The combined playing experience of members of the Memphis Connection band includes recording and gigging with Al green, Albert King, The Bar-Kays, The Soul Children, Denise LaSalle, Spencer Wiggins, Ann Peebles, and O.V. Wright.
Dotson (pictured, right, with Kight in the background on stage at The Boss), a former member of Albert King's band, handles vocals. The band also backs local vocalists Sugarman, Preacherman, Nate Dogg, and Isaac Simpson. The revue plays Thursday nights at the
Boss Lounge, Fridays at
One Block North, and the Connection backs the "Mississippi Boy"
Charles Wilson on his shows.
Kight toured with Goldwax Records vocalist Spencer Wiggins, who now contemplates a comeback from his Florida home, before joining Denise LaSalle's band back in her Malaco days.
Cunningham took his late brother Carl's place in the Bar-Kays for the group's 1968 reformation following the plane crash that killed Otis Redding and four original members.
Finally, Hodges (left) and his brothers Teenie and Charles grew under the wing of Hi Records producer WIllie Mitchell into the most formidable backup band in '70s soul. Hodges, for my money, is the most impressive musician in the band. To hear he and his old battery-mate Grimes keep the beat is to witness history. Unlike seeing other greats of the past perform, though, those two are razor sharp, and feel more confident and intuitive with their playing than ever. You also have to applaud Hodges for keeping a straight face though
Sugarman's performance of "Love and Happiness," a tune Hodges has heard another
artist perform once or twice, too.
The Memphis Connection is something alive and musical that makes this city special. Where else can you go to hear musicians of this stature play in neighborhood juke joints?