The Nighthawks: Trouble


The Nighthawks : Trouble
RUF 1064

More about The Nighthawks

10.00 Euro




Release date

1/2001

Release Notes

Originally released in 1991 on vinyl, this release represented the real rebirth of the Nighthawks and put them back on the map during a time when they were nearly invisible in the ever-expanding blues scene of the late 80's. With Mark Wenner on harp and vocals, Pete Ragusa on drums, Jan Zukowski on bass, Danny Morris on guitar, and Mike Cowan on keyboards, this digitally remastered release is sure to be welcomed "trouble". Adding a helping hand is Bob Margolin on guitar, Mitch Collins on organ and Ratso adding backup vocals along with Juanita Deshagior.

"After Jimmy Thackery's departure in 1986, Pete, Jan and I continued working as the Nighthawks but we let the spotlight shine on bigger names. We became Elvin Bishop's East coast Band, working with him from Nova Scotia to Key West. We functioned as a core band for several of the Rosebud Agency's blues tours, backing John Lee Hooker, Pinetop Perkins, John Hammond, Elvin, and Charlie Musselwhite. We featured Jimmy Hall from Wet Willie and Jimmy Nalls from Sea Level for several years, and played with an all-star list of guitarists including Bob Margolin, James Solberg, Stewart Smith, Pete Kennedy, Warren Haynes, Keith Grimes, Ratso, Rusty Bogart, Ivan Applerouth and Phil Petroff. As the final decade of the century began, it was the time for the Nighthawks to step forward again. Our only releases in the late 80's, Live In Europe and Backtrack, were both recorded during Thackery's final weeks in 1986. Several demos recorded with Hall and Nalls remained unreleased.

Danny Morris' first gig with the band was his only necessary audition. Danny and I had jammed together in bob Margolin's band in various places around Danny's native North Carolina, so we invited him to join us, unrehearsed, on a show in Norfolk, Virginia, opening for Robert Cray. Keith Grimes, a veteran D.C. guitarist, had learned the basic arrangements, so Danny was able to come in loose and free-swinging. First song, first solo, Danny stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. The crowd ate him up. Only twenty-four and looking younger, he knocked the crowd, and us, out. He got the job. We then tried pairing Danny with several other young guitarists, but the only happening potential partner was Phil Petroff of Syracuse, New York, whose young family and good day job kept us from offering him the potential poverty of road life. Danny suggested his own former partner in the Carolina band; Blues plate Special, keyboardist Mike Cowan. Mike, only nineteen (a fact we concealed from several curious club owners) and looking even younger, came to the band with an amazing knowledge of roots keyboard styles and a sense of knowing the appropriate bag for the material, wether it was Otis Spann for hard blues, Booker T. for soul, or Jerry Lee for Rockabilly. The combination jelled instantly. I was back as a front man and primary vocalist, with Pete Ragusa handling the soulful vocals. Danny brought material, both cover and originals, into the package. Just as we had done in 1974 when Pete and Jan first joined the band, we recorded TROUBLE right away. After years without "current product", we had become nearly invisible in the ever-expanding blues scene of the late 80's.

There had been a burst of bands playing blues supported by an increasing number of festivals, blues societies, radio shows and clubs, not only in the US but in Europe, Japan and South America as well. TROUBLE put us back on the map. Many of the tunes on this album are still frequently requested at our shows. Even the title song, one of Elvis Presley's last recordings, became a mega hit for Travis Tritt a year after the original release of our version. Danny wrote and sang WHY WHY BABY. Pete wrote and sang BLIND LOVE and revived I WOULDN'T TREAT A DOG from our still out of print Mercury album. I got to sing the aforementioned T.R.O.U.B.L.E. as well as cool tunes from Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, Ann Peebles, Big Walter Horton and Bob Dylan.
Mike finally turned twenty-one and left the band. He was not destined to be a road dog the way Danny was. Danny stayed on several more years, recording ROCK THIS HOUSE with us in 1993. At the end of 1994 he chose to go his own way, following his heart and love for twanging surf guitar. He has released several albums under his own leadership and continues to our relentlessly, in the true fashion of a Nighthawks alumnus. Pete Kanaras took over guitar chores at the beginning of 1995, but that, of course, is the next chapter. Ten years later I am proud of this recording that was, at the time, "celebrating 20 years of American Music" for the Nighthawks. Thanks for listening."

Mark Wenner. December 2000


Tracklist

  1. Blind Love
  2. 99 Pounds
  3. T.R.O.U.B.L.E.
  4. Hard Hearted Woman
  5. Why My Baby
  6. I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me)
  7. One Rock At A Time
  8. Leave My Woman Alone
  9. The Chicken And The Hawk
  10. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)
  11. Ride And Roll
  12. Tryin’ To Get To You