Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. Hello Again! Welcome to another wonderful collaboration between East Side Story and The Post. Let me be the first to officially, whole-heartedly welcome you to the recap and recording of the 78th epic edition of East Side Storytellin’! Like the 77, I repeat … 77, previous shows East Side Story has put together, we all decided to take a break from our busy schedules all over town in order to sit back and relax and get everyone cultured up just right in the form of a Nashville writer reading from original prose, followed by an amazing local musician performing and talking about their original music, and then a round-up creative conversation with all featured guests of this event to talk about their individual journeys and personal ties to Nashville. Without further ado, fulfilling the entertainment portion of your day, this is East Side Storytellin’ 78. Let us begin, again.
Our first featured author of the evening is one of the biggest living legends in a city filled with them. Since his birth in 1935, this man has garnered titles such as an American record producer, tour manager, and author. He may be best known for “allegedly” stealing the body of his close friend and country music legend Gram Parsons and burning it in the Joshua Tree National Monument. This was later chronicled in the film Grand Theft Parsons, but I’m sure we’ll talk about that a little bit later. Over the course of his lustrous career in the music business, he has worked with the likes of Etta James, Frank Zappa, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and The Rolling stones, to name a few. Coined as his “executive nanny” by Sir Mick himself, this man is the author of the night because of his book titled “Road Mangler Deluxe, an autobiography.” Ladies and gentlemen, it was an honor to introduce the man on the mend, the one and only Phil Kaufman.
Phil made his way through the crowd like he owned the joint because he basically does wherever he goes. I’m not sure if you have one of his business cards, but you need one if you don’t. It’s a card that looks like a black and white baseball card from the 50’s. But instead of an action photo of Phil catching or throwing a baseball, it has a mug shot from the first time he was arrested before meeting Mick Jagger for the first time. Also, it has personal career stats of which major musical acts he’s worked with on the backside of the card instead of baseball teams and personal statistics.
So, like I said, Phil made his way to the microphone like he’s done for others countless times over the years. Keeping the rock n’ roll spirit, he left his glasses at home and his books at the merch table. That’s right … Phil Kaufman is so rock n’ roll that he didn’t even read at the reading. Since his book is an autobiography, he simply read from memories and pieced together one heck of a story. He admitted that he was more of a jazz fan than rock when he met The Rolling Stones and got his first gig in the business. He then went right into telling the real story about Gram Parsons and the friendship and promises that went beyond death. After that tale, Phil managed to run through set list of personal narratives like a solid greatest hits of radio friendly incidents with some cool rockers like Joe Cocker and Emmylou Harris.
Everyone in the crowd was on the edge of their seats and totally eating up everything the Road Mangler was dishing for dinner. Without a doubt in my mind, he could’ve sat on his stool and spoke for ten days straight while sharing more outrageously true stories that everyone in the crowd would have a tough time trying to top with our own stories combined. That said, Phil decided to cut his talk in time so that his good friends could play some excellent music for the show.
Our featured musician of the night is also one-of-a-kind. I first met him via the art world and his wonderful wife, Julie Sola, who owns and runs the extraordinary Fat Crow Press two doors behind East Side Story. This man, like the featured author of the night, is the ultimate underrated journeyman of our day. He has been a journeyman musician for hire for years. He has toured the UK many times over while accompanying Pinto Bennett, David Olney, Gail Davies, and many others. He works mainly on the road but also works tirelessly from his Nashville base on call to those singers who possess musical integrity. The word on the Nashville streets is, after releasing a handful of his own solo stuff, his music tends to blend both traditional and contemporary styles of country music with blues and rock n’ roll. It has been described as a taste of Bob Dylan with shades of John Prine but always quintessential Sergio Webb. Alongside his talented longtime friend Rob Matson, everyone was pleased to give a big round of applause for the man himself, Sir Sergio Webb!
Sergio is a quiet, reserved man that comes alive and grows to ten-feet tall whenever he starts playing his guitar. He kicked things off with a song Phil mentioned that Gram Parsons “didn’t write” (with a wink). Then Sergio had Rob take the lead on a remake of another hit song from the past. But then they both really hit their stride with a great original called “Johnson City Blues.” Written with David Olney, Sergio mentioned that this one was inspired by times when things get rough but then it all turns the corner for the better. Even seconds after the songs were finished, I couldn’t tell you what they were about because I totally lost myself in the guitar playing. I’ve honestly never been so close in proximity to someone playing at that level. Sergio truly has a gift like few others.
Sergio and Rob finished the night with a track by friend and songwriter Ron Davies. There was a great story that Sergio shared before the song about Ronny saying, “You got any records? We need gas money. If you don’t have any records, go make one.” Sergio mentioned that Ron passed away before he got that record finished, but the tracks were inspired from his words for gas money. Being the road musicians that Rob and Sergio have been throughout their career, it was very fitting to finish the night with such a song.
And wouldn’t you know, before we knew it, it was time for me to get Sergio and Phil up on stage again to share more personal anecdotes and answers for general and crowd specific questions. Sometimes interviews with artists can be a struggle or feel offbeat, but this was not one of those occasions. Thanks to Phil for taking the microphone and stage into his own hands and history, he led us into some very interesting outlooks about the music business and Nashville and art in general. Sergio and I were merely sidemen in the latest band of brothers that Phil was managing on the road. Like he said, he’s not as much retired as waiting for the phone to ring to hit the pavement again.
If you doubt the greatness of Sergio and Phil and what they bring to this world, go ahead and listen to the edited show below. If you like what you hear, share the link with others and help get that phone a-ringing for both of these guys to come to a gig near you too.
So this is East Side Storytellin’ 78 that featured Phil Kaufman and Sergio Webb (alongside Rob Matson) at The Post on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. Feel free to listen to it and share over and over again:
Before I say goodbye for this round of fun, I’d like to give a big round of thanks for Phil and Sergio for sharing their stories, talents, and time with us.
You can read more about Phil’s writing here- http://roadmanglerdeluxe.com
You can listen to more of Sergio’s music here – https://sergiowebb.wordpress.com
You can listen to this show, edited, soon, alongside the previous shows too, on our website,www.eastsidestorytn.com, at our In Our Own WordsTab – see here – www.eastsidestorytn.com/in-our-own-words
I’ll keep the gratitude going for Tom Eizonas, my lovely wife and most talented artist in Emily Harper Beard (efharper), and everyone that came out live to support the show … and to everyone who has helped continue to spread the word and support the show online afterwards.
I’d also like to show much love to Clay Brunton for the beautiful artwork online to promote the show.
Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to give one last shout out to Tonya and Chris for making The Post so welcoming and positively life-changing for the East Nashville community at large.
Our next show will be …
East Side Storytellin’ 78
Tuesday, March 1st
at The Post (1701 Fatherland Street) at 7pm
reading- Luke Wiget (http://lukewiget.com)
singing- Zach Vinson (www.zachvinson.com)
That said- that’s all for East Side Storytellin’ 78 and another fabulous event at The Post with East Side Story at the helm. Thanks for coming out and sharing the good word and giving some love to all of these great Nashville artists and our creative ideas. Please remember to be nice to one another out there.
much love,
mE
