Back in the 1980s, my sister-in-law, Marie Erwin, was a very special blues singer, in the vein of Janis Joplin. She was one of the first singers in my early band, Marie and The Movers. When she passed away five years ago, at her eulogy I said that she was the dragon I was still chasing 40 years later. I never found a singer who could replicate what Marie did.
Sadly, today I have another dragon to chase. My friend and bandmate of forty years, Tom Wright, passed away last night at 11:20 PM. On August 22, the day after we had played a gig, we got news that Tom had had a stroke. The next time he came home from the hospital in October, he was on hospice. He passed last night at 11:20 PM.
Tom had a tone and style of playing guitar that had come from years of listening, absorbing, studying, obsessing, and, yes, purchasing. His equipment was all vintage, both amps and guitars, and it HAD to be in mint condition. Mint. Pristine. NO flaws. But these were not trophies to be viewed from a case. Tom used them all on his many gigs (stories of how he compulsively cared for them, though, are legendary). Initially identifying with the tones and playing styles of Roy Buchanan and Mike Bloomfield, with his vintage gear he developed the warmest, fattest, most natural guitar tone I have ever heard. To me there were elements of Santana and David Gilmore. I’m sure other people had different famous guitars player who they thought he brought to mind. But what we were all hearing was Tom, and his prodigy at assimilating every tasty guitar player he had ever heard, using his spontaneity, creativity, knowledge, and vast talent, all through that tone that really came straight from God.
And his solos!! Most frequently heard about Tom among other musicians is, “He picks such beautiful notes.” Graceful phrasing. Dramatic crescendos. Soulful expression. He was never thought of as a guitar hero- it wasn’t about how many notes he could play. For Tom, the approach was always what are the best notes/phrases I can play here, and how can I play them? Then he used his ingenuity and creativity to simply tell his musical story.
But it’s possible to be both a good musician, and a poor ensemble player. Good bands always sound like much more than good musicians playing together. The magic happens when musicians listen to each other. This is especially important with Tom and me because we both played rhythm instruments- guitar and piano- and it’s very easy to step all over each other while performing. But Tom listened, and understood the value of space in music. And that for me, as well as the rest of the band, left room to feel and express my own parts. He had no ego- he was a consummate ensemble player.
Tom was also a master rhythm player- one where you might not hear or recognize his rhythm part, but most certainly would notice something was wrong with the song if his part wasn’t there. Borrowing from some 70 years of rock’n’roll Americana, his ideas were brilliant, and limitless. Tom and I worked seamlessly together as two rhythm players for 40 years. I was very, very fortunate.
As Tom’s health situation got worse quickly, the clock ticked louder and we knew time was becoming a factor. There were things that still needed to be said. Though this is extremely personal, I want to share it. Tom was thanking me for all the years of musical joy and life experiences that we had shared. He wanted to make sure I knew he was grateful for the opportunity he had to work with me, and vice versa. And then he had a request that broke my heart. He asked me not to forget him when I play music.
I told Tom that forgetting him is an impossibility. Because throughout my life, whenever Tom played, or spoke, I listened. I learned and absorbed so much from him, about music, and about life. I needed his confirmation always, and seeking his opinion, especially regarding music, was essential to me. So great has been his influence in my life that he is now ingrained in my DNA. I told Tom it will therefore be impossible for me to forget him when I play in the future, because he will be there to choose and shape every note I ever play, and every thought I ever have. But though he will be with me always, he has become yet become another dragon I shall never catch.
I am a lucky man to have played with men like Tom Wright and John Hoik (our drummer who had passed just two years ago). They were beacons in my life, and I’m not sure how to proceed without them. But I will honor them daily, and I hope to God you might see or hear a part of them in me when I play or speak.
The song attached to this post, Falling for You, was recorded in August, shortly before Tom’s first stroke. All of the videos on the Kid Pinky YouTube channel have Tom playing guitar. Part of the reason we do the videos is so that whatever musical legacy we have is preserved. Live on Tom.
At least now he’s back to playing his guitar, and that thought almost made me smile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txclorX-svs