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Playing in the Band

Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. European Street Caf, 5500 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Tickets are $15 399-1740

please call your advertising representative at 260-9770. rUn dAte: 110811 OF IF POSSIBLE AT 268-3655
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Sales Rep DL RANDALL BRAMBLETT

Whether in the spotlight or as a sideman, songwriter Randall Bramblett nds his rhythm
F.W.: Youve been an on-call player for so many artists. Have you ever felt that your own songwriting skills were overlooked? R.B.: Well, most people know me from playing with Gregg Allman, Sea Level and Tra c. I think the reason that Im not better known is simply because I never had a big hit record. When you have a few hits, youre almost instantly known as a solo artist. So if people just know me from my playing with Steve Winwood, I could do a lot worse. Ive been blessed by playing with some really good people. F.W.: Do you have di erent approaches to leading your own band and being a backing musician? R.B.: Its di erent when youre hired on as sideman, since youre really just learning their songs and making sure you can perform their music as well as you possibly can. Doing your own thing, you really have to put your heart and soul into it. Youre out there on a limb and that can be a very vulnerable place. As a sideman, the guy out front is feeling all of the pressure. Its much easier to be a sideman. F.W.: Im wondering how this one-time Southern seminary student wound up playing with Gregg Allman and Tra c. R.B.: Well, I moved to Athens a er college, rather than going to grad school and the seminary, because I was getting more into songwriting and that really captured me. Eventually I hooked up with some Macon folks like the Cowboy people Tommy Talton and his wife Patti are sitting here in the car with me. I want a big mention of them in this article. [Laughs.] Tommy says his favorite color is blue and hes quit doing most of the heavy drugs. Strike all that. [More laughter.] F.W.: Youve had the bene t of some really long-term collaborative relationships. Do you ever nd yourself honing your material with a certain vocalist in mind? R.B.: I dont ever think that way. Its all I can do just to come up with one song [Laughs.] and something that grabs my attention. And thats all Im really looking for something that feels right.
Dan Brown dbrown@folioweekly.com

any musicians spend their whole career trying to edge their way into the spotlight. But Randall Bramblett has been equally comfortable at center stage and as sideman for heavyweights like e Allman Brothers, Tra c, Robbie Robertson and Bonnie Raitt. Raised in Athens, Ga., Bramblett studied religion in college at UNC, with ultimate goal of joining the seminary. A er hearing the music of artists like Bob Dylan and Carole King, however, he surrendered to the higher calling of playing rock music. A top-shelf multi-instrumentalist, he now plays everything from keyboards and saxophone to guitar and mandolin. He appeared on albums and onstage with artists like Sea Level, Cowboy, Gregg Allman and blues-rock belter Bonnie Bramlett. He also released his own solo albums, which revealed a soulful and gospel-based songwriting style. In the 80s, Bramblett cooled his activities a er making the decision to get clean and sober. Since then, he has released a half-dozen well-received albums, including his latest e Meantime, (randallbramblett.com) an enjoyable 12-song a air featuring laid-back cuts like the Civil Rights tale of Driving to Montgomery. Truly a musicians musician, Bramblett remains an on-call player for cohorts like Steve Winwood, Widespread Panic and fellow Georgia boy and longtime Rolling Stones keyboardist, Chuck Leavell. Randall Bramblett recently spoke with Folio Weekly as he drove back to Georgia from Chicago, with tour mate, singer-songwriter and longtime friend Tommy Talton in the passenger seat. Folio Weekly: How o en are you out on the road these days? Randall Bramblett: Its mostly weekends, and I still play predominately in the South. I think the economy is also somewhat hurting professional players and clubs dont pay much anymore, so I have been doing more and more solo things. But I like doing the solo thing, since it gives me a chance to present the material in a very intimate way, where people can hear the words and respond to them.

2011

FolioWeekly

Here Comes the Night: Legendary songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Randall Bramblett performs at European Street Caf.

24 | folio weekly | November 8-14, 2011