolina.

In 2004, he contributed a cover of "May This Be Love" to the album Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. In 2008, he, along with other guitarists, participated in the touring tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Experience Hendrix. the touring group of musicians included Billy Cox, Eric Johnson, Chris Layton, Doyle Bramhall II, Brad Whitford, and was the last tour that Mitch Mitchell played on.

In the winter of 2010, Gales returned to the touring circuit in Europe with TM Stevens on bass guitar and Keith LeBlanc on drums. The tour was billed as Voodoo Chile and featured works of Jimi Hendrix as well as original material from both Gales and Stevens.

In February 2013, Magna Carta released the Mike Varney produced Pinnick Gales Pridgen, featuring Gales on guitar and vocals, Doug Pinnick on bass and vocals, and Thomas Pridgen on drums. The 13 track album featured one cover song, "Sunshine of Your Love", originally by Cream, one short instrumental based on Ludwig van Beethoven's "Für Elise" and the remaining songs written by some combination of Pinnick, Gales, Pridgen and Varney.

Discography:

1991: The Eric Gales Band, Elektra Records
1993: Picture of a Thousand Faces, Elektra Records
1996: The Gales Brothers: Left Hand Brand, House of Blues Records
2001: That's What I Am, MCA Records
2006: Crystal Vision, Shrapnel Records
2007: The Psychedelic Underground, Shrapnel Records
2008: The Story of My Life, Blues Bureau International
2009: Layin' Down the Blues, Blues Bureau International
2010: Relentless, Blues Bureau International
2011: Transformation, Blues Bureau International
2012: Live
2013: Pinnick Gales Pridgen, Magna Carta

Eric Gales is a very well rounded musician that has played along side some of the greats. I personally enjoyed his guitar skills when I heard him LIVE in 2010 when he was in Rockville, Maryland traveling with the Jimi Hendrix Experience Concert Team. His stage appearance was by far the most entertaining of all the artists who performed that evening. Up until then, I had never heard of him or his music so I really enjoyed that concert.

Now next on my “Hot List”, is an American musician who plays guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most of his solo tours and albums. The artists name is Daryl Mark Stuermer (born November 27, 1952) and has been playing the guitar since 1975. If you continue to follow me along trip covering the artists from my “Hot List”, you’ll learn more and more about each of them as I am. I hope you decide to follow along.

Daryl Mark Stuermer

Until next time, remember to help “SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC” . . .

MUSICIAN by Night

GOD Save “The Blues”

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Scenes from the Experience Hendrix Concert at Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, MD

March 6th, 2012

I had the pleasure of attending the famous ‘EXPERIENCE HENDRIX’ concert last night at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Being an avid follower of more than half of the artists featured in that venue, my eyes were glued to the stage from the moment we were seated until the last song.

It was my first concert at the Strathmore and as I walked in the place, I just knew that the sound was going to blow us away with minimal professional mixing. The ceiling was taller than any other concert hall that I’ve ever been in or heard of; therefore, I knew right off the bat that the drummers bass drum and tom-tom’s as well as the bass guitar would simply sound incredible and they did for a better part of the concert.

Of course when you have professional musicians such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd [1], Billy Cox [2], Mato Nanji [3], Brad Whitford [4], Dweezil Zappa [5], Eric Gales [6], Jonny Lang [7] and the infamous Buddy Guy [8], all hitting the stage in one show, you’d better be prepared for a jam session like you’ve never heard.

I did my best taking photos with my cell phone and a small Sony point and shoot camera, so let me share some of them with you. I would have brought our DSLR camera but when we called they told us that no camera’s were allowed so I didn’t want to take the chance of having it taken from me.

Here are some of my better shots; I hope you enjoy them.

[1] Kenny Wayne Shepherd,

(born Kenny Wayne Brobst, June 12, 1977, Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.

[2] Billy Cox,

(born October 18, 1941) is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix. As of November 2008, Billy is the only surviving member of both The Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Band Of Gypsys. He recently was inducted into the Musician's Hall of Fame and continues to honor his friend, performing dates with the Experience Hendrix Tour.

[3] Mato Nanji,

Indigenous is an American blues-rock group that came to prominence in the late 1990s. The band originally consisted of two brothers, Mato Nanji (Maiari) ('mah-TOE non-GEE' vocals and guitar, born 1974), Pte ('peh-TAY' bass guitar), along with their sister, Wanbdi ('wan-ba-DEE' drums, vocals), and their cousin, Horse (percussion).

[4] Brad Whitford,

(born February 23, 1952) is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970. Along with fellow Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, Whitford was included in the Guitar World book The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2007.

The rock music of Jimi Hendrix filled the Strathmore Music Center and after the first 30 minutes of the show, all of the guests were finally seated and rockin’ with the tunes of the band playing on stage. Eric Gale put on a hell of a show with Dweezil Zappa joining him.

[5] Dweezil Zappa, (born September 5, 1969) is an American rock guitarist. Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Gail Zappa, He is the second of four siblings, the others are his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger brother Ahmet.

[6] Eric Gale, (aka Raw Dawg) (born October 29, 1974, Memphis, Tennessee ) is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child ...

[7] Jonny Lang,

(born Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr., January 29, 1981, Fargo, North Dakota, United States) is a Grammy award-winning American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter and recording artist. Lang's music is notable for both his unusual voice, which has been compared to that of a forty-year-old blues veteran, and for his guitar solos. His solo patterns have especially been noted for the constant use of wide vibratos.

[8] Buddy Guy,

(born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. Critically acclaimed, he is a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation. "A key influence on Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy put the Louisiana hurricane in 1960s electric Chicago blues as a member of Muddy Waters' band and as a house guitarist at Chess Records.

EXPERIENCE HENDRIX TOUR 2012

Once again, what a great evening of the psychedelic rock songs of Jimi Hendrix performed by some of the greatest guitarists, bassists and drummers that the stage has ever seen. I am so glad that I didn’t miss this incredible evening and I look forward to the next concert that I will attend so I can review it and share more photos with all of you.

I also want to say thanks to Chris Hauska and Nik Kosmas for joining me last night; we are still looking for an experienced drummer and keyboard player for our blues, blues-rock band. If you happen to know anyone or you’re interested yourself, just comment on this post and leave me your contact information so I can get back in touch with you.