Janie Grey "Memories"

I tapped the shoulder of the guy in front of us.

"Who would you compare these guys to?"

He thought about it for a second and said, "Maybe . . . The Allmans?"

I was in my favorite local bar, about to watch my favorite local band.

Admittedly, both the bar and the band were a little dank, dirty and down-and-out for a date, but this new girl I was dating seemed game.

When she asked what the band sounded like, I said that their main reference was probably The Band. But she didn't know The Band.

"Take a load off, Annie, Take a load for free . . ." I sang, trying to rattle a memory that clearly wasn't there for her. "No, doesn't ring a bell?"

Nope.

So I asked the guy in front of me, and he suggested The Allmans, which was a reasonable second suggestion.

She nodded, approvingly.

True to form, Janie Grey came out and threw down a great bar-shaking set. And yes, in the model of The Band, three different guys in the band took shots at lead singing, some of the songs extended out, out, out in jam fashion, and they even did staples The Band were known for doing, like "Down South In New Orleans" and "Mystery Train."

She seemed to have a good time, trying groove along with the proceedings.

In the car on the way home, I asked her what she thought of the band.

"Oh, they were good I guess. Not what I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?"

"Well, based on that guy's description, I guess I was you know, expecting the white suits and the dance moves and stuff."

"Dance moves?"

Wait a minute.

"Are you confusing The Allman Brothers with The Osmond Brothers?"

"Oh! Yeah, I guess I am!" she said, cheerily.

(The post script, unsurprisingly, is that this relationship did not work out . . .)


Hear the song on Youtube.