“You look like I could use a drink!”
– Jason D. Williams, Arkansas piano man
A few years back, heading to a Cowboy Mouth concert, I noticed that Jason D. Williams was the opening act. “Who the heck is Jason D. Williams,” I thought. “Oh, well. Openers don’t play all that long…”
And then, I wished Jason D. would play longer…
When he comes out, and starts talkin’ and playin’ and jumpin’ up and down on the piano keyboard, you think, “Hmmmm, Jerry Lee Lewis…” Occasionally he seemed to be channeling Eddie Murphy impersonating James Brown impersonating Jerry Lee Lewis, but the primary impression was definitely a “Jerry Lee” moment.
But he differentiated himself from Jerry Lee by his playing. Jason D. can flat play piano, and a rockabilly, 6-minute, killer version of “Tubular Bells” (that’s the theme from “The Exorcist”) proved that this guy was a musician, not just a showman. Granted, he played part of it while standing on the keyboard in snakeskin boots – he is, in fact, also a showman – but he never missed a note, even while standing on the keys, playing at a pace that nearly made his 20-something-year-old drummer faint trying to keep up!
When my favorite band, Cowboy Mouth took the stage, more evidence of differentiation was in play. There are a great many bands who are musical peers or musical superiors to Fred and the band. There are even a couple drummers out there who sing. There aren’t however, any 265-pound, barefoot drummers who spend about 10% of the show walking around out in the crowd (while one of the guitar players keeps the beat going), making people get up out of their seats to come down in front of the stage and dance — because, as he puts it, over and over again, we all need to be “glad to be alive.” “Are you with me?” he admonishes…
Fred LeBlanc, for almost 30 years as the leader of Cowboy Mouth, has put his heart and soul out front. He’s put his love for New Orleans on his sleeve. He’s had plenty of fun with lyrics and band mates and fans and TV-show hosts and relationships – all at a volume-level that will make you sure the next day that you saw Cowboy Mouth the night before. He’s had exactly one radio hit yet he fills the hall and sends everyone away sweating and happy almost 200 nights per year around the country.
Jason D’s playin’ differentiates him. Fred’s passion differentiates him.
What differentiates us?
Leave a Reply