This week I thought that I would enlighten everybody with another Roy Buchanan song done by a different artist. I’ve been following Jimmy Thackery since the late 70’s when I friend turned me on to this rocking blues band from Washington D.C. called The Nighthawks. Some of you readers out on the East Coast probably have heard of them and maybe even seen them live. Although Jimmy Thackery left The Nighthawks in the 80’s they have been going strong under the leadership of founding member Mark Wenner and his masterful harmonic playing. Back in the 70’s The Nighthawks and George Thorogood were really good friends (Jan Zukowski the bass player for The Hawks even played the with George at “Live Aid”). One story I read on there friendship talked about how “The Hawks” and George Thorogood would be playing on the same street and George would change places with Jimmy and they would jam with the other band.
Since 1979 I have seen Thackery around 15 times (give or take a few). Jimmy is in my top 5 favorite guitarists of all time. Back in the 80’s and 90’s he would play for hours and the best part was we never had to travel far because he always made stops out here in the Bay Area, and it seemed like he was out here almost every year. Now days the shows are not as long but what you do get displays his guitar skills. Besides Buchanan I have heard or seen him do versions of tunes by many great legends. On the widget I have put a link to one of his versions of Red House that really rocks. Jimmy Thackery tours every year so if you have never seen him live I suggest you check out his site and se if he shows up at a venue near you. I’m already looking forward to my annual show next month.
Here is one of Roy’s versions of “Roy’s Bluz” that was taped soon after his 1975 LP Live Stock.
Forgotten Rock Classics 
I saw the Nighthawks in 1975 at the great southeast Music Hall opening for Muddy and when I saw Jim Thackery play guitar, my mind wandered the Rey I’d the night and I found myself not paying much attention to Guitar Junior Non Margolin, or Muddy the rest of the night. He was a kid, I was 18 so that made Jimmy about 23. I think it is great for people to find him later on and personally love turning people on to him. But watching his development from the beginning with the nighthawks and the evolution into the Assassins, and finally the Drivers, gave me that ability to watch a guitar hero be created. Even thought the blues is not main stage music, he is a player on par with any in the world, especially in the range of 1985 to about 1997. He was the ultimate cool guitar player, and now he lives on a Caribbean island and does not get out as much as before. For those who saw him in the 70’s, we got a chance to see greatness for a long time that spoke to me personally every time I saw him. The shame is I haven’t seen one since that did the same thing.
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I could’t have said it better. Somewhere in my pictures collection I have a picture of “The Nighthawks” taken right after they played out here Must have been around 1980. A bunch of us where out looking at a 55 Chevy and they came out to have a smoke and joined us.
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Man do you come up with some gems! Keeps CB connected to the roots of why he digs this music. I only have one Thackery album. I should have more. That cut is dynamite. Roy’s piece is just off the map. i have the ‘Live Stock’ album and listened to it a while back. I put in my hot pile. Great stuff. Keep it coming.
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CB you need to listen to “When a Guitar Plays the Blues” by Roy. This was the first record that he recorded were he had much more control over it. The title song is a true Buchanan classic and the whole album is great blues. As for Jimmy he does have some pretty good albums out there but like all great blues artists there is nothing like seeing them live. He used to do a awesome version of Hendrix “Star Spangled Banner” live.
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I hear you on the “Live” thing. Guys like Jimmy always come off better live. I will check out your recommendation on Roy. Thanks.
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I still remember when we saw him live, in the front row, at the Jazz festival. Fun times!
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That was a great show. To bad they only gave him a little over an hour to play. His version of the “Star Spangled Banner” that day was right on.
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