3/8/2023 0 Comments Grandfunk railroad story![]() ![]() It’s a badass American-made 50-watt amp, but I can’t take it on the road because it’s not practical. My personal choice in amplifiers is a Revolution. Your crisp, clear onstage guitar sound is awesome. Mark Farner with one of his ubiquiotous Parker Fly guitars (Image credit: Daniel Hebert) Tate was a big deal-he also influenced Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, among others. My biggest lead-vocal influence was Howard Tate, who I strived to emulate. Many of my black friends have told me Grand Funk was the only white band whose albums they ever bought. During our early days, our audience was pretty much divided evenly between white and black folks. Other bands that came out of Detroit, such as the MC5 and Alice Cooper, were straight-out rock without the R&B influence. We took the rhythm and blues influence to a rock level. How would you compare Grand’s Funk music to other Motown-influenced bands from the Detroit area? -Steve Katz In all fairness, they should call themselves Grand Funk Revisited. Everyone knows the new version of the band is a fraud and tarnishing the group’s name. Fans often come up to me after my shows with my solo band and tell me that the new rendition of the group more so than anything else sounds like a Grand Funk tribute band. I was the engine that powered Grand Funk Railroad-I wrote and sang nearly all of the music. Is it fair to say you were the group’s heart and soul? -Steven Kay Your feisty, soulful vocals and fierce, bluesy guitar were the most defining characteristics of Grand Funk’s classic sound. It was fulfilling to have spent time speaking to Jimi, and I cherish those moments dearly. He could make his guitar breathe, cry and speak he was putting himself into his instrument, which is what I strive to do. ![]() He was a very sincere, soft-spoken and introverted guy, which was in total contrast to his onstage flamboyance. We talked about fishing and our childhoods. We played various shows together over the next year or so, and Jimi and I would always hang out and chat. After I got offstage, I saw that he was standing inside my dressing room with a big smile on his face and that big ol’, wide-brimmed hat he wore, and we talked for a while. Jimi came to see us perform, but we didn’t know he was there. I met Jimi for the first time when I got offstage after a Grand Funk concert at New York’s Fillmore East in 1969. How was your relationship with him? -Mike Sabatino Grand Funk shared concert bills with Jimi Hendrix in 1969 and ’70. I’m a dancing guy I like to move with the music. I like to kick it up and rock and play something that makes me want to dance. I love the blues, but I don’t want a constant diet of it. My other favorite players are Rick Derringer and Ronnie Earl. I also loved Jeff Beck’s playing with the Yardbirds. Jimi Hendrix was my guitar god! Eric Clapton’s early work was incredible his playing on Fresh Cream blew my mind. Who are your guitar influences? -Ken Shirley ![]()
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