Amos Lee

Thanks, lwj, for doing that cut and paste transcribing.

No, I haven’t purchased SXSW itunes yet. Will work on that this weekend. 😉

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A blog Amos wrote in regards to his work with “Musicians On Call” in Philadelphia. I love his retelling of the one man that made a difference to him.

http://www.relix.com/features/2011/03/25/amos-lee-my-page-music-as-medicine

Five years ago, I was approached by friends at radio station WXPN in Philadelphia to become involved with an organization called Musicians on Call. MOC connects those who are in hospitals and hospice care with musicians who are interested in performing at the bedside of patients who are otherwise too ill to leave their rooms. I was a little wary at first, not because I didn’t feel drawn to the mission, but rather because it seemed like such a sensitive time for people and their families. I felt my presence might be a bit extraneous.

What I missed in my calculation was that it wasn’t me that was going to the hospitals—it was me and the music that I make. As I have come to find, people tend to value my presence a lot more when I have a guitar.

Since I was first introduced to MOC five years ago, I have made quite a few visits. I have played and sang at general hospitals, children’s hospitals and veterans’ hospitals. Every visit has etched deep visions in my soul. Here is one of my most memorable visits

It was MOC’s first visit to this particular veterans’ hospital and my friend Mutlu and I were asked to be the ambassadors for the program. Most of the elderly patients here served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

I like to pick appropriate material, but I’m not as versatile as I’d like to be with knowledge of “pre-war” songs. We did “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and “Bring It on Home to Me” by Sam Cooke. We went room to room and, for the most part, I think we warmed some hearts. A lot of the time, families would be with their loved ones and we would walk by and respectfully ask if they’d like some music. Based on our fairly random and somewhat uninspired selection of clothes, they were usually hesitant, but as soon as we started singing, heads would turn.

As the day was ending, we made a stop to one final room. This room was occupied by an elderly African American man with a beautiful gray beard. The nurses explained to me that he was unable to move much do to maladies and complications from his time served but that he was a musician and had recorded earlier in his life. We entered his room gingerly and the nurse asked if he would like us to play. He nodded softly and we went into “Bring It on Home to Me.”

When the song started, he was staring at the ceiling. And from what I was imagining, he was hoping these silly fellows would finish up and leave him be. But as we got into the tune, I noticed him arch his eyebrow, tilt his head ever so slightly and start to bob his head a little to the rhythm. After the song, he smiled at his nurses and said that, “We’re allllriiight. ”

I asked if he had anything he wanted to hear and he inquired if I knew any church songs. I knew a few and chose to sing “Up Above My Head” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I got through the first verse, which is the only verse I knew, and noticed that he had started to sing softly with us. By the end of the next go round, he was almost full voiced— harmonizing in a rich, velvety baritone that gave me chills and made me want to cry at the same time. After the third time singing through that verse, he stopped and I wondered if he was done with the experience—instead he informed me that I had forgotten a verse or two. He peeked over at his nurse and gave her a wink. She started to laugh.

I asked if he’d teach me the verses—which he did—and we all three sang those last two verses together, with the nurse clapping right along. When we were done singing, I thanked him for teaching me the song properly and walked out of the room humbled not only by his strength, but also by his patience, wisdom and willingness to open up to us.

There are times when I am on the road feeling low, rundown or lost that I recall that moment, which was as true a moment as I have ever spent with music. It reminds me that music is not a means to an end but rather an ever-flowing body that nurtures us, challenges us and connects us all.

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Amos Lee has just released his fourth album, Mission Bell, on Blue Note Records. For more information about Musicians on Call, please visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

Amos pulled off a fantastic set in Indianapolis, strep throat and all. His band entourage was as many deep as I have seen complete with 2 backup singers. He played The Egyptian Room to folded chairs the length of a massive room. Acoustics were perfect, the crowd even more so. Only occasional chatter, ever so soft. For most of the evening you could hear a pin drop.

I missed the Secret Sisters, the opening act, however, was able to chat with them after the show at the merch table. I purchased a CD, asked them to sign it, told them I unfortunately missed their set but would see them in Nashville. Very sweet ladies, apparently quite the buzz these days. They told me a secret guest would be making an appearance with them in Nashville. I told them I would be sure not to miss it. It’s much easier (for me) getting to a show from a hotel room than from a home where Mom & wife are more in play.

Amos pulled out two covers, John Prine and Neil Young, dealing with strep throat, nonetheless.

Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cjyFOwqvBI&feature=channel_video_title

Are You Ready For The Country

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C1nlQQoPtA

John Prine singing Sabu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9GBZ2qNvDs&feature=player_embedded#at=61

First, thank you for those eh Canadian links. I’ve been preoccupied with pre-show tasks for road trips plus travel, show, etc. so I missed this. I’m looking forward to watching/listening to them after I get caught up with the day to day. I think he crossed the border to do this promo stuff plus he did a few things in NYC around the same time.

I never made it to the Grimey’s In Store. I saw it posted on his FB page late Thursday evening and never had time to prepare to get there. A girl I met last year at one of Amos’s shows at The Mercy Lounge made it at the last minute. She said 200 chairs were set up and she was in the back.

The show at the Ryman was absolutely phenomenal. My first visit to that storied venue was last year at the AMA’s. I then saw JM, front row center (!) last November. This visit had me in the balcony, front row, and advice from a friend of mine is the place to be to hear a show at The Ryman is seated in that balcony. I couldn’t agree more! I’ve seen Amos 11 or 12 times, and this one was, by far, the most superior sounding show EVER. The Secret Sisters opened and brought their father out to sing with them. During Amos’s set, he brought them out to sing a few, with one of the songs being “Clear Blue Eyes” along with Mickey Raphael on harp. Absolutely amazing ! I’m so glad he included that song in the setlist. He was grooving on it much the same way he did in LA with Lu. I have it recorded on my camera but had to turn it on with no video as I was politely told prior, by security, there was no video recording (I had to turn my camera off mid song of the most beautiful version of “Violin”). There was no mention of a Lu tour from the stage. He did mention two items of note. A video was in the works for “Windows Are Rolled Down” as well as proclaiming he would love to record his next record in Nashville. He played one potential song for said record, “Johnson Boulevard,” only to have it interrupted by a disruptive fan that had to be removed. He made light of the situation, saying he was really in the moment, and wanted to try to go back to the bridge to find it again.

Thanks, most excellent on the Dakota Sessions, lwj!

He is making guest appearances in May on the night time circuit. Really looking forward to seeing him play with Jimmy Fallon’s The Roots band. Following was from an antiMusic recap as part of top story of the week–announcement of Amos & Lu’s 9 show run.

Lee will appear on TBS’s Conan on May 9th and on NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, performing “Jesus” (off Mission Bell) with The Roots, on May 26th. Lee will also appear on CBS’s The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson with an airdate to be announced.

http://www.antimusic.com/news/11/april/ts12Amos_Lee_Announces_Dates_With_Lucinda_Williams.shtml

On Tuesday Amos Lee Announces Dates With Lucinda Williams was a top story. Here is the recap: Amos Lee will hit the road with singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams for a series of shows in July.
Lee’s dates with Williams kick off on July 13th after Lee winds up his headlining spring tour followed by a series of festivaldates, including The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in April, Bonnaroo in June, two shows with the Dave Matthews Band Caravan in June and July, the Newport Folk Festival in July, and a performance with My Morning Jacket at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in August.

Lee will appear on TBS’s Conan on May 9th and on NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, performing “Jesus” (off Mission Bell) with The Roots, on May 26th. Lee will also appear on CBS’s The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson with an airdate to be announced. – more on this story

HA! I’ll expand more on this when time permits, but the back story on the shower of love is hilarious (to me).

Mutlu, AKA “Angel,” is a singer songwriter from Philadelphia, and I think its safe to say he and Amos are very good friends. It seems Amos likes having him on the road with him. He’s opened shows for Amos over the years and at present is one of the two backup singers on the “Mission Bell” tour.

They started this schtick a year or so ago. Mutlu comes out as the “Angel” to sing, sort of ad lib, with Amos. I’ve heard the shower of love and the hot dog of love and the hotel freaky version of love. It’s very entertaining.

This is an excellent, excellent rendition. The Angel appears at the 4:00 minute mark but the whole song is just great. They have a great repoire.

I had a great time, true dat (a nod to NOLA speak). Believe it or not I wasn’t up front but a satisfactory place for me. There is a VIP section [an astronomical amount of money] which allows one in the 1st partition of barriers. I was positioned about 4 rows back in the peon section, the second set of barriers. I could have been on that second rail but DH was with me and he doesn’t do well with standing shows. He did make it thru Amos’s set but he was in the back of the crowd and watched on the big screen 😆 while I was able to maneuver thru the crowd without irritating too many.