I just got the details on what should be the best concert coming to Elvis Week 2007 – “The Last Man Standing.” And that man is legendary guitarist Scotty Moore. Scotty has been a fixture at lots of Elvis Week concerts over the years, but this year is totally different. The concert will be split into two different sets, and Scotty will join both bands. Two REALLY GOOD bands.
The first set will feature a bunch of Scotty’s Nashville buddies calling themselves “The Mighty Handful.” That name sounds like they might do gospel; but, no, these guys play the blues. They recorded enough songs at Scotty’s home studio to fill a self-titled CD that will be released in a few months. Now they are going to perform all those blues songs during Elvis Week. This is going to be great.
I know it will be great because of the men who make up “The Mighty Handful.” The biggest name is sax player supreme, Boots Randolph, another legend. I’ve seen Boots do “Reconsider Baby” at four concerts, and let me tell you, he nailed the sax solos every time. The audiences ate it up. Standing ovations. Paired with Boots on two of those occasions was Billy Swan doing the vocals. Billy will be at the mic for this blues concert, and he will thrill those in attendance. Billy has tremendous stature among the music community in Nashville as a successful songwriter, tour manager, producer, and singer (biggest hit – “I Can Help” — # 1, 1974). He not only has the voice of a great bluesman, he has the attitude. This grand performer will get a opportunity to show his stuff at “The Last Man Standing,” and he will not disappoint.
The only other member of the group I have seen perform is Steve Shepherd, and he is a fabulous keyboard player. Steve has played with Scotty many times and was a long-time bandmate of Ronnie McDowell. Steve’s keyboard playing will add so much to the sound of the concert.
The other musicians in the band will be Bucky Barrett (Roy Orbison’s guitarist), Bob Moore on bass, Fred Satterfield on drums, and Buddy Spicher on fiddle. These men have to be as good as Boots, Billy and Steve, because Scotty picked them. Any musicians who end up on a Scotty Moore CD are tops in their game.
If you go to Elvis Week 2007, be sure to take in “The Last Man Standing” concert on August 15. It should be the highlight of the week, and the blues set will be only half the show. Scotty will also join the Grundy-Pritchard Band for a concert of Elvis rockabilly music. More news about this terrific English band in a future Elvisblog article.
Perhaps a few words are in order about the concert‘s title, “The Last Man Standing.” Scotty Moore was with Elvis when rock & roll was born — that first recording session for “That’s All Right (Mama)” at Sun records on July 5, 1954. It was the collaboration of four unique musical talents. Along with Elvis and Scotty were Bill Black on bass and Sam Phillips turning dials in the control room. Bill Black left us in 1965, Elvis in 1977, and Sam Phillips in 2003. Scotty Moore is indeed the Last Man Standing. Don’t miss this rare chance to see him perform.
© 2006 Philip R Arnold All Rights Reserved www.elvisblog.net
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