I photographed
Uncle John Turner for the Chronicle a few months ago. John was such a sweet man. He was very generous with his time and told me lots of great stories about old Austin. At the time I was unhappy with the photos because they seemed flat and over simplified. Looking back they seem honest and appropriate.
"Uncle" John Turner, the Austin bluesman who kept time for, among others,
Muddy Waters,
Jimi Hendrix,
B.B. King, and
Lightnin' Hopkins died last Thursday morning due to complications related to hepatitis C. Turner, 62, was born in Port Arthur, where he first met guitarist
Johnny Winter. With friend
Tommy Shannon on bass, the threepiece made blues history ("The Power of Three," April 13), cutting three seminal LPs,
The Progressive Blues Experiment,
Johnny Winter, and
Second Winter, and taking the stage at
Woodstock in 1969. Following the Winter trio's split, Turner moved to Austin in 1970, forming
Krackerjack with Shannon and the immortal
Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. For the past two decades, the skinsman has remained active in the local blues scene, backing
Alan Haynes,
Erin James, and
Appa Perry's Blues Power, along with his own eponymous trio. Last November, Turner reunited with Winter and Shannon one last time at
La Zona Rosa, playing together for the first time in more than 20 years. Both guitarist and bassist were scheduled to perform at the Aug. 1 benefit and tribute concert at
Antone's, whose proceeds will be used to offset final arrangements and medical costs. The beat carries on Sunday at
Threadgill's World Headquarters, beginning at 6pm, as friends and fans gather to celebrate Turner's life through stories and song.
Look. It's Phil from the Dead Oceans label. We had fun at the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems. That place is COOL! Pliny Fisk designed the place and it ROCKS. I photographed him there last year for BOA.
Today is my first full day of working in the studio. :) It was fun to "come to work" this morning. When I was picking my outfit it almost felt like the first day of school. The list of things the studio needs is ever growing, but I'm so happy to be here that it doesn't matter. Thanks Dana Falconberry!
3 Day
ACL is about access. For the 3 day ticket holders you can come and go from the park but you cannot go back stage or into the media area. You are trapped with only $3 waters and stinky porta potties to use. VIP is a little better. The VIPs get free food, free beer, golf cart rides, air conditioned toilets and you can catch a glimpse of your favorite rocker up close. This year I was lucky enough to have VIP(ish) creds, but I was still hot, tired, and dusty.
Still editing ACL stuff. Just came across this photo of Ben Kweller. He came out on stage carrying a bottle of cough syrup and a note written on an envelope. Strange. Maybe he was going to pour it on his face ala last year with the bloody nose.
