Dobie Grey "drifts away," RIP

Used to see Mr. Gray kicking around Nashville a lot when I was a kid. Seems you can't listen to a 70s soft-rock station more than 20 minutes and not hear his signature tune.

http://www.dobiegray.com/

 

Great, great song. RIP.

 

Sonny Bono was Phil Spector's right-hand man before they fell out, so the naming of Dobie Gray is not totally out of the blue.

 

One of the best covers of "Drift Away" you'll hear... Aug. 20, 1984, Springsteen at the Meadowlands with special guests Steve Van Zandt (who had left the E Street Band at that point to pursue a solo career) and the Miami Horns...

(audio only, no video)

 

Springsteen's got nothin' on Uncle Kracker.

 

He's finally back in with the in crowd.

 

Good song. R.I.P.

 

Also dying Tuesday, another non-country, Nashville music figure: Barbara Orbison. She died from pancreatic cancer exactly 23 years to the day from the death of her husband, Roy.

When I was working on Music Row, Barbara was known for having the very best parties in town...they'd start at about 2 in the afternoon at the big office building on West End that she owned and they'd roll on until 5 in the morning. Every songwriter in town would hang out there, and they'd attract the wannabe singers like Toby Keith, who would in turn attract the wannabe video models, so before you knew it, the place would be packed.

 

ESJ, there is a fantastic version of song from Memphis in 1985, which is on one of the Greasy Lake compilations. I couldn't find it on You Tube. IMO, one of the top 3 Bruce covers of all time (along with "I Don't Wanna Go Home" from the GOTJ tour stop in Asbury and "Higher and Higher" from Philly last tour).

 

Can't stand that song.

And that's why.

RIP, anyway.

 

Dobie Gray is black?
Did not picture that. Never looked up a photo or saw him on TV. Figured he looked like Van Morrison but with a huge beard. Son of a bitch.