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One for Johnnie Lee Woods By Jackie Don Low

It was the 2nd Sunday in November, just another Sunday night, the bar was rocking, the girls were dancing, spirits were flowing and the deal was going down. There was a steady stream of people making the scene, checking in and hanging out with shots of tequila and bowls of gumbo. There were local musicians bringing in their instruments and stacking them against the wall in a domino fashion, while the bartenders served crazy Cajun cocktails and ice cold beer.

As always the "Sunday Blues Happening" line up started playing around 6:30 and played for over an hour and a half straight with no breaks. This to me became routine and for the last 3½ years every Sunday night, Johnnie Woods held down the bass player position. No one could of dreamed that the following Monday afternoon just a month shy of his 65th birthday that he would pass away. Our unique line up will never sound or feel the same. Harold Walker is the "Superstar," Perry Jones the "Local Hero" and I just enjoyed driving the bus to places we all loved to go. No black, no white, just the blues, we proved that.

But Johnnie was the crowd favorite, "Captain Fun," we would call him.

We have lost a very special man, a monster bass player as well as a monster keyboardist, Johnnie knew music and playing music was Johnnie's life. He really did play and tour with some heavy cats and he had that "old school" style that seems lost among the younger players. He knew how to leave space between his runs and had strong walk up patterns that would let everybody on the bandstand know there was going to be a chord change. That's where I learned the most from Johnnie was on the bandstand and playing with him every week. It didn't matter what song you threw at him, he would pick it up. He knew chord progressions and more importantly what to play and when to play it.

I have also lost a friend, he was one of kind, and everybody loved Johnnie Woods. He was also the essence of cool, with his signature dark shades and hip threads. I met him 15 years ago on a pick up gig with Lou Hampton, and did many local gigs with him throughout the years. We had a jazz group together for a few years where I was the only one who needed a music stand. Johnnie knew all of the jazz standards, Latin and bop tunes, and would even chart out songs for other players. Johnnie always had a joke to tell or words of wisdom about the world and he was always accommodating to the fans he would encounter.

Johnnie will be missed but not forgotten, to the family and friends of Johnnie Woods, stay strong, have faith, believe in love. The sweet peach has finally fallen from the tree.

     - Jackie Don Loe -

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