From Memphis to the State and back again with Guy Sebastian

Last night, almost at the last minute we were invited to a concert at the glorious State theatre in Sydney. Glorious, because the State theatre is one of, if not THE best examples of Art Decco style buildings left. Since opening in 1929, this 2000 seat venue is owned and operated by the Greater Union Organisation. The inspirational design of architect Henry White fuses eclectic elements of Gothic, Italian and Art deco design to produce an exquisite theatre, which can truly be described as a "Palace of Dreams".

Anyway, we were there with some other friends to watch the concert of Guy Sebastian, who is a former Australian Idol winner who in recent times went "back" to Memphis to record the musical styles of the famous Otis Redding, and other greats from the the famous STAX recording studio in Memphis, which at the height of segregation in America provided a platform where people irrespective of colour were allowed and encouraged to collaborate and record with each other. The creator of STAX said "we don't see colour, we see people making music". In a statement from the documentary video shown before the concert stated, "The people we were not allowed to dine with at dinner time, were playing and dancing together with us at supper time." The preamble for this post is necessary to put you in the picture as to how I felt at the concert.

Guy Sebastian, not only re-recorded the songs in a recent album called the Memphis album, he re-interpreted and together with the famous MG's from Booker T and the MG's fame, breathed new life into these songs, introducing them to a whole new generation of ears and hearts. It was amazing to have the actual band who wrote, played and sung along with Otis Redding and many other hugely popular artists from yesteryear, some of which were on that very stage before us. Steve Cropper, lead guitarist for the MG's and musical director from STAX, who incidentally wrote the multi award winning and multi recorded song "Sittin on the Dock of the Bay" and "Knock on Wood" talked us through how he discovered Otis Redding. I have heard the songs and name of Otis most of my young life but never learned about the man himself, and boy, when I found out about his story was filled with a profound respect and admiration for this person, and fell in love with the music all over again.

Steve said that he first saw Otis get out of a car as a driver / roadie for an artist going to Memphis to record a song. He was a tall guy who opened the car trunk and got out the amps, mics and instruments for the artist he was a driver for. Whose name escapes me at present, and as 24 hours later would reveal, the person who originally went to record was bumped off when they heard the young Otis sing. Steve related that after people were packing up, Otis kept on bugging people including Steve to listen to him. Though tired from a full day in the studio, they gave Otis a chance and when he sang a song called "These Arms of Mine" the hair on Steve's neck rose and they knew they had something special. Within the following hour everyone who had packed up, had now unpacked and started jamming with this driver and roadie for someone else called Otis Redding. He was discovered!

All because he had persistence, drive and a belief in himself. In the next little while, Otis became the biggest export from STAX and gave them and himself 17 number 1 hits. Others recall how he could hum every part in a song, like the trumpets, the guitars and drums etc, then get up and perform it, while all the elements in the band had been given instruction from a man they could call the master. Tragically Otis died at 26 in a plane crash. But what a legacy to have left. I wanted to put down all this information because as it happened I had received some bad news a couple of hours earlier regarding a business proposal I had submitted and was wondering where I went wrong. Hearing this story elevated me to a whole new place. Otis believed and though from a very humble beginning, made his chance to shine and express his talents to the world. What an injection in my arm this story was. I so needed that. There are times it would seem in all of our lives when we embark on a course of action and when it doesn't go the way we imagine, we lose focus and direction. We find we are faced then with two alternatives; We can get upset and feel rejected or change the paradigm and realise that it is part of experiential growth and like Thomas Edison said about his discovery of the light bulb." I didn't fail a single time, I just found literally 10,000 ways that wouldn't work, and one that did." I think he is also attributed with saying that "success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration", and if that statement has any element or bearing in fact, then I am on that road. I am not feeling down at all, but circumspect that I have come this far and embarked on a course that I cannot deviate from. I am fixed in my purpose and in my goals and will keep knocking on doors until another Steve Cropper starts to "see" in me what they saw that Otis had.

As for the actual concert. It was good. Very good. There was even a surprise performance by Australia's Rock music, living legend, Jimmy Barnes, who joined Guy to a rapturous applause and a standing ovation. He sang three songs and I was able to get a few shots off which I was pleased with. The concert was last night and I haven't been able to get Otis's story out of mind since, and the wider ramifications to me. Incidentally Steve Cropper was honoured last year in the Music Hall of Fame for the two songs I mentioned earlier that have become the stuff of musical legend. Steve Cropper said at the time he received his induction to the music Hall of Fame with Alicia Keys and Isaac Hayes, that "STAX didn't think his songs were really any good". Just goes to show, that the people who put his songs or indirectly him down, amounted to nothing in the long term, whilst his songs and love of them remains.

If there be any who have persevered and continued to read this post with a desire to achieve anything in their life. Go forward. Let your light shine. It is not about the money I refer to, but the achievement of a dream. I believe in dreams and believe that mine will come true, one click of my shutter at a time. Winston Churchill made the statement to a group of students at his former School once on a visit after becoming leader of England during the Second World War. He commented only one statement that was saturated with significance to all who heard and read it. "Never, Never, Never Give up".

I Never will either thanks to people like Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Otis Redding, Glenn A. Baker, Bob King, Philippe Halsman, Ansel Adams, Guy Sebastian, John Bailey, and many other friends and people too numerous to name here who believed in themselves and followed a dream and achieved. I truly stand on the shoulders of giants and all in the hope that in a coming day the dreams I have will come to fruition and allow others to share my experiences also.









I loved that when Guy was singing they showed some pictures and footage from his visit to Memphis, because I have been there and to the same places that were shown. It was a really nice feeling. Have a good day.
Here is a couple of clips showing the making of the Memphis album and Steve Cropper's review on Guy as well.




I added two more pictures and a You Tube of the concert of Guy.

Dreams do come true.