New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the World’s greatest music cities.
Mac Rebennack was Dr. John, one of the singular faces and voices of New Orleans music.
A true leader in the studio, on the streets, and on stages of the World, Mac won 6 Grammys and became friends with Ken Ehrlich, the long-time producer of the show.
Mac was planning future projects when his life was unexpectedly cut short in 2019. Now, 3 years after his passing, Things Happen That Waywill see the light of day. The album, which features three brand new original compositions, an amazing reworking of Dr. John’s 1968 classic, I Walk on Guilded Splinters, and new interpretations of songs by Willie Nelson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Hank Williams, and The Traveling Wilburys was released on Friday.
Things Happen That Waymarks the fulfillment of a long-time goal of the six-time GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter/pianist and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, who first began plotting a country-inspired album decades ago. The album also features guest appearances by Aaron Neville, Mac’s long-time friend and frequent musical collaborator Willie Nelson, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.
Our guest this week is Mac Rebennack’s and Dr. John’s good friend, Ken Ehrlich.
When Mac passed, Ken was asked to write the liner notes for the album and give a farewell speech at Mac’s Celebration of Life.
Ken paints a warm verbal picture of the man called Dr. John. Through his dark days of prison and drugs, breaking free of addiction to light up the stages of the world!
And he reads the closing paragraphs of his farewell speech.
Join us as Ken Ehrlich remembers the legendary Dr. John and tells the story of his last album Things Happen That Way
Mac Rebennack – known the world over as Dr. John died at dawn on June 6, 2019. For some of us, he was Dr John. The Night Tripper. For ALL of us he was the voice and face of New Orleans.
His latest (and last?) album Things Happen That Way, releases Friday.
And what an album. Guests include Willie Nelson, Willies son Lucas Nelson and Promise of the Real. Aaron Neville.
Our interview guest is Ken Ehrlich who for over 40 years was the producer of the Grammy Awards. Mac had won 6 Grammys, which is how they met and became friends.
When Mac died Ken was asked to write the liner notes and give the farewell speech at Mac’s celebration of life.
Mac Rebennack was a musical genius, a mentor, a reformed addict, a Father, and husband. And such a character. Which is why Dan Auerbach is shooting a documentary on Dr. John.
The complete dialogue – and it includes Ken reading some of his farewell speech for us – can be enjoyed on the Mulligan Stew Podcast.
MUSIC THIS WEEK FROM
Dan Mangan
Snarky Puppy
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Whitehorse
Asleep at the Wheel/ Lyle Lovett
Madison Cunningham
Larkin Poe
And the tracks that make up Bob Dylan’s appearance at The Last Waltz.
This Saturday 5-7 MDT on CKUA Mulligan Stew presents:
Romi Mayes
Romi Mayes Biography
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Hailing from Winnipeg , Mayes is one of the hardest working independent musicians touring the globe today. Devil On Both Shoulders’, her 6th full-length release, is another testament to why Romi Mayes’ past albums have garnered three Western Canadian Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year, two Western Canadian Music Awards for Album of The Year, a Juno nomination for Album of the Year, and various Canadian Music Award nominations.
She has relentlessly toured Canada, US, Europe, UK, and has shared the stage with the likes of Levon Helm, Derek Trucks, Ricky Skaggs, Jim Cuddy, Gordie Johnson, Guy Clark, Sue Foley, Fred Eaglesmith, Corb Lund, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, and many more.
Romi joins us on The Stew as she launches into her 2015 tour..by playing her last Winnipeg gig..
Can’t wait to play for her alberta Fans..
Check out the tour schedule – and this is just Alberta….
Nobody outworks Romi Mayes..and now she has a great set of tunes to go with all the energy.
July dates: 07/15 Red Deer, AB – Fratters 07/16 Calgary, AB – Ironwood 07/17 Fort McLeod, AB – South Country Fair 07/18 Hinton, AB – Wild Mountain Music Fest 07/19 Edmonton, AB – Mercury Room 07/22 Jasper, AB – Jasper Legion
GUMBO…from Dr John
Follow on Twitter After over four years as The Night Tripper, Dr John returned to the music of his native city for his fifth album. Gumbo was a collection of covers of classic New Orleans tunes (including several Huey Smith songs), with Dr John leading a fantastic band consisting of keyboardist Ronnie Barron, bassist Jimmy Calhoun and drummer Fred Staehle, with horn arrangements from Harold Battiste. He himself called it “both a tribute to and my interpretation of the music I had grown up with in New Orleans in the 1940s and 1950s”.
It is often referred to as a corner-stone in New Orleans music. Produced by the one and only Jerry Wexler
His version of “Iko Iko” managed to break into the Top 40, and it took him from being an underground cult musician to a widely-recognized authority on the music of the Big Easy. It also showcased his dazzling piano skills, which he had never really utilized that much as The Night Tripper (with a few exceptions). Still today it is seen as one of the crowning achievements of his career.
Matt Rogers-The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer
Follow on Twitter When he’s not writing, recording and touring with his partner Shawn Hall, he’s quickly becoming one of the go to producers on the coast.
Working with Miss Quincy, Savvie and soon his brother Ben.
harp and Axe play the Calgary stampede July 3 Rd at the Palomino and Aug 1 at the Calgary Blues Fest
With a name like the Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, you might be forgiven for thinking that the Vancouver-‐based duo is some sort of concept group, based on a hypothetical love story between Captain Ahab and Lizzie Borden.’ – Chris Oke, Yukon News
In reality, Shawn ‘The Harpoonist’ Hall and Matthew ‘The Axe Murderer’ Rogers evoke much more than just grisly nautical imagery. Armed with an arsenal of harmonicas, a mess of foot percussion, and a road-worn Telecaster, the duo kick out raw and primal blues in the tradition of a ‘decades-deep blues style’ (Scott Brown, What’s up Yukon), while infusing the genre with a jolt of renewed energy.
The two met and bonded over music while recording a radio jingle. Their memorable name is inspired by a lyric from Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Bobby McGee’ that references the blues harp, (‘I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana’) and ‘axe’, a common term for the guitar.
Their influences range from the iconic songwriting of Willie Dixon to the boundary pushing of Jack White and Danger Mouse but their sound is distinctly their own, smothered in greasy, gritty soul and imbued with funk. Shawn Hall provides the rousing, rugged vocals and blues harmonica, while Matthew Rogers rips on the guitar and pounds the skins with his feet. Their music is unapologetic. It slaps you in the face and makes you sweat like it’s a sticky, summer night. It cuts you to the core. It’s the blues played the way it was meant to be played.
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