Billy Powell RIP

Photo credit to Mark Dicky of Loud Light Photography
Click here to see his outstanding concert photos!

Just found out that Billy Powell of Lynard Skynard died. While Skynard occasionally played the blues, Billy Powell was an amazing Boogie Woogie piano player. Billy Powell was the piano player that I listened to the most as a kid, and I learned every amazing piano solo of his that I could. I especially loved They Call Me The Breeze, that song really changed my life. Once I figured out all the riffs to that song, and realized that you could take those riffs and put them in all sorts of blues songs, I suddenly became a wanted player in bands. It is funny that Billy Powell and Lynard Skynard introduced me to the blues, but it is true. Of course, Powell didn't invent the music. I found out that Powell was just playing what Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, and Sunnyland Slim were playing when he was a kid, and what they picked up from the old barrelhouse piano players that were playing in the turpentine camps before that. It is sad to see him go so early. God bless you Billy I will forever be indebted to your greatness.

Taylor Hicks: They Call Me The Breeze

Clarice sent me some links to some more Taylor Hicks videos. I will try to post some of them over the next few days. Here is a good old boogie woogie song originally by Lynard Skynard. Thanks Clarice!!

Lynard Skynard: They Call Me The Breeze

Believe it or not, this is why I play the blues. I listen to it now, and I can hear all the blues and boogie licks, but when I was in high school all I could here was rock and roll:-) Billy Powell is the piano player, and I worked and worked on that freaking piano solo for most of my high school years:-) It certainly made my right hand, but I had no clue what to do with the left, and apparently Billy didn't know either if you watch the video:-) Of course, when I got into college I stumbled on to one of those counterfeit history of rock and roll cassettes printed in Spain, and I heard some familiar piano licks. I thought WTF? I took out the cassette and looked to see who it was an it was Otis Spann!

Enjoy my boyhood idols Lynard Skynard playing They Call Me The Breeze.