Little Feat are back in a huge way. Their first studio album in a dozen years, Strike Up the Band, features oodles of greasy goodness from the guitar tandem of Fred Tackett and Scott Sharrard. Tackett, whose credits also include Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Bob Seger, has always been a killer hybrid player with impeccable rhythm chops plus considerable lead skills on fretted and slide guitar. Sharrard is simply an ace. He’s a veteran of Gregg Allman’s band, and he slid over to Little Feat full time after Paul Barrere passed away in 2019.
The main thing guitar players must know right now is that Sharrard capably fills the huge shoes of Little Feat’s iconic original frontman, Lowell George, handing lots of lead vocals and the lion’s share of the badass bottleneck that put the band on the map when George broke away from Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention.
Tackett told Guitar World“Scott’s slide playing is beautiful and immaculate. I’ve gotten more comfortable to throw a couple extra licks in now and then. Scott can just rip the blues.”
He continues: “I spent my whole life as a guitarist in studios, playing whatever kind of music. I didn’t concentrate on playing the blues. There’s a difference in our playing, but Scott can play any kind of style. I’ve picked up a lot from just listening to him. We meld together as a unit very easily.”
Strike Up the Band finds the latest lineup in fabulous form. Otherworldly talent Bill Payne is still at the top of his game on keys and vocals. The chicken-neckin’ grooves are deep fried down in the pocket with drummer Tony Leone, bassist Kenny Gradney and percussionist Sam Clayton.
Tunes such as “4 Days of Heaven, 3 Days of Work,” “Bayou Mama,” “Too High to Cut My Hair” and “Midnight Flight” are going to sound right at home among catalogue chestnuts such as “Dixie Chicken,” “Willin,’” “Spanish Moon” and “Fat Man in the Bathtub” when the band strikes ‘em up on the second Saturday in June.
Pure Prairie League is ever-present on classic rock and country radio with staples such as “Amie” and “Falling In and Out of Love.” The band that brought Vince Gill to fame now features guitar slinger Jeff Zona plus John Heinrich on pedal steel.
Guitar Player is proud to partner with the Blue Note for this Summer Session show outside on the luxurious lawn at the fabulous Meritage Resort & Spa. Talk about a hot summer hootenanny in Wine Country!
Get your tickets before they’re gone.
WIN TICKETS!
For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see GP Presents Little Feat plus Pure Prairie League in Napa, California, on Saturday, June 14, send an email and put “Little Feat” in the subject of your email. Include a sentence about yourself and why you want to go. Phone contact greatly appreciated for confirmation.
The winner must provide their own transportation to the Meritage Resort in Napa, California, on Saturday, June 14, and have his or her own accommodations in the area.
Best of luck!
EVENT DETAILS
GP Presents Little Feat plus Pure Prairie League
Saturday, June 14
5:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show
Blue Note Summer Sessions at the Meritage Resort
Outside, rain or shine, at 850 Bordeaux Way, Napa, California
We’ll be handing out free packs of Martin Strings and slides from LiquiSlide
Ages 8+
