By Fred Jones, Jr.
Eagle Staff Writer
The immortal Otis Redding once graced the cover of Record Collector UK. Though known for evergreen songs like “Try A Little Tenderness”, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of The Bay” and LPs such as “Otis Blue”, there was a time when he might have recorded one of the tracks from our latest rare records”. “Otis loved the song,” recalls drummer and songwriter Washington Rucker, recalling the time he offered “The Same Things” to Redding back in 1965 or 1966. But there was a problem. “He wanted me to sell it to him for 50 dollars.”
Rucker kept the song and later recorded it himself alongside another track called “Jennie” that only made it to an acetate. Somehow, this acetate ended up in the hands of a Kinks roadie after a U.S. tour, then spent a few decades in a cupboard in England. Eventually it worked its way to Damian Jones a record and memorabilia dealer when Pop Classics acquired it. Ian Shirley stated, “When I dropped the needle and heard these two sizzling sides of lost 60s soul, I just had to put them out and luckily was able to track down the man who wrote and recorded them.”
As for Washington Rucker he not only played drums on one of Stevie Wonder’s first European tours in the mid-60s but worked with a wide range of artists and was such an accomplished drummer that he once took over from Buddy Rich during a one month stand in Las Vegas when the famous drummer had a heart attack.
Rucker has played with so many accomplished artist and great bands over the last 50 plus years, it would take a true musical historian to even compose the first 20 years alone. As we look back over his awesome, start studded career Rucker has done what many could only dream of, not bad for a young man from the north side of the train tracks in Tulsa, Okla.
Now as for publishing a record that was done 50 years ago, today, we will check the record, but I don’t think that has ever happened. Washington Rucker is truly an icon in the music and entertainment industry.
For more on this incredible International and Tulsa music Icon log on to www.wirjazz.com
