Friday, October 2, 2009
Metropolitan Blues Allstars
This group was from Kentucky & played the blues for many years before disbanding. They were a regular fixture at the Appalshop & the Hillbilly Nation Celebration that they put on every year. I have seen them many times over the years. Rodney Hatfield, the harmonica player is considered to be the king of the blues harp in eastern KY & probably the rest of the state. He is now in a band called Tin Can Buddha. I don't know what became of lead guitar player, Nick Stump, but he was a good one. Frank Schaap (from Coney Island) was the acoustic guitar player & had a voice comparable to Tom Waits. David White was the drummer & always worked up a jamming beat, not to mention a really good sweat. Check them out. I'm sure you can find some of them playing in some bar around the Lexington or Louisville areas of KY.
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saw the MBA in Johnson City, TN many years ago in a smokey little bar. They were great & still enjoy listening to their music. Often wondered what ever happened to them. _/) Imagine
ReplyDeleteLet's go way back to 1981 so. These guys used to play at JDI's ( Jefferson Davis Inn ) and Lynagh's in Lexington. Drummer was Dwight Dunlap , now has a recording studio, and a guitar player, bass I think, Bobby Montgomery. Rodney was lead and harmonica, of course. Anybody remember this?
ReplyDeleteI remember them at Lynagh's in Lexington and at JDI. Seems like early on the drummer was named DiMartino (Steve??) and they had a "girl singer" who I think was Wanda Thompson. They played the best live music I've ever heard. Everybody moves on, but I wish they'd stayed.
ReplyDeletePer the comments from "Anonymous'"; I too recall the MBA from Lynagh's in Lexington. In the late '70's I attended a close friend's wedding and after the "I Do's", my buddy literally LEFT his wife at the alter (reception) and told me there was a band I had to see. So he in his tux and me in suit and tie joined a rowdy college crowd raising the roof! I was working in the music business and an officer in the Blues Society of Indiana (now defunct); and commented that Indianapolis needed to hear this band. That drew some angry protest from the locals we were drinking with...and to avoid bodily harm (and being a yankee)I quickly added that we would be happy just to share their talent! Some years later BSI was fortunate to have the MBA perform at our Blues,Brew & B.B.Q.Festival. Next day they were the talk of this town too! The appearance led to gigs at local clubs so Indy fondly remembers (and mourns the loss of)the MBA.
ReplyDeleteRodney Hatfield is now in a band called 'Tin Can Buddah' IDK what has happened to the others...
ReplyDeleteCora Lee and The Townies has David White as drummer. Nick Stump plays around Lexington, and surrounding areas. The others I don't know about.
DeleteThey used to play the "Mountain Stage" radio show years ago and we used to go see them.
ReplyDeleteI always loved them cause a lot of white guys playing the blues sort of seem fakey, but their originals sort of used the blues to express Appalachian working class blues so in a way it was really original.
They finally came for a full show at the Empty Glass in Charleston and I can say years later it was probably in the top eschelon of all the blues shows I've seen. They blew the roof of the place.
I wish they were still around.
I saw them several times in the East Tenn area and I loved them! i have their recordings on tape and vinyl. i wish they would release those songs again digitally.
ReplyDeleteWe all still alive. I'm playing with my own band, The Nick Stump Band, with Ricky Baldwin, Steve Lyon, and other guys who are a revolving cast. Working on a new record. Rodney is in Louisville. He plays very seldom. He's settled in with his very successful art career. Frank and I are actually playing together tonight at Natasha's here in Lexington. Frank lives in New York, drives a cab and still plays all over the place.
ReplyDelete