By RJ Spangler (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 08:34 pm:

I have the always soulful Joe Weaver booked on Nov 1 at the Copper Canyon Brewery in Southfield, Michigan. Joe will be backed by my group, the Rhythm Rockers. I sure hope to see ya!
-RJ Spangler
http://www.coppercanyonbrewery.com/

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 04:37 pm:

Well folks, thought I should remind everyone that this show is this Friday, Nov 1. -RJ

By Millie (68.40.198.72) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:31 pm:

Hey RJ!
It was a pleasure meeting you tonight. I listened to the CD all the way home, and really enjoyed it. I'll try and make it to the Copper Canyon Friday night, however, if I don't make it, I look forward to seeing the show on December 6th.

By RJ Spangler (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 05:41 am:

Millie it was great to meet you also! I do to see you Friday at the Copper Canyon.
I played my usual jam gig at the Eastowne in Eastpointe tonight and a cool thing happened that some of the folks here might dig. Our buddy Lew Morenci brought John Fraga to jam with us. Lew and John go back to second grade. Another old eastsider, Vinny Scalbrini met them at the bar. These guys played bass and drums respectively on "Mind Over Matter" by Nolan Strong & the Diablos (Fortune)! I should add they were both in highschool! Fraga is best known as the bassist with the Rockets (with Jim McCarty & Johnny B. Badancek). Vinny has played for years with the Regular Boys, a Detroit area Horn/soul band. John & Vinny really played great! We had a three man horn section show up too, including trumpeter James O'Donnell from Bon Temps Roule. John is still very into all the Fortune acts and he has many rare 45's. Quite a night!
I hope to meet more local folks from the Soulful Detroit Forum soon. maybe at Joe's gig this Friday.
-RJ Spangler

By LTLFTC (12.245.225.79) on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 10:59 am:

RJ - I've been curious about John Fraga. I played guitar with him on some pick-up gigs behind Darien James and I think his brother Dana, back in the 80's. I've asked several mutual aquaintances if John was still around and nobody seemed to know. He's a great bass player; it was easy street playing on top of his bass lines. It's great to hear he's still around and playing well. (BTW, one time at the Delta Lady, ca '85, he told me he hadn't changed his bass strings since 1964 !! My kind of guy)
Steve K.

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 04:23 pm:

Yeah, John has lived in the same crib not far from city airport for years. It seems to me his last regular band gig was with the Garfield Blues Band almost a decade ago. I know he did a date or two with Chef Chris this year. He wants to play more, I do know that. Let me know if I can help you hook up with Fraga as he is looking to play out again.
I know Darien James and i remember Dana. Both good harp players.
-RJ

By LTLFTC (12.245.225.79) on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 08:00 pm:

RJ - thanks; I may be in touch. Dana had some problems but he was a good guy. Another one gone too soon
Steve K.

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Friday, November 01, 2002 - 05:33 am:

Yeah, I went to the wake at the Soup kitchen. I imagine if you know Darien & you knew his late brother Dana, you probobly know a lot of guys I play/hang with.
-RJ

By Willy (64.27.208.126) on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 11:59 am:

Did anyone catch the Motor City R&B Pioneers (Stanley Mitchell, Kenny Martin & Joe Weaver) live performance on WDET today?

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 12:55 pm:

I missed it. RJ usually lets us know about these things. Do you think it will be repreated?

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 04:41 pm:

Rats -- I would have listened too ...

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Friday, January 03, 2003 - 04:53 pm:

Joe was awesome (as usual) on New Year's Eve at Garfield's. Alberta Adams performed too... she is phenomenal!

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 04:38 pm:

Sorry folks, guess I dropped the ball. I don't want to come off as always promoting my guys and their respective events. The guys did a fine job live on WDET yesterday. They will be doing a live show tonight at the Magic Bag as part of the Antifreeze Blues Festival. They go on around 9:30pm.
Fury (aka SR), great to see you on New Years! We did have fun, eh?
-RJ

By RJ Spangler (152.163.188.68) on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 02:11 pm:

The show went quite well at the Magic Bag last night. As usual for the Antifreeze Blues Fest, it was sold out. Stanley, Joe & Kenny were all in very fine form, with Kenny really lighting up the crowd with his dance steps! The big surprise was Nathaniel Mayer! He wowed the audience with two numbers: "I feel good" and his own "Village of love" (VERY uptempo). He had a wild backstage story about riding his home-made bike over to Fortune records when he was 14!

I just came from the record show in Roseville where Willy Wilson and I saw Kenny Martin's "I'm Sorry" going $80, and a VERY scratchy Kenny Martin on Big Top. Too rich for my blood.
-RJ

By RJ Spangler (152.163.188.68) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 05:33 pm:

I am posting to let everyone here know that Joe Weaver and my group, the Rhythm Rockers, will again be at the Copper Canyon in Southfield, this time the date is Jan 31 and we start at 8:30pm. Scoll up for the address and web page for the Copper Canyon. Hope to see ya! -RJ

By RJ Spangler (152.163.207.183) on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:19 pm:

Another Joe Weaver update: Joe will be at the Motorcity Casino along with Alberta Adams, Johnnie Bassett and Thornetta Davis on Tuesday, Feb 11, 8:30 to midnight.

Joe will also be at the Scarab Club the following Saturday (Fen 15). See the Motorcity R&B Pioneer thread for more info.

Joe will also be at the Fogular Furlan Club in Winsdor the same night (Feb 15), this time on a bill with Alberta and Thornetta.

At all these shows Joe will be backed by my group, the Rhythm Rockers.

Also, Joe and the Pioneers will do one set in Monroe, MI as a part of the Black History Month Series on this coming Thursday, Feb 6. SDer's SR Boland and Marilyn Bond will be on hand to talk about their book; "The Birth of the Detroit Sound." After that show, we leave for a one niter in Atlanta (Blind Willys) and the Charleston Blues Bash in SC.

Joe sure is busy for a retiree.....

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, February 04, 2003 - 05:55 pm:

And Joe Weaver enjoys every moment of it. I'm sure everyone remembers seeing Joe Weaver in the film SITSOM.

I'll see you RJ on Feb. 11th.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 08:25 pm:

RJ, didn't make it tonight.

Would you give me the directions for the Saturday show??

By Jim G (205.188.209.38) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 08:48 pm:

Sis,

It's at the Scarab Club--John R & Farnsworth, right behind the DIA, parking / entrance on Farnsworth. Suggest you get there early, seats go fast! It's a great venue.

By Sis (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 09:03 pm:

Thank you much Jim G.