Spotlight on: "Chocolate Sprinkles"

This is the 1st in a series of blogs that will feature past and present DWB members. If. U have been following us for even a short while u will know that we are blessed to have alot of musicians pass thru the DWB family. Once u join, it's like a musical mafia, U can never leave, U may not play gigs but U are still a member. This is the case with our good friend Eddie Diamond, a.k.a "Chocolate Sprinkles". Eddie Diamond is a stand alone rockstar name if I've ever heard one:) In fact we seriously considered at one point changing our name to "Eddie Diamond and the Caucasian Persuasaion"! Robby met Eddie at Kroger of all places where Eddie worked as a butcher. A mutual friend introduced Eddie and Robby in line at the bank. As she knew we were always looking for new musicians, she said 2 Robby, "Eddie plays keys". Robby inquired of Eddie, "how long u been playing?" Eddie replied nonchalantly "about 30 years". Wow, 30 years, we've barely been alive that long! Robby said he "just knew he would be good". At the time, many of Eddies current gigs were at his church but as it turns out he'd had a lifetime of experience playin' around. It was the coolest thing, when Eddie came over to jam it was like we'd been life long friends with a shared record collection. From The Ohio Players to Sly and the family Stone Eddie could play it. He brought his 1982 yamaha keyboard over a ripped it to pieces! He did one of the most blistering versions of "Flashlight" by Parliament that I've heard to this day. Bernie Worrell would be proud. The thing I can recall most about Eddie was his ability to play ANY Hall and Oates song u could think of. He had a sound on his keyboard that was identical to the ones they'd used in the 80's. Eddie was and is always as much fun away from the keyboards as he is on them. He's always laughing and joking with a little laugh we still mimic to this day. It sounds like a cross of Enis from Duke of Hazard and a pig snort! We gave Eddie the nickname "Chocolate Sprinkles" because he always added flavor to our songs. There was always a huge difference when Eddie chimed in on DWB jams. If u listen back to our first self titled record Eddie can be heard confidently layin' down the funk on "Beautiful People" with a little clavinet sound from his keyboard run thru a crybaby wah pedal. It's still one of the best tones we've ever gotten from any keyboard to this day! U still might catch Eddie with us one day soon! When u do, be sure to call him "Chocolate Sprinkles" and wait for the laugh.

Spotlight on:Cozmo "The Fire"

Since May 9 was Cozmos birthday I thought I'd take a minute and just write a little history on how Coz and DWB got hooked up. Almost 10 years ago I was playing a gig with a band called "Gravy", it was the remnants of several defunct bands from Knoxville. It was a pretty rough time in my life and I was probably not in the best condition. Coz says we met that night, I honestly can't remember. He was friends with the drummer from "Gravy", JP. He had not acutally started playing guitar yet, he said back then everyone thought he could play but he didn't really know how, can u even imagine? Fast forward a few years and I'm watching "The Spades" band open up for Arrested Development in 2003 or '04. Coz is up there rockin' it out and seemed to be a bit nervous. I couldn't quite figure out at the time if he was white or black or what. It didn't really matter, but me being a guitar player, I just wondered who this dude with an Afro and headband was, wearing it out! He played with authority especially considering he'd only played a couple of years at that point. He was among seasoned musicians and didn't seem at all out of place. One evening in the same year DWB was playing at The Downtown Grill and Brewery in downtown Knoxville. It was sonic chaos, 12 people crammed in the corner of this restaraunt playing at ear damaging volume and as I looked out over the crowd I see Cozmo right in front of us groovin' and head bobbin' to the funk. I don't remember what song it was because I was so distracted by a guy in velvet pants grinding on the stairwell! Anywayz, I remember thinking to myself, u should ask this guy to sit in.(Coz, not velvet pants) So mid-song I called CoZ to come down and he seemed a bit surprised when I took my strat off and gave it to him. Nevertheless he jumped right in and started killing it. I honestly didn't want to take the guitar back when he as finished. He had "the fire"! We asked him to come out and practice and later join DWB, He had something we lacked at the time too, a youthful, infectious optimism. Later that year we went on to open up for Victor Wooten and even play Bonnaroo. Cozmo came in and added a much needed element for DWB, he had "The Fire". The rest is history in the making. CoZ has grown as a person and musician over the past few years and he has never lost his fire! Coz now leads his own band when he's not hittin' the stage with DWB or The Dirty Guvs or any number of local artists! He is also one of Robert Randolphs "go to" guys when he does Knoxville concerts. Anywayz, Happy Birthday Coz, DWB loves ya and we are honored to have U in the band! Keep bringing "The Fire" wherever U go.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

DWB hit the stage this past weekend in Maryville, Tn. at an awesome venue known to locals as "The Shed". From it's name you might be led tothink that it's a hole in the wall club/ bar with a dirt floor and an old Peavey PA system. "the Shed" is anything but that. It's probably one of my favorite venues to play. It's a covered outdoor venue with top notch production! Mark and the crew do an amazing job. It's a difficult feat to overpower the roar of 15 Harley Motorcycles reving their engines but they do it well! It was kinda, well really, rainy all day on Saturday but we had a faithful crew of DWB fans and new faces that made the journey to Maryville. Some fans driving in from as far as Atlanta! (much love 2 them). Thanks to them, I learned a new dance called "the stanky leg" which I did attempt later in the evening! This was also an interesting gig cuz it was 1 of only 2 gigs in our 6+ years that bassist Robby Mathis couldn't make it! But Tyler "Big Noise" Boldin stepped in and learned the ENTIRE DWB repetior in 1 week, well at least 16 songs:) Big Noise did an amazing job! We were also joined by long time friend and saxaphonist Jason Thompson, whom if known since the Gran Torino days. Jason stepped in and played like he'd played the songs his whole life! Look for more appearences from Jason in the near future. Out friends from Jescoe warmed everyone up with a blend of raw Southern Rock that held everyones attention. DWB hit the stage around 9. The stage shrouded in fog, the applause roared, the 1st notes of "we bout 2 do dis thang" hit with a funky fury and to quote the lady to the right as she threw her hands up "I can't listen to this sh$*, Im outta here!" Oh well, different strokes for different folks, I guess:)