Servant King, that's some primo blues, exquisite keyboard. What's the group and who are the rest of the ensemble?
Different genre, but I have a friend who does the best covers of Hank Williams I've heard, powerful tenor with guitar chops.
The music industry illustrates that the cream often does not rise to the top. I often hear not well known musicians who equal the best known.
Thanks! The group was The Cole Downing Band, of which I was a stalwart member for about five years. That band always had a revolving door of other musicians, though. The only other guy in that session who I even remember a full name of was the other keyboardist, John McBride (Hammond B3 organ on this track). Joe on drums, Jeremy on bass, and a guy named Ray sharing vocals with Cole. Please excuse the absence of surnames--perhaps the high quantity of pot I was smoking at the time was partially to blame for this lack.
I think Cole still does stuff in and around LA, but I'm not sure in what capacity (especially for the last 18 months or so), and we kind of lost touch after I moved out of the city in 2016. Your observation is pretty much spot-on; the cream usually stays at the bottom! I definitely understand why--cheaper rent, better looking women etc.
Interesting fact about that session (at Capitol Records' Studio B) was that I was told afterward that I was playing Nat King Cole's piano. Also, the Hammond organ belonged to Billy Preston, and even had his signature on the sheet music holder on top of the organ console. Pretty big shoes to fill, on both accounts. I'm just glad I didn't flub any notes, especially on the tinkly cascading part in the beginning... ?