#doug gray

Can’t You See All Those People Are Naked?

What do you tell a nudist-festival organizer who asks if your band would mind playing its set in the raw?

If you’re the Marshall Tucker Band’s Doug Gray, you tell him you’ve got T-shirts for sale.

“That’s the only thing I could think to come up with, you know?”

Gray is speaking in a trailer for “The Big Interview with Dan Rather” and the episode premiering at 8 p.m. Eastern Dec. 18 on AXS-TV. In the clip, the singer and the journalist discuss the “grave” events surrounding MTB’s gig at a Wisconsin naked fest.

“I don’t care if you’re young or old, there’s just certain things you don’t want to see,” Gray says.

To which Rather replies: “I hear you, brother.”

Plato Potts in “L’Amour Or Less”

Doug Gray

Critters #50 (March 1990)

All My Dreams Were Standing In Line

This morning, my buddy Doug inducted a song that he deemed “perfect”  by the Marshall Tucker Band. 

A good song indeed, but  another song from that great, 1980 record, Tenth that trumps it.  “Tenth”  is one of those albums that I played guitar along with with start to finish, but one tune stands out in my memory.

It’s called  “See You One More Time” and it’s been bouncing around my head since…

December 12, 2013, Rams Head, On Stage, Annapolis, Maryland Joel Kinison, Seanettles Photography/ Rock Legends Photography, Maryland/DC Representative http://seanettlesii.prosite.com/

  The Marshall Tucker Band - Rams Head, On Stage

Time stood still December 12, 2013, as the boys from South Carolina, the Marshall Tucker Band, took to the stage at Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, Maryland. The sold out crowd was a mixture of yuppies dressed in long navy pea coats flocking from nearby Washington and Annapolis to escape the Dog Eat Dog world, and bikers camouflaging their Harley-Davidson shirts under layers of denim and leather in an attempt to ward off the unseasonably cold weather. Yes, It was cold outside this Thursday night at Rams Head On Stage, but inside, the band warmed everyone up, from inside out.

  Pat Elwood (bass, vocals) and Rick Willis (guitar and vocals)

The legendary and influential southern rock band pulled their tour bus up to the curb in front of Rams Head On Stage and unobtrusively entered through the front door as they have many times before to the sold out crowds of this quaint little venue. One by one they entered and quickly scanned the crowd that has gathered to hear their favorite songs from a band that first started hitting the charts in 1973. First came the drummer, B.B. Borden, who unvaryingly keeps beat to this band's immense catalog of music consisting of a mixture of southern rock, jazz, country, and blues. Next entered Marcus Henderson, (keyboards, saxophone, flute and vocals) who seemed to walk unnoticed through the untrained eyes of the crowd, however all these people will know this amazing gifted and talented musician by the end of the show. Then Pat Elwood (bass, vocals) and Rick Willis (guitar and vocals) entered together wearing cowboy hats and vests looking like the good guys in a western movie from the 50’s. All of these musicians carry on the long and proud tradition of one of the south’s most loved bands.

Marcus Henderson, (keyboards, saxophone, flute and vocals)

Finally, Doug Gray (lead vocals and tambourine) entered and immediately seeks me out for the interview. We walk back to the green room and it's packed with a mixture of musicians and roadies all preparing for the third consecutive night of shows. Someone asked, "Where’s Chris?" Chris Hicks is the lead guitar and vocals, another important part of this band. Doug jokingly said he hasn't seen him and turns around to me and says he likes starting rumors. Then the veteran of 40 years of interviews guided my assistant and me to another more private room. We wandered through the winding hallways of the Rams Head where kitchen and wait staff scurry around delivering plates consisting of everything from crab balls to cheese burgers to a small and private room. Holding the door open and waiting for us to sit before he did are just a couple of this southern gentleman’s calling cards. He energetically starts talking, and before I even can catch my breath, he has already answered most of my prepared questions. Halfway through the interview I'm thinking, "How am I going to write this all into an interview?"

  Doug Gray (lead vocals and tambourine)

Doug loves to share his experiences of being one of the founding members of the Marshall Tucker Band. He was noticeably excited about the next night's performance at BB King's in Manhattan, NY. Earlier in the day he interviewed with WOR, a CBS am station in Manhattan. Like everything we talked about, he had a story behind the radio station and affectionately calls them his friends. His reflected on his many friends over the years. Scott Munmuni who invited him in the early 70's to The Warehouse in New Orleans to attend the annual Allman Brothers New Year’s Eve concert. Gray said, "I flew my mom and dad- everyone was there- the place was always sold out. It wasn't about a party; it was about guys that were just there, their wives and whatever, and we just had a great time."

Doug talked about the show the night before in Atlanta Georgia, where Devon Allman's Band (Gregg Allman’s son) opened up for them. He was impressed with the band and took special interest in the talented drummer. "He is as good of a drummer as I've seen in a long time; that's not something you run into too much, for me to like drummers…" He continued with the story and about flying up to New York and visiting his friend Buddy Rich, legendary jazz band drummer and bandleader. Hanging out with Buddy Rich and other jazz greats in the 70’s ultimately fostered his appreciation of the drums as well as jazz.

  Chris Hicks and Doug Gray

The conversation turned to talking about the current lineup for the Marshall Tucker Band. He says you never know how things will line up as the members of the band have changed over the years. He brings up what people said about him many years ago, "Doug will never make it out here because he's going out by himself." He went on to say, "That was 31 years ago! I didn't give a (expletive); I mean, all I wanted to do is play, but I pulled these people together!" He explained, "What's important is it's not how the individual is! It's not the Doug Gray band."

I asked him what kind of advice he would he give to young musicians just starting out in their career. He had a quick answer, "Don't be the man! Don't be the center of attention, and people will always want to be in the band with you!" He makes his point by bringing up the Marshall Tucker Band Jam on the Rock Legends Cruises. He said there is an open invitation to any musician who wants to join the late night jam. Doug goes on to say on previous cruises, "Some of them (musicians) didn't make it cause there just wasn't enough time. That's why this time (Rock Legends Cruise III) I'm pretty much in 4 hours!" If you are unfamiliar with the Marshall Tucker Band Jam, it is just one of the many shows on the Rock Legends Cruise. What makes the now legendary MTB Jam show so special is it typically runs 3 hours and features members from over 20 bands.  Not only is the show the highlight for most of the passengers, but also musicians alike. The chance to see this spectacular show along with other shows from bands like The Doobie Brothers, Alice Cooper, 38 Special, and Dickey Betts & Great Southern, just to name a few, is February 19-23, 2015. This floating rock festival for a cause aboard Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas is hosted by The Native American Heritage Association (NAHA) a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to helping Native American families in need living on the Reservations of South Dakota. See more at: http://rocklegendscruise.com. I must confess, I'm one of those people who doesn’t give a damm who's on the cruise; I just want the MTB Jam!

  Chris Hicks and Doug Gray

I wanted to leave my interview on a personal note, so I asked Doug the most intimate question I could think of. After a few deviations from the question, including his time in the US Army, and the camera he just bought for his youngest daughter we went full circle back to the question what do your grandchildren call you? Doug said, “Wait until you hear this; I was sitting there, playing the key board; she (granddaughter) would be looking at me. Every song I would finish, I would raise my hands up and say "Ta Dah!" So she picked that up and now every time she wants to see me she raises her hands and says, “Let's go see Ta Dah!"

The Marshall Tucker Band continues to sell out shows from large to small venues, county fairs, Blues festivals, and don’t forget the Rock Legends Cruises. Myself, I will wait in anticipation until February, 2015, for the next Rock Legends Cruise. In the meantime the Marshall Tucker Band will not be slowing down, and Ta Dah (Doug) will always be there to carry on the deep routed southern tradition.

Joel Kinison, Seanettles Photography/ Rock Legends Photography, Maryland/DC Representative