son of the south
In keeping with what is apparently a southern theme for my posts today, I did want to pay tribute to a true "Son of the South", Mr. Toy Caldwell.
Recently, I purchased the concert DVD "Live From the Garden State", a Marshall Tucker Band live performance in New Jersey, produced for MTV in 1981. I have been a huge Marshall Tucker Band fan since the late 70's, and I have seen them in concert on several occasions (1980, 1992, 1993, and 1996), but it took me watching the concert DVD to fully appreciate the magic, and the intensity, and the true greatness of the backbone of the original MTB--Toy Caldwell.
The original lineup for MTB was a collection of wonderful musicians, and they each brought their own unique gift to the group. Tommy Caldwell was the front man, played the bass guitar, and provided the vision for the band. Doug Gray was the lead vocalist for most of the songs. Doug was a student of the blues, and brought that influence to MTB. George McCorkle was the band's rhythm guitarist, and he wrote several of their songs, most notably Fire On The Mountain. His background was in country. The drummer was Paul Riddle, a student of Buddy Rich, and probably the only drummer in southern rock/country who was trained in jazz. Jerry Eubanks played sax and flute; the sound of his flute combined with Doug Gray's voice to create the "Marshall Tucker Band sound." As great as all of those guys were, Toy Caldwell, Tommy's brother, was the backbone of the band, the "straw that stirred the drink."
Toy Caldwell played lead guitar and occasionally sang lead vocals, most notably on the southern rock anthem Can't You See. Toy was also the band's principle song writer; he wrote 65 songs on the band's first 13 albums. The official Marshall Tucker Band website says, "It was from the heart and soul of Toy Caldwell that the majority of the Marshall Tucker Band's music originated. His lyrics and music touched many. For a lot of us it has touched us in a way no other music has, before or since." Craig Cumberland writes, on www.tuckerhead.com, "...it was Toy's songs that established the Tucker sound. In addition to his songwriting skills, his stage presence as a guitar player is unparalleled. He is not the household name that Eric Clapton is, but he should be. He was as amazing to watch as Jimi Hendrix. Anyone who watched him flail away his lead guitar licks WITH HIS THUMB walked away awestruck, dumbfounded and mesmerized all at once...and when he sang Can't You See, it was as if God was singing the blues!" Hank Williams, Jr. once refered to Toy's playing style as "The Thumb of Thunder."
Toy left the band (along with everybody else except Doug and Jerry) in 1984. He was worn down by the road, and spiritually drained due to losing two brothers (Tommy and younger brother Tim) in separate auto accidents just months apart in 1980. After leaving MTB he formed the Toy Caldwell Band and in 1992 released a self-titled solo album. It was later re-released by good friend Charlie Daniels as Son of the South in 2000. Tragically, Toy died of heart desease in 1993.
I have watched the concert DVD and been amazed by the raw, unbridled passion of Toy's guitar playing and his singing. The man was raw emotion personified on the stage!
I'll end with these words of tribute written by Charlie Daniels. May God bless you, Toy!
There was a whole lot of country in this Son of the South. He had the greatest respect for the West. He liked horses and saddles and rifles and such. But he loved that old guitar the best. He played different from anyone I'd ever known. Cause he did it all with his thumb. He could play it as tender as a virgin's first kiss. Or blast it all to kingdom come...He wrote about you and he wrote about me. A message to all common men...He went through the hell they called Vietnam. Knew the frustration that war could bring. But he served his country and he did it proud. Old Toy was a damn good Marine...I was out on the road way up in New York when I first got the word you'd gone on. And though that guitar has been silenced forever, it's still hard to believe that you're gone. But some nights when me and the boys feel like jammimg, we'll burn into old "Can't You See." And if I'm picking hot it ain't hard to imagine that you're standing next to me. I miss you old friend. There's a piece of my heart that will never belong to anyone but you.
Recently, I purchased the concert DVD "Live From the Garden State", a Marshall Tucker Band live performance in New Jersey, produced for MTV in 1981. I have been a huge Marshall Tucker Band fan since the late 70's, and I have seen them in concert on several occasions (1980, 1992, 1993, and 1996), but it took me watching the concert DVD to fully appreciate the magic, and the intensity, and the true greatness of the backbone of the original MTB--Toy Caldwell.
The original lineup for MTB was a collection of wonderful musicians, and they each brought their own unique gift to the group. Tommy Caldwell was the front man, played the bass guitar, and provided the vision for the band. Doug Gray was the lead vocalist for most of the songs. Doug was a student of the blues, and brought that influence to MTB. George McCorkle was the band's rhythm guitarist, and he wrote several of their songs, most notably Fire On The Mountain. His background was in country. The drummer was Paul Riddle, a student of Buddy Rich, and probably the only drummer in southern rock/country who was trained in jazz. Jerry Eubanks played sax and flute; the sound of his flute combined with Doug Gray's voice to create the "Marshall Tucker Band sound." As great as all of those guys were, Toy Caldwell, Tommy's brother, was the backbone of the band, the "straw that stirred the drink."
Toy Caldwell played lead guitar and occasionally sang lead vocals, most notably on the southern rock anthem Can't You See. Toy was also the band's principle song writer; he wrote 65 songs on the band's first 13 albums. The official Marshall Tucker Band website says, "It was from the heart and soul of Toy Caldwell that the majority of the Marshall Tucker Band's music originated. His lyrics and music touched many. For a lot of us it has touched us in a way no other music has, before or since." Craig Cumberland writes, on www.tuckerhead.com, "...it was Toy's songs that established the Tucker sound. In addition to his songwriting skills, his stage presence as a guitar player is unparalleled. He is not the household name that Eric Clapton is, but he should be. He was as amazing to watch as Jimi Hendrix. Anyone who watched him flail away his lead guitar licks WITH HIS THUMB walked away awestruck, dumbfounded and mesmerized all at once...and when he sang Can't You See, it was as if God was singing the blues!" Hank Williams, Jr. once refered to Toy's playing style as "The Thumb of Thunder."
Toy left the band (along with everybody else except Doug and Jerry) in 1984. He was worn down by the road, and spiritually drained due to losing two brothers (Tommy and younger brother Tim) in separate auto accidents just months apart in 1980. After leaving MTB he formed the Toy Caldwell Band and in 1992 released a self-titled solo album. It was later re-released by good friend Charlie Daniels as Son of the South in 2000. Tragically, Toy died of heart desease in 1993.
I have watched the concert DVD and been amazed by the raw, unbridled passion of Toy's guitar playing and his singing. The man was raw emotion personified on the stage!
I'll end with these words of tribute written by Charlie Daniels. May God bless you, Toy!
There was a whole lot of country in this Son of the South. He had the greatest respect for the West. He liked horses and saddles and rifles and such. But he loved that old guitar the best. He played different from anyone I'd ever known. Cause he did it all with his thumb. He could play it as tender as a virgin's first kiss. Or blast it all to kingdom come...He wrote about you and he wrote about me. A message to all common men...He went through the hell they called Vietnam. Knew the frustration that war could bring. But he served his country and he did it proud. Old Toy was a damn good Marine...I was out on the road way up in New York when I first got the word you'd gone on. And though that guitar has been silenced forever, it's still hard to believe that you're gone. But some nights when me and the boys feel like jammimg, we'll burn into old "Can't You See." And if I'm picking hot it ain't hard to imagine that you're standing next to me. I miss you old friend. There's a piece of my heart that will never belong to anyone but you.
posted by hondo at 12:19 AM
1 Comments:
I sat next to a Caldwell in church today, but I couldn't get the nerve up to ask if he is related to the MTB Caldwells. He is a young guy early-mid twenties, engaged to a daughter of the church.
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