So, I've been delaying this post for a while now. But it's time to put the issue to rest for me personally. A few weeks ago (sometime towards the end of October) Robert Cray let Kevin Hayes and Karl Sevareid go from The Robert Cray Band. We had a lot of discussion about it on the Robert Cray Fan Club. That, by itself was noteworthy. Its been a quiet year on the board from an RCB perspective. Anyway, I pretty much said my peace there, but want to re-iterate it here.
It is a bitter pill to swallow. This line up has been in place for over 16 years, eight studio albums, over 1000 live performances, not to mention the compilation albums. It may be over a private matter, but it's a pubic divorce and all diehard fans are going to be affected. So while we shouldn't publicly speculate about the private reasons why, it's fair for us to discuss and lament it's effect. For me, for now, it's not going to be "The Robert Cray Band" for a while. They broke up. Now it's Robert Cray featuring Jim Pugh. I'm sure this feeling will pass, just like when the Horn's left, but for now I'm still saddened by the news. Karl and Kevin were more than just band members, they were contributers. They have song writing credits across many albums. They worked so well together.
All of the best RCB shows I've seen have been with this foursome. Sometimes with the horns, some times not. In the late 80's I caught the RCB in Minnapolis. Back when it was the Richard Cousins, Peter Boe and David Olson. I don't have the same enthrallment memories of this show as I do the shows I saw in 2000 onward. I didn't get to see too many RCB shows before moving to Washington, DC. The MSP show and one appearance at the Bayfront Blues Fest in 1995 or 1996, I forget which year. I don't know if it's me that's changed or the band, but things just seemed 'better' from 2000 onward. It's probably just nostalgia sneaking up on me.
So now it's on with the Robert Cray group. Still can't call it "band" yet.
P.S. Kevin or Karl, if you're out there, drop me an email.... I'd love to know where you land next.
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