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Playing in the BandWhether in the spotlight or as a sideman, songwriter

Randall Bramblett finds his rhythm

RANDALL BRAMBLETTSaturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m.

European Street Café, 5500 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville

Tickets are $15

399-1740

Many musicians spend their whole career

trying to edge their way into the spotlight.But Randall Bramblett has been equally 

comfortable at center stage and as sideman for

heavyweights like e Allman Brothers, Tra c,Robbie Robertson and Bonnie Raitt. Raised

in Athens, Ga., Bramblett studied religion in

college at UNC, with ultimate goal of joiningthe seminary. Aer hearing the music of artists

like Bob Dylan and Carole King, however, hesurrendered to the higher calling of playing rock 

music. A top-shelf multi-instrumentalist, he now 

plays everything from keyboards and saxophoneto guitar and mandolin. He appeared on albums

and onstage with artists like Sea Level, Cowboy,

Gregg Allman and blues-rock belter BonnieBramlett. He also released his own solo albums,

which revealed a soulful and gospel-based

songwriting style. In the ’80s, Bramblett cooledhis activities aer making the decision to get

clean and sober. Since then, he has released ahalf-dozen well-received albums, including his

latest “e Meantime,” (randallbramblett.com)

an enjoyable 12-song aair featuring laid-back cuts like the Civil Rights tale of “Driving to

Montgomery.” Truly a musician’s musician,

Bramblett remains an on-call player for cohortslike Steve Winwood, Widespread Panic and

fellow Georgia boy and longtime Rolling Stoneskeyboardist, Chuck Leavell.

Randall Bramblett recently spoke withFolio Weekly as he drove back to Georgia fromChicago, with tour mate, singer-songwriter

and longtime friend Tommy Talton in the

passenger seat.

Folio Weekly: How oen are you out on theroad these days?

Randall Bramblett: It’s mostly weekends,

and I still play predominately in the South. Ithink the economy is also somewhat hurting

professional players and clubs don’t pay much

anymore, so I have been doing more andmore solo things. But I like doing the solo

thing, since it gives me a chance to present the

material in a very intimate way, where people

can hear the words and respond to them.

F.W.: You’ve been an on-call player for somany artists. Have you ever felt that your

songwriting skills were overlooked?R.B.: Well, most people know me from

playing with Gregg Allman, Sea Level aTra c. I thin k the re ason that I’m not b

known is simply because I never had a

hit record. When you have a few hits, yoalmost instantly known as a solo artist.

people just know me from my playing w

Steve Winwood, I could do a lot worse.been blessed by playing with some reall

good people.

F.W.: Do you have dierent approaches

to leading your own band and being abacking musician?

R.B.: It’s dierent when you’re hired on a

sideman, since you’re really just learningsongs and making sure you can perform

music as well as you possibly can. Doing

own thing, you really have to put your heand soul into it. You’re out there on a lim

and that can be a very vulnerable place. Asideman, the guy out front is feeling all o

pressure. It’s much easier to be a sideman

F.W.: I’m wondering how this one-time

Southern seminary student wound up pl

with Gregg Allman and Tra c.R.B.: Well, I moved to Athens aer colle

rather than going to grad school and theseminary, because I was getting more int

songwriting and that really captured me

Eventually I hooked up with some Macolike the “Cowboy” people … Tommy Tal

and his wife Patti are sitting here in the cme. I want a big mention of them in this [Laughs.] Tommy says his favorite color

and he’s quit doing most of the heavy druStrike all that. [More laughter.]

F.W.: You’ve had the benet of some reallong-term collaborative relationships. Doever nd yourself honing your material w

certain vocalist in mind?

R.B.: I don’t ever think that way. It’s all Ido just to come up with one song [Laugh

and something that grabs my attention.

that’s all I’m really looking for — someththat feels right.

Da

dbrown@foliowee

Here Comes the Night: Legendary songwriter

and multi-instrumentalist Randall Bramblett

performs at European Street Café.

 

24  | folio weekly | November 8-14, 2011