So You Want To Play In a Band Part 9

November was a time of change for BlueShadow. Personalities and relationships can fray. In any band change is inevitable; it was just our time. Melissa was no longer in the band. The reasons are unimportant now. I will tell you that some of my favorite moments of being in any performing group were singing harmony with Melissa on Suspicious Minds. When that tune comes on the radio you will find me singing for all I am worth and remembering those gigs---Thanks Melissa.








Now the search was on. With gigs coming up, we had the task of filling the lead vocal spot. The next gig in December was too close and BlueShadow would not be ready so we cancelled. This, in my opinion, is breaking one of the biggest rules in the business.







Jerry had been talking to vocalists and had asked the best candidate to come to our practice. Enter Joanie Stanley, fresh from performing as Patsy Cline to sell out audiences at the Play House.








Joanie can sing! I was also impressed with her ability to sight read the charts we threw at her. Now my only question was dedication to BlueShadow. It is always a band decision, so after talking with Joanie and Jerry I was convinced. (Joanie’s commitment has been proven time and time again over the last 5 months.)








Our first gig with Joanie as the vocalist was coming up fast (mid December). The band went into a two practice per week mode in order to get Joanie up to speed on 40+ songs. Amazingly it was not too steep of a challenge for her. When the night came I felt that we would be able to make it happen.






The start time was set for 9pm. Band members arrive typically at 6:30 to set-up. By 7pm we still did not have a guitar player. With no word from him we started to make calls. The last call was made to A.J. He was known to Todd, Pete, and me as a top notch bass/guitar player. He showed up at about 8:30. We did not have any music for him, so he read from the bass charts. A.J. played an amazing performance with great solo riffs.








The powerful vocals from Joanie (which is a whole other level from practice) and pinch hitting from A.J. had the owners asking Joanie and me to their office to offer us a two month stint as the house band.







A lesson learned, always have a back-up in mind. BlueShadow currently has a book of local players to fill in case of an emergency.
We had yet another gig New Years Eve, still without a regular guitar player. Pete convinced a friend to play with us for that show, so with only one practice we headed for a date with the New Year.








The show went very well. So well in fact, that we were paid a bonus. I have put a small clip of that night in the blog. One of the spouses took the footage. We had a great time in Frankfort. Again, some good pinch hitting in the rhythm section. Pleased with the night’s performance, I headed for home into the snowy night








.
More change. The band was in search of a permanent guitarist. We put the word out that BlueShadow was in need of a new band member. Jerry was contacted by three qualified players. I was pleased that good guitarists wanted to be part of our band. After hearing the players run through 10 or so songs, Mike Hunter was asked to join.








Mike certainly had the skills to play any of the charts we were performing, and moreover his feel for each song was and still is always dead on, either instinctively or he just knows every Motown, R&B, and Rock song ever written.








BlueShadow is complete and the band plays on...