muley

When I was a kid, I used to listen to only records of Sesame Street or Disney. I had audio tapes of books in which you “turn the page when you hear the chimes ring like this.” I had a baby sitter, Junie, an older black woman who took very good care of me and protected me well (my mom was a single, working mother). I used to hear her old records, scratching from years of use, but never paid any attention to them.

It wasn’t until my insomnia as a child had me up late watching Saturday Night Live and Garrett Morris introduced Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, the Blues Brothers, that I paid attention to something other than Muppets or Disney. There they came out, to a rousing tune, in their black suits and shades. I thought they were two of the coolest people on the planet! Then, they did something very Muppety to me--they began dancing. Their arms and legs flailing all about to the rhythm of the song. Soul Man was playing. That song, thanks to the Blues Brothers, was the first time anything other than the usual stuff I listened to as a kid turned my attention. For the longest time, because I didn’t know the song, I walked around and all I would sing is “Soul Man.”

After that, my mom got me a Sam & Dave album with Soul Man on it, soon after a Blues Brothers album on which they introduced names of original performers of the songs they sang, and I began to research those names and become acquainted with their music.

Among those names I discovered David Porter and Isaac Hayes.

From the Memphis Stax recording studios, Isaac Hayes and David Porter partnered together and created some of the very best music on the planet, including Soul Man. I was proud to get to hear records with Isaac Hayes’ music on them, and let him sit on the sidelines of my musical fandom.

I never forgot him, of course. After several years with Muley as The Official SpokesMule of the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis, my volunteerism with the house found Muley speaking at an Oscar Night America party, hosted at Isaac Hayes’ Food Music and Passion Restaurant and Club in Peabody Place here in Memphis. The party was in association with the Oscar Awards, and the gimmick was that people would be in costume of movie stars, and it worked out great! My buddy Lin Workman and I made an appearance there as The Memphis Blues Brothers. We got to meet, greet, and seat Isaac Hayes at his personal table there at the club! I hope to find a photo to post of this evening.

I remember we were short on time and I almost didn’t get to do what we were supposed to do: Between the segments of the show there were performers singing, and Lin and I, also known that night as Linwood and Soloman DH Blues respectively, were to perform Soul Man on stage. They told us, “There isn’t enough time.” I was completely upset: Here I was, about to perform a song for a musical icon dressed as a character based on other musical icons, including the fact that it’s one of my all-time favorite songs, and they are telling me no? No way! I pushed and we were soon onstage performing Soul Man in front of the man who composed the song’s music.

Afterwards, Lin and I--er, Linwood and Soloman made their way to Isaac. “We didn’t skewer the song too bad, did we?” Asked Linwood. “No,” came that deep voice from Isaac, “you did just fine!”

The song had made it full circle back to Isaac Hayes, and I was happy.

Several years later, I think he remembered us as we met him and bought an autographed copy of a cookbook he co-wrote, and below is a link to a photo from that event.

I am saddened by our loss of Isaac, but as a fan, I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to perform Soul Man live on stage before the great Isaac Hayes, and I’m thankful for the years of entertainment this great talent has given us.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/2624573

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... d-dead-66/

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... index.html