If you put your ear to the street, you can hear the pumping piano sound and feel the boogie of the people’s feet. It’s the sound of the first rockabilly piano player. He created “The Great Memphis Pumping Piano” genre and he keeps his audience enthralled with some pep in their step. His sound will leave an imprint on your soul like that first kiss you’ll never forget. He’s Smoochy Smith.
Jerry Lee “Smoochy” Smith was the original staff piano player for Sun Records in 1957. He’s played with Billy Lee Riley, Ace Cannon, and Warren Smith, to name a few. He was that part of the Sun’s house band whose signature sound was heard on numerous records as the backed up the artists who would become the pioneers of rock and roll. November 3, 2009 Smoochy will be backing up the songwriters of Oxford at the Troubadour Lounge.
The Troubadour Lounge was created by members of the Oxford Songwriters Association and is a monthly concert series that provides local songwriters a featured place to perform. One of the coordinators for the Troubadour Lounge, Steven Hopper, asked his friend Smoochy Smith to give the local songwriters of Oxford the support he got years ago at Sun. “I talked to Smoochy about how this concert series gives new artists a chance to perform, build an audience, and support a group of artists,” says Steven Hopper. Smoochy agreed to bring his piano to Oxford hoping that his appearance and performance would draw people to the concert where they would discover the talent that is performing in Oxford.
The event will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2008 from 7:00 – 9:00pm located at the Powerhouse in Oxford, MS. Songwriter Jimmy Phillips and Donovan McCain and the Troubadour Lounge House Band will be the featured songwriters. This concert is presented under the auspices of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, a 501 C 3 organization of Oxford-Lafayette County, which provides programs for the enrichments of citizens of the county.
Ticket are $10 and may be reserved by calling the arts council at Yoknapatawpha Arts Council at 662-236-6429, at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center (413 South 14th Street, Oxford) or visit the arts council online at www.oxfordarts.com.
For one night only consider your soul saved.
