Blues On Stage - Anson Funderburgh & Sam Myers

Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets w/Sam Myers
@ Famous Dave's, June 20, 1998
by Ann Wickstrom

Anson Funderburgh
Famous Dave's, 6/20/98
Photo © 1998 by Tom Asp. All rights reserved

This gig wasn't without it's problems, but they weren't Anson's fault and you can always rely on him for solid, smooth, mostly traditional guitar playing.

The blonde Texan and his entourage, including singer Sammy "Noodlehead" Myers, treated the crowd to some standards such as the Freddie King instrumental "Sidetracked" (one of Anson's favorites), some Little Walter, "Shake & Bake" (sometimes referred to as "Finger Lickin' Good"), "Sweet Little Angel," an in-your-face Albert Collins-style original instrumental, and a Slim Harpo song sung by Anson's wife Renee. Anson even threw in a little slide guitar.

Sam Myers
Photo © 1998 by Tom Asp.
All rights reserved
Myers, who is legally blind and must be helped on and off the stage, was dressed in a very snappy black pin-striped suit. You can't help but chuckle at his innocent yet hilarious on-stage banter. Several times he referred to "our performance here this afternoon", even though it was after 9:00 p.m. At one point he said, "It's Father's Day tomorrow and everything, you know, and being from Mississippi and all, I don't know WHO my father is. Come to think of it, I don't think I even HAVE a father." Sammy's voice was very nasally. I'm not sure if he had a cold or if I've just never noticed it before.

Sam Myers
Photo © 1998 by Tom Asp.
All rights reserved
The problems were related to the sound on the bass and the bass player himself. He started out on a stand-up but the notes were just a fuzzy mess. He switched to an electric bass on the second song, but even after the sound problem was fixed, his playing was nowhere near the level of the other players, and as a result he really held this band back.

All of that aside, I'll be looking forward to a return engagement from Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com

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Copyright © 1998 by Ray M. Stiles
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