Big Easy Street Sounds
Something about Eddie
Yours truly left Behrman High somewhere in the early 50s. Went "Big Time" to play strip shows on Bourbon Street. You can laugh, but ask anyone about the 50s on the "street," and theyll tell you that some of the best musicians to "wail" were alumni of Bourbon St.
Hooked up with a group headed byCharlie May, called "The Continentals." We played six nights a week on Elysian Fields at a club called the "Bellevue."
Charlie May played tenor; Hilton Falgoust, bass; and Mr. Peepers, piano. I was hired as a singer and to play ballads to give Charlie a rest. The drummer was Reed Vaughn. Not to put any drummers down, but Vaughn ruined me for life. Thats been over 50 years ago, and no one, I repeat no one has ever come near to this "machine of rhythm" than Reed Vaughn for perfection.
Went to Biloxi with Charlie and the group until things got funny with some real funk balls, who would rather get loaded and dream than play music.
Got a call from a slow talking, fast thinking swinger named Mac Rebennack. Did this guy have ideas, ones that were ahead of our time, about what he wanted to do. I really liked Mac, but he surrounded himself with some strange sidemen.
He was real good to me, and we got along better than anyone I ever worked for. Mac put me on "Record Sessions" with the likes of Jimmy Clanton, Ike Clanton, Johnny Adams, Jerry Byrnes, Fess Longhair and a few other artists I can't recall. It was a fun packed few years standing between Lee Allen and Red Tyler, you'd better be having fun or else. These guys are real princes in every meaning of the word. As you know Mac went on to be Dr. John, and Im still Eddie Hynes.
Just a small insight about my relationship with Mac.
White musicians and black musicians on the same stage was a no-no. This caused Mac,he was therecord agent, to book the studio at 1:00 or 2:00 AM. It worked out really well. Usually the sessions would start after a gig, so most of us were all set to play.
Mac and I got hired to blow a Rock Show at Lincoln Beach, with a 12 piece group headed up by Wardell. Can you picture 12 black musicians, 2 white musicians and 10,000 Afro-Americans all jumping and grooving together? We looked at each other just once the whole night!
I was even invited to go up to the Carver House and sit in with the House Band. I think it was Roy Brown, they featured me and my favorite tune: "Body and Soul."
You couldn't speak to me for weeks.
A year or so passed and I ended up with Joe Carr in Morgan City. Boo Hargis and I had a real good sound, backing Joe. He always had a real smooth voice. No matter what Rock and Roll, Popular or Blues Joe would cause you to have fun.
Boo Hargis and I ended up at a real swinging weekend nightclub named "The Golden Room." We worked for Lamar Bourgeois. He had a group named "The Matadors". Club work is a lot of fun when you put together the right combination.
Enter Buck Baker. He asked me what I was making, laughed when I told him, showed me what he would pay me on a weekly basis whether I worked or not and eighteen years later he never once broke his word.
I tore both roto cuffs in my shoulders, causing me terrific pain. It made retirement a very easy decision.
In closing, I apologize to the very many guys I had the priviledge of playing with that space doesn't permit me to list, even though I can recall hundreds of musicians I did play with. I thank all of you "Studs."
Also, I have to thank my sister Katherine Parker for buying me my first trombone; and my mom Edna Hynes for all of her support over all these years.
Once again, thanks to all.
Love all of you,
Eddie
In closing I wish to thank my wife Patricia (who I lovingly call Sam) my daughter April, my
son Eddie Jr. and my son Tommy who stood by me all the times I was absent to follow by dream to play music.
Without them my dream would have been empty.
Love you all,
Dad
Photo courtesy Eddie Hynes
circa 1950's.
"Big Time" on Bourbon Street.
