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Lionel: My man! What’s going on?
Roland L. Carter Sr:.Hey brother!
Thank you for finally doing this interview. Let me start by asking, what influenced you to start playing guitar?
I would have to say Black Magic Woman by Santana, and almost any rock song that had a catchy guitar hook from the early seventies. I believe, context wise, Santana was like Jr. Walker with a guitar and tone. He was not just an instrumentalist but, instead of vocals with a hook and chorus; it was fat guitar. Plus, the guitar intro to Black Magic Woman just grabbed me.
Santana was definitely a strong influence on me also. Do you remember your first guitar and the body style, brand, stuff like that? Also, When you were in a position to buy your guitar of choice, what did you get and why?
If I recall, my first serious guitar was a solid body pure white Washburn. I only kept it about six weeks though because I caught this sweet deal on a beautiful black Fender Strat. It had a small chip in the finish on the bottom edge. I really went to work on that baby. I had that guitar in my hands so much; my wife got jealous of it. When I fell asleep with it, still in my hands one night, she threatened to burn it (smiles). I know Jimi Hendrix was my influence on that brand. Oddly enough Santana played a Les Paul.....Go figure.
Over time you have shared stories about growing up down south. How did that experience play a role in your total sound or shaping you as an artist?
I think the biggest influence of that southern environment was the prevalence of music. See, the south has a musical rhythm that's just always there. Not just on special occasions or weekends but every hour of every day. We would sometimes have an impromptu talent show right in the field while we worked. So when you see someone playing a washboard, or spoons or a washtub bass, I think it was because that music just had to get out of you somehow. The guitar was the king daddy of all and if you played one well.....ah man, people would congregate on your front porch just to listen. I would just soak it all in. But to be honest, the music scene in Hartford around the 60's and 70's kind of solidified my desire to be a musician. Man, Hartford was burning hot during that era. I guess music was the commonality of that generation, huh?
Yes. I agree. Hartford produced some great bands and musicians, during that period that made a mark on the national and international scene. The legend of Tony Bowen from Tony Bowen and the Soul Choppers comes to mind. I never got to meet him in person but met him through his music and stories I heard from other musicians, like Emanuel King and Philip Andrews. On the other hand I could sit and listen for days to Jackie Mclean tell stories about the American jazz scene and I was able to do that because Jackie brought that history with him to Hartford. Any other particular memories from the south come to mind?
I have a cousin in N.C. (North Carolina) named Joe that was born blind. Joe was considered to be a musical prodigy because he could not only play almost any kind of instrument; he was a fantastic singer as well. I took Tony Bowen and The Soul Choppers' 45(record) "Don't Be So Mean" down with me and he freaked out on how good Tony and the group sounded. He played that song over and over. He called Tony the best sax player he had ever heard. That song became the yard stick around here by which all of the up and coming sax players were measured. Good Days.
Wow! that was so powerful. That 45, “Don’t Be So Mean” influenced a lot of musicians. I actually played the song in a band called “The Standing Ovations” for quite some time before actually hearing the record. I had learned the guitar part from Sam Car, Mike Foy and Emanuel King. I was use to hearing the song played live; in a band with a lot of power so when I heard the recording, on a very small record player, I thought it was great but I was a bit disappointed. Any musician that has ever played in a band would know what I am talking about. Then one day I was in my studio listening to Mink on WQTQ, the Hartford Board of Education station at Weaver High, Mink said he was going to play the song so I had time to turn up the radio on a good stereo. The energy that came off of that recording and the way it made my feel was unbelievably strong. Roland, don’t get me started. I am supposed to be interviewing you, so let me stick to the questions. Can you come forward a bit and share some of your other musical experiences?
While stationed in North Dakota, as far as being a guitarist, not to be immodest, I was the big fish in a little pond. Little did I know I was in for a rude awakening when I had come back to Connecticut after my stint in the military; I was floored by all the good guitarist that were around. That includes you, Skip McDonald, Perry Hendrick, Ernest Cotten and of course Eli. The list is only partial but you get my point.
Can I throw in some other guitar players and pay tribute to Eddie Smith, Slim from Berry Williams and the Soul Sets? How about Greg Gillespie, Rodney Redden and Jeffrey Mitchell? Yes, the list could go on.
I felt like I had to go into the woodshed and sharpen up my skills just to hang with you dudes. I'll never forget the first time I heard you play and I was like "that dude sounds just like the record" on whatever song Pok’ Chop was playing. (laughs). I took a few lessons and kept on pushing; playing in God knows how many start-up bands but never getting to that one with that “ready for the world” point. Know what I mean? It was a real highlight when I became a member of Pressure Point.
I have been promising for a long time to do an interview with Roland, but somehow it never seemed to come together. One summer, I got as far as to take a picture of him, for the project, put it up on my web site and boldly proclaimed, “Interview Coming Soon”. Well, if I had just taken the “soon” off the statement, it would have been the truth. It simply came down to time and opportunity, so I had to steal a little time and make the opportunity. Who is Roland Carter Sr.? He is quiet and unassuming, if you take the time to engage him, you will hear about interesting life experiences either in his own words or through his musical conversations from the wood, steel and electronics he fondly refers to as his guitar. If you went to high school, college or checked out the music scene in the late seventies or early eighties; or experienced today’s Gospel festivals, you will realize that he has been here, singing and playing guitar, all this time.
Doing What I was Born To Do
Why was that?
Cause y'all was probably the hottest band around at that time. Despite what I considered to be somewhat of a rough start between us, I always felt like you were a great talent, still do, and a great friend, still do, and a great Teecha, still are. I totally enjoyed those times.
I am glad you did, minus the “rough start”(laughs). Did listening to records have any effect on your musical attitude?
I remember when I was a young fellow living on Bedford St. in Hartford; just listening to music in my room, like some of those old Motown Revue live albums. I would be transported man, envisioning myself one day being on stage like that; music tight, singing tight, you know what I mean, “A Smokin' Band” ultimately making records, hearing myself on the radio. I have to say that the majority of those dreams came true for me with Pressure Point. Well, on a smaller scale of course but none the less, true. See, for me singing was like breathing, it was elemental. But, I was almost willing to give it up and just be a guitarist. In Pressure Point I had the opportunity to do both and believe me I felt like I was doing what I was born to do.
I want to get back to the Pressure Point Days and talk about you, as a vocalist and also about that wicked first leg of the duet guitar solo, on "Come Inside" which we both played on. It was the second time we had gone into the Gallery Recording Studio, East Hartford, CT to record "Come Inside". The first time the song was faster and more festive but had technical issues that I was not particularly happy with, however, the second time was the charm. What was your experience like during that time?
When we went into the studio and started recording "Come Inside", that was pure unadulterated orgasmic euphoria. I was a little awed by the process but strangely, not intimated, because we were well prepared, especially with the singing parts. I almost lost it there for a minute when you said to record that lead guitar part. I don't think I was expecting that, but it was totally cool conceptually because I realized after a moment or two it was something you had planned. In hindsight I'm glad you didn't tell me, I didn't have time to fret about it, (pun intended). If I never thanked you for that let me say it now. Thanks Brother.........some of the best days of my life. I'll never forget that feeling man, when I heard that thing (Come Inside) for the first time on WKND. Wow!
What is your focus, musically, these days?
These days my focus is mainly Gospel. God has blessed me in many, many ways and I feel compelled to give back something. I don't intent to isolate myself from other genre of music but man it seems like some of the best musical talent and creativity has migrated to Gospel. In Gospel you are not measured by that superficial “IT” factor that the major labels are looking for so much. Even if you are not considered to be eye candy you can still sing and play and inspire and uplift. I love that factor.
Interview of Roland Carter Sr. by Lionel Crawford
Contact Roland by email at: riffman1@hotmail.com
Contact Lionel by email at lcm@lionelcrawford.com
"the music scene in Hartford around the 60's and 70's kind of solidified my desire to be a musician."
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