White's Bar News

This is photo from 2006; L-R Andy Reed, Bo White, Jason Reed and David Mead. This was his second performance at White’s – a Reed Brothers production. I just contributed a few bucks. David is one of many middle class musicians who passed through White’s through the years. It was only a chance encounter that brought patrons through the hallowed and terribly stained arches of this little juke joint… Mead, Larry McCray, Rusty Zinn, The Sights, Junior Watson, Dr. Slide, Jim McCarty, Johnny Bassett, JoCaine, and Alberta Adams, just to name a few.  By and large they all busted their humps, played great and picked up a few bucks. It was never enough money. They deserved more. With a few notable exceptions I never really got to know these musical gypsy vagabonds. But I loved them just the same. They inspired me and led me down the eight fold path - to make a living in a righteous way, to seek truth. Mead was more accessible than many. I remember sitting with him at the corner of the bar by the front window. He talked about his recent marriage to artist Natalie Cox, recording in New York and his preference for touring as a solo artist. He gave me a copy of his new CD Tangerine. I could tell he was digging the new pop emphasis in his songwriting. Mead played many of the songs from Tangerine including Chatterbox, Hunting Season, Hallelujah I Was Wrong, and Hard To Remember. Meade has a smooth tenor reminiscent of a young Bruce Johnston (Beach Boys). One of my personal highlights was Meade singing God Only Knows. It is superb. Most of all I liked David Meade’s integrity. He and the Reed Brothers were a perfect match.