Caroline, Nick & Rodney Hit and Run
Where to start with that talented but wacked trio that beguiled last Friday on Live Lunch, and again in the evening at the Kentucky Center Gallery?
Okay, let’s do Caroline. Caroline, Caroline, bo Baroline banana fanna fo Faroline, fe fi mo Maroline, Caroline.
One time I was out in Frisco so I called up Caroline Dahl to hang out. We’re walking down the street, chatting each other up, catching up on mutual friends and how her life had changed since she moved to the Bay Area from Louisville. A city bus stops right by us.
“Let’s take it,” she implores.
“Do we know where it’s going?”
“Haven’t the slightest. But we’ll find out.”
That’s Caroline. Ever inquisitive. Not afraid to chase some new adventure that might kick start her creativity. We ended up at a Chinese restaurant, where the food was as good as any I’ve eaten.
She’s a keeper, that gal. Many of you know her for her boffo piano work during her stint with the Metro Blues All-Stars. Others for her affliction with Carmen Miranda, which manifests itself in her wardrobe, which is part 50’s Peck & Peck, part 40’s Hollywood musical. Others for her heavenly, but totally skewed embroidery. (Which, by the by, is world famous. True.) Then again, you might have caught her gigging with an accordion orchestra. I forgot the name of it, but I seem to recall they toured Europe.
Oh yeah, she still plays a mean boogie woogie piano. Caroline’s got a couple albums out. Track ‘em down. We’re talking Marcia Ball-quality ivory tickling here.
She is truly the “River City Party Queen.” Praise the Lord and pass the tiara.
Anyhow, I sincerely hope you caught her act last weekend. She was in town for an opening of an embroidery exhibit at the Kentucky Center. Her touch is as delightful as ever. The Film Babe and I had to add to our collection, which already included a patch honoring Randy Atcher and T-Bar-V, and what I think is her seminal work, “Elvis: King of the New Heaven & Hell.”
She also gigged with her old pals from the Metros, Rodney Hatfield and Nick Stump. Neither of which is throw away guy either.
Besides playing a mean harmonica, Hatfield, former big kahuna of Lexington’s psychedelic blues stompers, The Hatfield Clan, also makes incredible art. Think Art Snake. Stump, a.k.a Michael Stamper, another Eastern Kentucky boy, knows his way around words. He wrote a screenplay about the snake bitten 1966 version of his beloved UK Wildcats. It ended up in the movie house as “Glory Road,” the tale of Don Haskins and Texas Western, the squad that bested the Cats in the NCAA title game. He’s now working on a novel based on his grandpa’s war experiences in WWI. Plus he wrote “Smoking In The Dark,” one of the great rocking love songs of all time.
At Live Lunch, of course, they ripped the joint. After practicing for a couple of hours the day before, the trio fit like a glove, sounding like they’d been playing daily for years. When you got it, kids, you got it. They did a Carl Perkins tune, a boogie woogie blues vamp or two, “Caledonia” and a stunning version of “The Same Thing.”
They carried on. Especially Rodney and Nick who have some schtick. “Come on down to Branson and visit Nick Stump’s All You Can Eat Dinner Theater Buffet. The food’s not very good, but there’s a lot of it. Five shows a day, seven days a week.” Smiles ensued. And plenty of toe tapping too.
Then they did it again Friday evening. The old hippies in the crowd know a good thing when it comes along. You shoulda been there.
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As a vet of the extremely fertile nightclub scene in Louisville,during the late 70’s and on through the 80’s,it was allways a pleasure when the Metro’s were booked. Intelligence, good manners,incredible level of musical ability and historical perspective all went into making their visits to Louisville , just that, a visit more than a gig.Their sense of humor set them far apart from most other acts, and their complete lack of self consumption made for a very enjoyable time for all involved! I salute the Metro boys, and girl, it was my priveledge to have known and worked with them!
What a nice review, especially for a group of old washed-up nightclub singers. It was great seeing Caroline again and always a pleasure to play music with my old bandmates. Thank you Chuck, for all the nice words, especially about Smoking in the Dark. It’s one of my favorites.
Nick
the check is in the mail
with love from the New Heaven and Hell