Bandleader Roger "Hurricane" Wilson has been a working musician since the '70s, and has played music exclusively since 1996. Along the way, the 48-year-old Kennesaw resident has learned critical survival skills -- secrets he's begun sharing in a column for the national bimonthly Blues Revue magazine. His first column appears in the December/January issue.
The guitarist plays 200 to 250 gigs a year, including many in the Northeast and Midwest, and frequent dates in Florida. He made it to Europe twice this year, performing in England, Ireland and Spain. Closer to home, Wilson plays Saturday and Sunday at Chip's Roadhouse in Winder, where he'll play in an electric trio format one day and as a solo acoustic act the other.
Wilson doesn't necessarily travel with a band. "I've got 12 rhythm sections around the country that work with me," he says. "They all know my material, all know my show."
But he's not merely using pick-up bands. Wilson sends CDs of his live shows, along with set lists, to his rhythm players, many of whom he's worked with for years. So they're prepared for the show.
Wilson's passion was sparked more than 30 years ago, when he came to Atlanta from his native New Jersey to attend school and began seeing free shows at Piedmont Park. It was an Allman Brothers show at the now-defunct Municipal Auditorium in downtown Atlanta that inspired Wilson to immerse himself in blues guitar and blues culture. He even remembers the date: Jan. 16, 1971.
"The way Duane Allman played was absolutely flawless," Wilson recalls. "It was incredible. I stood there and I was mesmerized."
Allman's death in a 1971 motorcycle accident only intensified Wilson's focus. "It was one of those 'where were you when that happened' moments," he recalls, "like JFK or 9-11."
Soon Wilson was teaching guitar, operating a studio in Buckhead for 12 years. He began touring in 1978, balancing up to 200 gigs a year with a broadcast production career (including 10 years at CNN) and his responsibilities as a parent. He left CNN in 1996 to devote full-time attention to music. He's released four CDs since 1994, the most recent being Live at the Stanhope (N.J.) House.
In his trio work, Wilson aims to cover a broad spectrum of electric blues -- "everything from Jimmy Reed to Jimi Hendrix," he says. Borne partly of financial necessity, his solo acoustic act includes a blend of Mississippi Delta and Piedmont-style blues from the likes of the Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson and others. He also reworks some of his electric tunes, including originals, into the acoustic format.
As for this weekend's shows, Saturday's is electric, featuring bassist Greg Curbow and drummer Simon Griffis. The Sunday afternoon show is a solo acoustic affair, which will be recorded for a CD.
After three decades of chasing his dream, Wilson is both realistic and resolute.
"The blues is sort of the dying art form, the bad stepchild of the music business. But I've always loved it, and I've always loved playing the guitar," he says. "My goals are not too grandiose now. I still love playing the guitar, and I enjoy traveling, and I enjoy the people that I meet out on the road. It's exhilarating to have people like what you do. The people that you please are the ones who make it worthwhile."
Roger "Hurricane" Wilson plays Sat., Dec. 15, at Chip's Roadhouse, 655 Patrick Mill Road, Winder. Show time is 9 p.m. $8. Wilson performs solo Sun., Dec. 16, at Chip's. Show time is 4 p.m. $5. 770-307-2840. www.chipsroadhouse.com. For info on Wilson, visit www.hurricanewilson.com.
This column is a weekly feature covering music outside the Perimeter. E-mail or mail "outside" music news to Bryan Powell, 830 Josh Lane, Lawrenceville, GA 30045.
