Suzie Vinnick

This email is from Al Kirkcaldy, a blues DJ from Peterborough, Ontario. I went to this juke joint when I was in Memphis last March 2005!!

Here's a good news story about one of the last real juke joints in Memphis. Anyone that's ever been there would know that the would be robber wouldn't stand a chance.
Al

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7b325d9a-ce4e-48fb-bd39-4d6e240d9301&rss=59

Happy New Year!!!

2005 was an amazing year full of friends, family, music and travels. It's looking like 2006 is shaping up to be the same, which I'm very excited about. Vinnick Sheppard Harte and Betty & the Bobs have just about completed new albums, and Rick Fines and I are going to be recording an album together this spring. A few shows I have coming up are Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe spring tour, I'm heading to Dunkerque, France to perform with Les Grande Dame du Blues, which includes blues vocalists Dawn Tyler Watson, Kim Richardson and Tony Lynn Washington; I've also been invited to perform with Aengus Finnan, Jory Nash and others on the Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Tour. There are more show details on my website if you want to take a peek - www.suzievinnick.com/gigs.html .


I have a few shows coming up this month in Ontario - here are the details:

- I have a solo show at the Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave., tel: 416-923-8137) on Tuesday the 17th. It's an early one - takes place from 7:00pm until 9:30pm, or so. There is no cover charge, but there is 'pass the hat'. I'm going to try a few new tunes out, and if I'm feeling gutsy enough, try out a new (old) guitar - I wrangled a Goldtone Weissenborn copy a couple years ago and have a song that I think will work sweetly on it.

- The Marigolds released our debut CD last November at Hugh's Room and on Saturday January 21 will be featured at the Acoustic Harvest Folk Club Concert Series. My friend Sarah Johnston will be starting the night off; Sarah is 16 and an incredibly talented singer/songwriter from Guelph! She'll be performing some songs from her upcoming album, "Incomplete Wandering". Here are the show details: WHEN: Sat. Jan. 21/06, 8pm, $15, Birchcliff Bluffs United Church, 33 East Rd. corner of Kingston Rd. & Warden Ave. in east end Toronto, Info & Tix: 416-264-2235. Show starts at 8:00pm.

- Sunday the 22nd at 8:00pm I'm doing a duo show with Rick Fines in Haliburton - Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion, Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. Rick and I will be performing a few of our new co-writes, plus songs we've had fun playing together over the years.

- on Friday the 27th, Rick Fines and I are performing in Kingston at the LiveWire Concert Series.

- Saturday the 28th I'll be singing a duet with Paul Reddick at Gregg Lawless's Duets show at Hugh's Room in Toronto. We'll also be doing a mini Songs in the Key of Canada and The Unforgettable Whachamacallits will be doing a short set as well (I play bass and sing in both of these projects).

Feel free to drop me a quick note if you have any questions, or would rather not be on the ol' mailing list.

Hope to see you soon, and I wish you and yours all the best in this New Year!!

Take care,

Suzie V.
http://www.suzievinnick.com/

I just heard that Chris Whitley died of lung cancer. He was 45, and one of my favorite musicians.

Rick Fines introduced me to Chris' album "Living With the Law" sometime in the early 90's - we played it over and over and over while touring across Canada. I loved Chris's soul-filled singing and guitar playing, his poetic sensibilities, the sensuality and darkness he wasn't afraid to write about. I listened to the album a bunch over the next few years, but then the CD pouch that contained it was stolen.

Enter summer 2003 and my buddy Geordie Millar - Geordie re-connected me to Chris' music in an email where he told me about tunes and artists that he really dug, and even suggested a few tunes he could hear me singing (one was a Jimi Hendrix song called "Drifting" that Chris covered) . I wrangled another copy of "Living With the Law", and figured out how to play the title track; I forgot how much I loved the album, and it became another summer's soundtrack. I bought a bunch more that get regular rotation in my world - "Perfect Day", "Weed", "Dirt Floor", "War Crime Blues". There are another six or so more albums I've yet to explore; I will do so soon.

Chris had come through Ottawa on several occasions over the years, but I was never able to arrange to go and see him perform. Then in September 2005 I heard he was coming to my local music spot, Hughs Room, in Toronto. I called the booker to see who was opening and arranged to get to do so. I did my set without any hitches; have to say the real thrill was getting to be there and hear him live. He closed the night with one of my favorite songs, "Dirt Floor".

He was a slight, wiry man, he had these big eyes that possessed a child-like wonder and innocence and wisdom. At the end of the night I got to say a quick hi to him, and thanked him for letting me open the night, thanked him for his music and words, and for the inspiration he provided me. He didn't say much, but let me get a picture with him (I'm beaming a little too much for my liking in it, so I've not posted it. However I've posted another shot I took of Chris during the show).

I was so grateful to have been there that night.
I am so grateful for all I've learned from his music.
I am so sorry to hear of his passing.

I've included lyrics to his song, "Dirt Floor" (I hope I got them right...).

Thanks so much to everyone for the kudos regarding "The Honey I Want", the song that I co-wrote with Liz Tansey and David Leask that won the Blues Category of the 2005 International Songwriting Competition (ISC). It also won the Blues Category of the Songs From the Heart Songwriting Contest sponsored by the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals.

Click here to give the song a listen!!

xox
suz

New Orleans.

7:30am. Canal St., with Gwen and Ella picking up Paula, my little sister. Streets are crazy as there is a marathon taking place. It's grey and misty and nearly impossible to get to Paula as the streets are all closed off. Thank God for cellphones. We found her (yay!) - so sweet to see her as it's been a long time! We headed back to Gwen and Andy's place

Went off to jam at the Bank Street Cafe with Marc Adams (keys with Bryan Lee) and friends - caught a set, then got up for a few songs next set. Played some bass 'n sang...was fun. I've realized this trip that I don't play much blues anymore..I feel like I've forgotten how to jam! Or what to jam, maybe, as I never get to 'em anymore.

Just got back from Frenchman Street. It was late and a lot of the clubs would be shutting down, so I had to move fast - I think I heard 5 bands in the space of an hour. Wicked musicianship all around.
DBA had some crazy-ass band - all the players names, too many to remember - 2 saxophones (1 guy was a guest, I believe) - organ, bass and drums. The guys played Back in Black by AC/DC - one of the sax players played his sax through a distortion pedal...sounded just like Angus Young! Then they played a little Hendrix -reminded me of a cross between the Toronto bands The Sisters Euclid and the Shuffle Demons. Was brilliant - my favorite find on Frenchman Street. Then off to The Blue Nile - Fly Me to the Moon, trumpet and trombone. Then across the street at Brazil ??? - reggae. Beautiful latin rhythms - 8 piece band, people dancing. Then sleepytime...

After breakfast Wednesday at the Delta Amusement Centre, I wandered through the Sweet Home Chicago exhibit at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. There was so much fun stuff - the exhibit had some of the old amps, guitars, old clothing, AF of M union member listings, old recording gear, photographs, letters and postcards written by the artists. A couple things I found neat were the old plantation house that Muddy Waters grew up in, a letter from the Rolling Stones to Muddy Waters and a 1964 press release on the Rolling Stones who were big Muddy Waters fans. The press release also had a list of each of the band members favorite things - foods, hobbies among other things. Some I found amusing were as a teen Keith's favorite hobby was 'sleeping'; Mick enjoyed 'driving through the country alone', and 'girls'; Charlie also liked girls. Each band member also had huge aspirations - to have a #1 hit. After the museum, I checked out the Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art store then hit the Highway 322 north through the country, on my way to visit the gravesite of Mississippi Fred McDowell.

Will continue shortly...

Got up the next morning, wandered over to the Blues Foundation office to meet Wesley Smith - Wesley is a contact of Dick Waterman's (who is a contact of Richard Flohil's - more on these fellows soon...). All these gentlemen have been tremendously helpful in connecting me with folks on this 'pilgrimmage'. Afterwards, I went for lunch, then made my way south down Highway 61 to Clarksdale.

The land around the highway reminded me a lot of driving through my home province, Saskatchewan - you can see as far as the eye will go across the farmer's fields. No crops up yet, and these crops aren't wheat like Saskatchewan...they're cotton.

Wrangled the Pinetop Perkins shack at the Shack Up Inn. The Shack Up Inn is a bunch of old sharecropper's cottages that were hauled to the Hopson Plantation land, just off of Highway 49, west of Highway 61. Pinetop's shack came complete with a piano, and a bunch of neat old pics of him. I believe he used to work years ago on the plantation before the help became mechanized.

I had spoken with Dick Waterman's friend Joni Mayberry a couple days earlier - we had a great chat about the south and some of the things I should expect - so far the term southern hospitality has wrung true - I've found most folks I've met to be extremely friendly and eager to help me out.

Joni works at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, and also at the commissary at the Hopson Plantation. Joni and I arranged to connect on Monday night at the Delta Amusement Blues Cafe, owned by a fellow named Bobby. Bobby is this gruff fellow whose voice sounds a little like a southern Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice. He likes to give everybody a hard time (but gives you a little wink while doing it). I guess it's another side of this southern hospitality...I wish I could remember half the things he said...southern sayings...had me laughing. Joni finally showed up with her bud, Toni and we ate the most incredible steak cooked by the Monday night cook, Michael, seasoned with a whack of delicious spices - the steak was tender and oh so tasty! One of the best I've ever eaten..

Afterwards Joni and I headed over to Toni's place, where the 2 of 'em told me about Jacqueline Nassar, Toni's daughter. Jacqueline is a 13 year old goth wunderkind - guitarist, vocalist, songwriter...huge talent, determined, focussed and sweet and humble.
Her Mom told me about her adventures in Los Angeles with Don Was, and another adventure with Morgan Freeman who is also a supporter of hers. He presented her the 2004 Robert Johnson Youth Achievement Award, a Gibson Robert Johnson L-1 guitar.