Howard Grimes epitomizes the lost Memphis sound. Listen to Al Green.
Hear that laid-back drumbeat? That's Howard. We were in the lobby of
the Stax museum the other day, and O.V. Wright's "Trying to Live My Life Without You"
came on the PA. I asked Howard "Is that you on that one?" He said,
"Yeah, and I haven't heard it since it was recorded."
I wanted
to ask what cave he'd been living in since he recorded it. But I
already knew. Soulsville's artist-in-exile lives a block from the Stax
museum. He says that that organization hasn't reached out to him
despite his role as the de-facto house
drummer in the early days of Stax' East McLemore Avenue studio. That
should put his recognition as a cornerstone of the Memphis sound in
perspective. And some other things, too.
Grimes recorded on Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand the Rain," and appeared in the motion picture The Firm among other things.
These days he gigs around town, sometimes at One Block North, sometimes Wild Bill's, and every Sunday afternoon at B.B. King's on Beale, with old buddies like Leroy Hodges, the bass player who combined with Grimes, and Hodges brothers Teenie and Charles to make the Hi Rhythm section. But that's another story. Part one of the Howard Grimes story, in his own words, follows.
I was self-taught on the drums. My mother had them big old 78 records
of Big Joe Turner and Ray Charles. I'd play on the pots and pans. My
granddaddy used to listen to the Grand Ole Opry. I'd sit and listen to
it with him.
I could hear the drums from the school over
there on Smith Street where I lived in North Memphis. I came to
Manassas in ninth grade. That's when I took an interest in band — Mr.
Able was the band teacher there. Mr. Able and them were into jazz,
listening to Max Roach, Art Blakey, and these drummers. They started
tuning me in.
Mr. Able singled me out as a drummer that he felt would be successful.
He used to let me out of school — I got an opportunity to record up
there at Satellite. Rufus Thomas decided to cut a record one day, and
it was suggested that I play on it. I was excited 'cause I had never
recorded before and didn't know whether I could do it. I was 12.
I went up there and met Ms. Axton and Mr. Stewart. Chips Moman was the
engineer. He was the most kindhearted man I'd ever met. He believed in
me for some reason. It was Bob Talley's band: Alfred Rudd, Wilbur
Steinburg, Talley — he was a piano player but played trumpet on that
session — Booker T. Jones, long before he became the MGs ... Me and
Booker were the youngest ones up there. The record was called 'Cause I
Love You.' [Released in 1960 between Charles Heinz' only two singles.]
After that, they brought me back, and I cut Carla Thomas' 'Gee Whiz.'
[Released in late 1960, it was Satellite's first national hit.]
Something went wrong with the machine, so we did the session at Hi
[Willie Mitchell's studio at 1320 Lauderdale]. Marvell Thomas played
piano, I played drums, and they had the Memphis Symphony, Noel Gilbert
and his two kids. Sam Jones and the Veltones were the back-up singers.
They called me back for William Bell. I also cut with Wendy Rene,
Prince Conley. And I did a lot of instrumentals with the Mar-Keys. I
never got any royalties. I got statements but never any money.
A lot of [rumors] have come out over the years. Someone said that Al
Jackson [Jr.] tutored me. Al Jackson never tutored me — I was before Al
Jackson.
[Stax] gave Booker T. an opportunity to record one
day. I don't know where I was, usually I was at home, but that day I
left home. When I got back, my mother told me [Stax] had called. I was
the staff drummer, but I called them back, and they said they had got
someone else. I found out it was Al Jackson. Steve Cropper had
recommended him. He called [Jackson] in that day for 'Green Onions,'
and the rest is history. That was my shot, and I missed it.