Hovie Lister Brings It

[JSngry]

Edited October 10, 2011 by JSngry

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyrI5VPssY

[Dave James]

Isn't he the guy who, when he got older, sported one of the worst wigs in the history of hair pieces. Whether you like gospel of not, there's no denying the guy could sing.

[JSngry]

It was Jake Hess with the wigs. Jake Hess is not on the first video, but takes the first lead on on the second one until Hovie comes out from the piano.

Jake Hess could also sing. Here he is with the Statesmen.

Bass interlude by the Big Cheif...more about him at some later point.

This is a freakin' R&B record about the metaphysical principles of prayer. Where was Sun Ra?

The Statesmen were some baaaaaad men, & Hovie Lister was their leader.

Edited October 13, 2011 by JSngry

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzNOBkwj4Cs

Bringin' the HEAT.

[johnlitweiler]

Thanks, Jim. A revelation. Where did this Hovie Lister-Jerry Lee Lewis-who else piano style originate?

[JSngry]

I don't claim to be a musicologist (and for good reason, especially in this area) so I'd not want to say. But if I was to guess, I'd say it's a carryover of rag & boogie simmered through a long and who-knows-how-untalked-about interminglings of generations of white and black American Southerners, both when people were looking and when they weren't. There's also the Stamps-Baxter School of Music http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamps-Baxter_Music_Company in Dallas, which Lister attended, and who knows what he heard when he was here? The influence of black music is obvious, but you can't really call it an "imitation" either, not in any way, not if you've lived in the south (or at least, the south before it became part of The Giant Strip Mall Called America, Inc.) for any meaningful length of time. The cadences, timbres, inflections...there's a distinctly southern thing going on there that transcends race...

Truthfully, I know very little about this music other than the most basic Major Historical Facts. What's getting me somewhat interested in it now is the result of some random personal circumstances. But I'll go out on a limb and guess that Hovie Lister's life story might be worthy of further review.

[JSngry]

[JSngry]

[JSngry]