A couple of years later, after pouring over the liner notes on LP's by the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds, I got seriously into the blues. My role models became guys like John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and Jimmy Reed along with all the other great bluesmen on the Chess Record label and beyond.
In 1965 my friends and I founded the 31st Street Blues Band, which became Seattle's seminal white kid blues band. I was the singer and harmonica player, Jeff Sedgely was on guitar, Tony Lease played bass and our drummer was Bill Shaw, who later went on tour with Doug Kershaw as well as play in the notorious 70's and 80's Seattle bands Red Dress and the Rangehoods.
Even though we were underage, we managed to gig at some of Seattle's most notorious clubs including the Vault on 2nd and Union and the El Roach on Ballard Avenue, even carrying our band equipment on the metro bus to get to our gigs.
We backed up John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and others during their Seattle appearances at venues including Eagles Auditorium, the Fresh Air and the Medicine Show from 1967 to 1973, as well as open for the Buddy Miles Express in 1972.
We performed at the legendary Sky River Rock Festival in 1971, going on after Santana at 3am. Our set was memorable and created quite a stir that was talked about by those in attendence for some time after.
jeff sedgely, bill shaw, charlie spring, tony lease
After road-tripping in California for a couple of years, we returned to Seattle and I left the music scene behind to marry, get a job, and raise a family. As the years went by, I kept playing the guitar, writing songs and imagining the day when I would return to my musical aspirations...
san diego, 1972