November 15, blues legend Francis Clay's friends and fellow artists are getting together to honour one of the elders of American music.
What do you get a blues legend for his birthday? How about a song! On November 15, blues legend Francis Clay's friends and fellow artists are getting together to honour one of the elders of American music.
On Sunday, November 15, 1998 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Francis Clay's friends and fellow artists are getting together to honour one of the elders of American music and to help provide him with needed financial support. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Francis Clay Fund and will directly help Francis by covering medical & housing costs and providing him with the necessary funds to live a comfortable life during his retirement years.
The Francis Clay Tribute is an annual celebration created to honour one of the elders of American music by celebrating his achievements while he is still living and supplying him with financial support that will allow him to live a comfortable life during his retirement years. Too many tributes happen after an artist has passed away. This event will give friends, family and fans a chance to salute Francis in person and celebrate his 75th birthday in style. All of the artists appearing will be donating their performances and proceeds from ticket sales will be given to the Francis Clay Fund as a birthday gift.
Legendary percussionist, poet, artist, Francis Clay, has influenced a generation of musicians through the unique, jazz-rooted style which he brought to his recordings and performances with the Muddy Waters band in it's Chess Records heyday era from 1955 to 1972. It was Francis' beat that drove the original recordings of many Muddy Waters classic Chess records into blues history, including; "Got My Mojo Working", "Manish Boy", "She's Nineteen Years Old", "Walkin' Thru the Park", "Rock Me", and "She's Into Something". Not only did Francis provide the beat, he also provided lyric ideas and rhythm arrangements for many of Muddy's classics.
Francis Clay has performed and recorded with a who's who of jazz & blues, including; John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, Big Mama Thornton, Otis Spann, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Earl Hooker, Victoria Spivey, James Cotton, Luther Tucker, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Witherspoon, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Clifton Chenier, Jay McShann, Big Joe Williams, Charlie Parker, Charles Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Gene Ammons, Papa John Creach, Albert Collins, Mance Lipscomb, Joni Mitchell, Richie Havens and was a founding member of the James Cotton Blues Band.
POETRY BY FRANCIS CLAY
ODE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
You had a dream Martin
Almost three decades ago,
you gave us the formula for a good way of life,
and led us down the path that would give birth to a true democracy.
What went wrong, why are we not moving forward?
Oh sure, we have a few opportunists who go around shouting cliches
Beckoning, FOLLOW ME, can they be trusted?
Who can we turn to?
Where are our leaders?
Where are our morals?
Where are our principles?
Where are our dignities?
Where are our birthrights?
Where is our tolerance of others?
Where is our togetherness,
of creed, color, and love,
that we might save humanity?
FREE at Last
FREE AT LAST
Great God Almighty
Won't this bigotry ever pass?
Here it is the year 1996, Martin,
America still reigns with power and might,
no matter how high we hold our head.
We have yet to see any sign of purity and light!
Copyright © 1998 Francis Clay Publishing
