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ifHi Ya’ll! Thanks for dropping by Virgil T’s space. Here’s a little bit about Virgil aka the red headed STEPCHILD, and Highway 41 Blues Band. Virgil was born and raised in Laurel, Mississippi and later moved to Mobile, Alabama. In 1980 he moved to Pensacola, Florida and formed the STEPCHILD Band. Singing mostly Southern rock, with a sprinkle of the Blues and a little Country. Virgil led his band to win every battle of the band competition from Ft. Walton Beach to Pensacola. In 1994 Virgil and Katy got married at 5 Flags Speedway as 800 Harleys revved their engines and Santa gave Katy away on the back of a Harley to Born To Be Wild. In August 1995 Virgil and Katy moved to the hills of Tennessee, so Virgil could pursue his music career.
On a dream and a prayer, and a piece of plastic worth $1000.00, Virgil and Katy loaded up a Ryder Truck , Virgil’s Intruder and Katy’s 67 BMW and headed for the mountains of East Tennessee. Katy had a job selling Smokie Mountain weddings, but there was a big problem. There was no place to rent in Gatlinburg. The greed of the greenback dollar, had shot the rent up,until only the tourists had a place to rent. They heard ninety percent of the working people in Gatlinburg lived in the campgrounds. They finally got a little room that was the pits. The ceiling tiles were missing, there were no sheets, ash trays, or towels. They went back to the motel where they had been staying and the owner gave them a set o sheets, towels and ashtrays, no charge! One night, we came in and there were mushrooms growing out of the carpet where the air conditioner had leaked onto the carpet. It was a dump!
Virgil was unable to find work there or a decent place to live, so they packed up the Intruder, left everything else in storage and headed to Nashville. Katy had lived in Nashville before moving back to Florida and knew this wasn’t the place to live. Party ..yes. Live..no! They spent a week in Nashville and decided to go to Murfreesboro.
For the next two months, they lived in the Murfreesboro Motel. While living there Virgil auditioned at Opryland. Now if you think Simon is bad on American Idol, you should see how they do it at Opryland. If they didn’t like your first 3 words, it was "thank you, NEXT!" Nine out of ten didn’t make it past the first 3 lines. When Virgil got up there, totally not fitting the clean cut look, they wanted, he played the South’s Going to do it Again and instead of the fiddle, Virgil blew his harp. They let him sing the entire song and when he got through, the judges said, "It’s nice to hear something different!! Good Luck!"
Virgil and Katy put over 3000 miles on the motorcycle between August and October, rented a little Geo when it got too cold, and put 3200 miles on it in four weeks looking for a place to live. By luck one day, they rode to Normandy and got a newspaper. That night they found the little cabin where they lived for the next six years.In 1999,
Virgil and Katy bought the 20 acre mountain they call Ishee Ridge and they built a beautiful poplar log home, finishing the inside, by themselves. Their home has a loft for overnight guest and for pick’n, and the full basement is where 41 Blues practices every Wednesday night. The main floor has a great wrap around porch, that they use for entertaining. When the band isn’t practicing, there are usually several musician friends that come over and sit out on the front deck and pick and grin.
It was slow going trying to find a band that needed a new lead singer. Finally Virgil began his own auditions, looking for qualified musicians. There were a few guys, but not enough to form a band.
In 1996, Virgil bought a beautiful original 1969 FLH Harley Davidson and got Katy a 1978 Police Special Harley Davidson, that they had found on a visit to Pensacola. When they got the bikes back to Tennessee, the bikes wouldn’t start. Katy had heard about David Henley who owns DH CYCLE in Hillsboro and gave him a call. He also rides a 76 Shovel. David came out that evening and changed out the jets on the bikes. It was an instant friendship when they met and found out they both loved music.Virgil was leaning towards, the Blues, cause he has that kind of voice. David told Virgil he would be interested in playing in a band. He had been playing in bands around middle Tennessee for 25 years. His experience was mostly country, but his love for down home blues, helped spark the formation of HIghway 41 Blues Band. David played rhythm and sang vocals. Then another Harley rider, Roger Johnson, started burning up the asphalt with David and Virgil on his 77 Shovel and jam’n. Roger played bass. Roger adds a rock solid bottom to the blues. Virgil had met Steve Church in Murfreesboro a few years before. Church had played with many bands throughout Tennessee. In the fall of ’96, Roger brought out Archie Whiehead who played lead and slide. There was magic the first night they played together. In 1997 Hghway 41 Blues Band was born on a ridge, high in the Tennessee hills.
In 2000, the band released their first cd, "Where Do I Stand". See reviews below. The band was on a roll and opened the Cherokee Survivors Motorcycle Rally for Kenny Wayne Shepherd and had the crowd of 17,000 singing along on the first song. The band played clubs in Nashville, Bourbon Street Boogie and Blues Bar and the Boardwalk. They also played the Tropicana Room in Chattanooga. It was there, the band opened the world famous Bessie Smith Strut Music Festival in June 2000. September 2000, Highway 41 Blues opend for the Dereck Trucks Band at the Nightfall Concert in Chattanooga. Their brightest highlight was when special guest, blues rock legend Lonnie Mack joined Highway 41 Blues on stage at the 2000 Highway 41 Toy Convoy, a huge charity event that Virgil and Katy put on every year.
What a treat it was for not just the band but for the people who had joined the convoy. It’s the only convoy of it’s type that invites everything that rolls, cars, bikes, jeeps, trucks vans and hotrods, and everyone brings a new unwrapped toy for a needy kid. It’s the first Sunday in November and this year they will celebrate their 12th year.
’Then in rode Charlie Potts, another biker
and owner of Charlie’s Automotive in Coalmont. Charlie rode a 1999 Fat Boy and also played the drums. The seemingly effortless blend of magic that Highway 41 Blues brings to each show is what brought the four of the five original band members back together.
Back Porch Blues is with 41 Blues, Liv’n in a Bottle and You Saved me are my two new solos. Hope you enjoy them. Look for more coming soon. I’v been in the studio working on my new CD, Virgil T. YOU SAVED ME AND LIV’N IN A BOTTLE will be on my new CD. It’s been an experience, play’n and sing’n and work’n with Stump Monkey Studio..Thanks Harry and to my best friend Uncle Tom who has taught me so much about playing. Here’s a few of the music reviews for Where Do I Stand: "FIVE POINTS MAXIMUM EVEN THOUGH WHERE DO I STAND WAS PRODUCED IN NASHVILLE, IT IS NEVERTHELESS A CLASSICAL BLUES ROCK ALBUM WITH ENORMOUS POWER. AN ALBUM THAT LETS THE SUN RISE IN YOUR HEART. I KNOW THAT’S SENTIMENTAL, BUT ARENT WE ALL?
IN A WAY THE HWY 41 BLUES BAND SOUNDS FAMILIAR,ALTHOUGH THIS IS THEIR DEBUT. SINGER VIRGIL T ISHEE REMINDS ME OF DAVID CLAYTON THOMAS WITH A DEEPER VOICE. ISHEE’S HARMONICA FITS PERFECTLY WUTG GUS ENERGETIC VOCALS. GUITARIST ARCHIE WHITEHEAD IMPRESSES WITH EXCELLENT RHYTHMS AND SLIDE SOLOS AND THE RHYTHM SECTION WITH ROGER JOHNSON ON BASS, STEVE CHURCH ON DRUMS AND DAVID HENLEY ON SECOND ELECTRIC GUITAR KEEP THE STEAM ALIVE. EXQUISITE OWN SONGS LIKE TIP OF THE ICEBERG TAKE TURNS WITH EXCELLENT COVERS LIE SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER.
THE BAND FROM SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE CAN BE COMPARED TO THEIR SOUTHERN COLLEAGUES LYNYRD SKYNYRD OR THE ALLMAN BROTHES, AS FAR AS THEIR DYNAMIC IS CONCERNED, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE MORE ROOTED IN THE BLUES. ESPECIALLY THE DUO, ISHEE/WHITEHEAD DOMINATES THE SOUND.ISHEE MUST BE CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE LEADING VOCALISTS OF THIS GENRE. PUT THIS CD IN YOUR PLAYER AND STEP OUT ON THE BLUES HIGHWAY. TO ALL PROMOTERS "THIS BAND WILL CERTAINLY CHANGE EVERY FESTIVAL INTO A HAPPENING! DIETM HOSCHER- CONCERTO""I DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PACT WAS MADE DOWON ON HWY 41, BUT ALL THE ELEMENTS IT TAKES TO EVOLVE INTO A GREAT BLUES BAND MANIFESTED ITSELF IN TULLAHOMA, TN IN THE CREATIONS OF THE HWY 41 BLUES BAND. ALL THE EXPERIENCES AND INFLUENCES OF VIRGIL T ISHEE AND ARCHIE WHITEHEAD BLEND TOGETHER PERFECTLY INI THE SOFT SOULFUL SOUND OF THIS BAND.IT IS A DELIGHTFUL BLUES ORIENTED ROCK. BLUES GOSPEL AND WAIT...I THINK I DETECT A BLUEGRASS FLAVOR IN SOME OF THEIR TUNES. YOU’LL BE SINGING ALONG WITH LOW DOWN AND DIRTY BY THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME YOU LISTEN. PART TIME LOVE CROONS LONELINESS THRU THE TIMELESS EXECUTION OF THE HARMONICA. THE ORIGINAL TUNE GREEZE MY SKILLET PROVES THESE GUYS KNOW THEIR OWN STYLE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS 11 MONTHS AND 29 DAYS, ANOTHER JAILHOUSE ROCKER PITS THE POOR MAN AGAINST THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THE HARD NOSE JUDGE OFFERING A STINT IN THE BIG HOUSE THRU PAY OR STAY POLICY. THIS SONG TOO, FEATURES HAUNTING MOUNTAIN MUSIC. THE RECORD ’S TITLE SONG "WHERE DO I STNAD" OFFERS A FOOT TAPPING RHYTHM WHILE PATIENTLY AWAITNG AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION SOLICITED BY THE SONG TITLE.
THE RHYTHM OF THIS RECORDING IS A PACE MAKER RANGING FROM BOUNCY TUNES TO SLOW MELODIC-BRING-A-TEAR-TO-THE-EYE-ROCK. WHERE DO I STAND ENCOMPASSES GUTSY VOCALS AND A CLEAN SMOOTH GUITAR AND SLIDE GUITAR APPROACH TO THE BLUES. ALEX ABERCROMBIE OF GRITZ THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHERN MUSIC AND MORE NOVEMBER 15, 2000." " IF YOU THOUGHT THAT THE DAYS OF THOSE GREAT SOUTHERN ROCK’N BANDS WERE IN DECLINE, JUST CHECK OUT HWY 41 , THE BAND WITH THE CREDENTIAL--THE SOUTH HAS ALREADY RISEN AGAIN.VIRGIL T ISHEE SOUNDS LIKE HE WASA FED SOUTHERN STYLE HARP WITH HIS GRITS AND THAN AS HE YELLED FOR MORRE DEVELOPED A VOICE THAT COULD BRING THE HOGS HOME AND POST SOME G REAT LYRICS IN THE BARGAIN. ARCHIE G. WHITEHEAD IS ONE HELL OF A STRIN BENDER LOOKIN AT THE TRACK LIST. AND SEEING LUTHER’S LOW DOWN & DIRTY
I THOUGHT, HMMM, HECK THIS BOY BLOWS IT APART AND EVERY OTHER CUT ON THE DISC. IN FACT ARCHIE’S PLAY’N IS JUST THAT, LOW DOWN AND EXTREMELY DIRTY. ROGER JOHNSON AND STEVE CHURCH HOLD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER WITH A BOTTOM AND THAT HAS NO PEER FROM THE RUMBLING BASS LINES TO THE VERY ECONOMICAL DRUMS...THIS IS VERY TIGHT UNIT AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DAVID HENLEY ON RHYTHM GUITAR, THE MOST OVER LOOKED PLAYER IN ANY BAND, HE IS JUST OUTSTANDING FLESHING OUT THE SOUND TO THE POINT THAQT THE BANDS TUNES ALMOST EXPLODE OUT OF THE SPEAKER. THE BANDS’ OWN MATERIAL STANDS UP WELL AGAINST THE BETTER KNOWN COVERS. IF YOU ARE INTO SLIDE TRY LOW DOWN AND DIRTY. SHAKE YOUR MONEYMAKER. TIP OF THE ICEBERG, WALK THRU THE CLOVER AND DELIVERY MAN STAND OUT AS ORIGINALS. THIS IS ONE CD THAT MUST BE PLAYED VERY LOUD. DON’T TAKE MY WORD. GRAB A COPY CAUSE THE SOUTH IS DOING IT AGAIN! BIG AL WATTS, PRESENTER OF BIG AL ’S RHYTHM ROUNDUP ON PBS 106.7 FM REAL RADIO, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA". ..."A VERY GOOD SOUTHERN ROCK BAND WITH BLUES LEANINGS. FANS OF LYNNRD SKYNYRD, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AND ZZ TOP WILL FIND MUCH TO LIKE WITHIN THESE GROOVES. QUALITY SINGIN AND PLAYIN. BOB CIANCI OF THE RIVER REPORTER." EXCELLENT RECREATION OF ELMORE JAMES CLASSICS AND BERNARD ALLISON 7 VERSIONS TOGETHER WITH ORIGINAL BAND’S SONGS, ALL OF THEM SPICE WITH A SOUTHER ROCK TOUCH. THEIR PERFORMIIIIIIING CARRIES THEIR OWN MARK AND PERSONAL GOOD TAST, SPECIALY THANKS TO THE GOOD PASSIONATE WORK OF ARCHIE WHITEHEAD ON GUITAR, TOGETHER WITH THE EXCELLENT VOCAL QUALITIES AND HARP ABILITES OF VIRGIL T ISHEE. THE REST OF THE MUSICIANS GIVE THE PERFECT BACKUP SUPPORT TO COMPLETE A GOOD CD, POWERFUL, BRILLIANT WITH A VERY CAREFUL PRODUCTION, TOO THAT BRINGS US A RECOMMENDABLE RECORD. GOOD ISA HORA DEL BLUES SPAIN""TENNESSEE BASED FIVE PIECE BAND PLAYS IT CLEAN OR DIRTY BEHIND THE MOOD OF GUITARIST ARCHIE WHITEHEAD, WHO SWITCHES FROM RAUNCHY SLIDE WORK ON LOW DOWN AND DIRTY TO A ROBERT CRAY STRAT SOUND ON TIP OF THE ICEBERG. VIIRGIL ISHEE’S HARP AND VOCALS ADD NECESSARY FLAVOR, BUT ITS WHITEHEAD ’S GUITAR WORK THAT MAKES THIS ONE WORTH LISTENING TO ALL 14 CUTS." THE DISTINCTIVE BLUES MAGAZINE BLUES ACCESS ISSUE 43 FALL 2000."THIS IS A GOOD CD TASTEFULLY PAYED AND MADE WITH A LOT OF CARE. YOU CREATE A GOOD VARIETY OF MOOD AND TEXTURES, WITH A SOLID RHYTHM SECTION AND SOME GOOD SOLOING, ESPECIALLY THE TASTY GUITAR WORK. YOU HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF HERE.. BRUCKE IGLANER, ALLIGATOR RECORDS AND ARTIST MANAGEMENT." SIX GREAT NEW SONGS FROM A BAND THAT WE FELT DESERVED SOME EXPOSURE. WE WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH THEIR WORK THAT WE MADE THEM A FEATURE FOR THIS WEEK’S SHOW. SUPPORT THESE GUYS! THEY MAKE SOME GREAT MUSIC! SAL ISEPORE PROGRAM DIRECTOR CYBER RADIO 2000"."THE Hwy 41 BLUES BAND HAS EXPLODED ONTO THE SOUTHERN BLUES SCENE WITH AN ABSOLUTE VENGANCE. FUELED BY THE INCENDIARY GUITAR WORK OF VIRTUOSO OF ARCHIE WHITEHEAD THE SEARING VOCALS AND BLAZING HARP OF VIRGIL T ISHEE, ALONG WITH THE ROCK STEADY EFFORTS OF BASS PLAYER, ROGER JOHNSON. THESE GUYS JUST BURN. THEY THROW IN AN INCREDIBLE MIX OF GREAT ORIGINALS, TRADITIONAL BLUES STANDARDS RANGING FROM ELMORE JAMES TO BERNARD ALLISON PLUS A TOUCH OF GREAT SOUTHERN ROCKING BLUES. THESE GUYS KNOW HO TO FIRE UP A CROWD AND I WOULD NEVER HESTATE TO HAVE THEM IN MY CLUB OR TO PUT THEMON A FESTIVAL BILL, ANYWHERE, ANYPLACE, ANYTIME!" THE BLUES DOCTOR, The late RUSEELL J LINNEMAN, CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.
Highway 41 Blues is currently working on several new songs, written by Virgil a, Archie and David, in hopes of being back in the studio working on their 3rd CD soon. We’ll keep you posted.
I’d love to hear from my fans out there and look forward to seeing you on the road. Stay in touch!
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