“Without The Blues, we wouldn’t have any of the American roots music we love today! Blues can be traced in all genre’s, you can hear the influence in The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, The Who, Billy Idol and so many more. Blues had a baby, and they called it rock n roll!”
Darren Thiboutot: Memphis Lightning
Memphis Lightning was born out of tradition with a pedigree second to none. Having played with the Blues Legend Eddie "Blues Man" Kirkland, Memphis Lightning are the real deal. Their energetic performances will bring you back to the days when the Juke joints were rocking and the Blues was King. So bring a friend, roll back the rug and get on the floor...Memphis Lightning is in the House. Darren "Lil Bluesman" Thiboutot was riding shotgun and playing ol' school, rock solid, tasty guitar on stage with the late Great Blues Legend Eddie Kirkland, and Buddy Guy. On the skins, riding the back beat, and the backbone of Memphis Lightning is Grammy nominated and international touring and recording artist Darren "Big Red" Thiboutot. He has recorded and or played with artists such as Eddie "Bluesman" Kirkland, Pinetop Perkins, Lazy Lester, Tab Benoit, Kenny Neal, Sonny Landreth, Clyde Stubblefield, Richard Bell, Christine Ohlman, Lucky Peterson, Troy Turner, Big Jack Johnson, Cub Koda, ect. As the eldest statesman Rick "Slow Driver" McLennan has been laying down the bottom end for the Piners, the Late Great Eddie Kirkland, and now Memphis Lightning. Driving the bus, it's what he does.
(Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by Chris Schmitt)
Lightning has played with the late Great Blues Legend Eddie Kirkland, Buddy Guy, Tab Benoit, Big Sandy, Bloodshot Bill, Sean Mencher, Bill Kirchen (Commander Cody) and Marty Sammon to name a few. He was selected as the first youth artist to represent the state of Maine in the International Blues Challenge Youth Show Case. Four years cancer free, Lightning has lived the blues and has proven to be among the greats, and compared to some of the biggest names to ever hit the blues, country and rock scene. Lightning fast, explosive stage show and soulful playing, Lightning is a showman at heart.
How has the Blues Rock music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?
My first interaction with Blues Rock Music, happened to me when I was 8 years old. My old man, Grammy Nominated Big Red, and Mama Lightning bought me a guitar and I started taking lessons with Mike Hayward, a Maine Blues Hero and he introduced me to Magic Sam, Mike Bloomfield and Roy Buchanan! When I first heard Roy, playing Cajun, Roy’s Bluz, everything changed! His guitar playing was straight from the soul, and pulled at your heart strings with every note! The energy that is found in rock music, the explosive stage show, and the soul from blues and the meaning, blended together brings us Blues Rock and definitely helped shaped me into the hot rodded guitar player I am today!
”My music is on a journey of never ending growth. I take all of the influences and inspirations that I have and bring them together into one. And each song I write, I try to grow as a songwriter and musician. I want to write music for the future, and turn the younger generation on to this art form, and rock on!” (Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by BOSK)
Howdo you describe your sound and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?
My sound is a blend of all of my heroes and influences from genre to genre, mixed together to form a sound that purely comes from my soul, I write a lot of music with my old man, and you’ll hear elements of Blues, Rock, Pop, Roots, Country and more! I write music that has meaning and feeling to me, and my songs range from rockers, to soulful ones, tear jerkers, to pure guitar pyrotechnics! Songs like Run All Night from Borrowed Time Album brings out the country and rockabilly man inside me, and Woke UpThis Morningblends the traditional blues with the electrifying sounds of blues rock! Any songs I’ve covered as well all have meaning to me and helped inspire me to do what I do, like Going Down by Don Nix, Mississippi Queen by Mountain! It’s very important to always serve the song, skill and chops are nice but you don’t need them, what you need is a melody that people can hum along with, a groove that is infectious and create a sound that makes people feel better and want to listen to it over and over. I write for the song, and my parts that I create serve that song as a living and breathing thing, chops and skill are a means to an end, and can be used to ensure that a song has all the right parts.
Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!
Meeting some of my heroes and being able to hang out with them and share the stage with them and playing guitar with them! Eddie Kirkland when I was 12 years old, Buddy Guy when I was 18, Tab Benoit when I was 21 and the list continues on and on! The first time I played to a sold out audience, a ticketed show for just my band, and Daytona Bike Week, performing Infront of 100,000 people are definitely some of the highlights of my career! Along with every show we sell out, knowing those people spent there hard earned money to come see me and my band, and I get to talk to them and get to know my fans, and call them friends!
”My sound is a blend of all of my heroes and influences from genre to genre, mixed together to form a sound that purely comes from my soul, I write a lot of music with my old man, and you’ll hear elements of Blues, Rock, Pop, Roots, Country and more!” (Darren “Lil Bluesman” Thiboutot & Darren “Big Red” Thiboutot / Photo by Michael Krause)
What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?
I miss the longevity! Bands were legendary, everyone knew every member, they became household names, The Who, Steppenwolf, Muddy Waters, Merle Haggard, Howlin Wolf, Link Wray, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and more! It didn’t matter the genre, bands had a way of becoming one with the people and never forgotten. A lot of modern bands come and go and lucky to see 10 years as a band, they’re so much ego and bad blood in this industry and to last takes a team, sticking together. There is hope, because I am a believer in people and the goodness inside them, there’s hope for the legacy of these modern bands to live on, but they can’t stop or ever give up.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?
Pick a lane, and stay in it. I heard that from. Famous interview with the superstar PINK, and she’s right. As an artist you have to pick something to work on, grow and perfect and keep on learning. Whether it be a specific genre, or style of show, pick something and stay true to yourself. Don’t be afraid of growing, or changing
But as long as your changing for the better of you and your band as a whole. Don’t lose the magic that makes you, you! I’ve also learned to never take anyone or anything for granted, give credit when credit is due, we can’t make it without good advice from good people. My good friend Paul Benjamin, started me out with some of the best advice and still to this day teaches me more, you have to find people that have your best interest at heart and hold onto them and never take any of them for granted. Don’t be afraid to admit when your wrong, but be willing to learn from it, I learn musically everyday and sometimes I play to many notes, I listen back to recordings and I learn from it.
””The energy that is found in rock music, the explosive stage show, and the soul from blues and the meaning, blended together brings us Blues Rock and definitely helped shaped me into the hot rodded guitar player I am today!” (Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by Michael Krause)
Whyis it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of a poet in today’s society?
Without The Blues, we wouldn’t have any of the American roots music we love today! Blues can be traced in all genre’s, you can hear the influence in The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, The Who, Billy Idol and so many more. Blues had a baby, and they called it rock n roll! Blues music tells a story, and allows the singer to dig deep into things close to them, or means so much to them. Singing about the hard times, helps us get thru them and feel better. Especially in todays society, a poet can illustrate there thoughts, feelings, truths, questions and more in a song. A song can have a deep intimacy of sorts, and take on cultural significances and more. But it can also be an extension of yourself and something you dealt with or currently dealing with. Or a song can be a fiction, a fantasy story with a happy or sad ending, purely a story created by you for the masses. The poet has all of this and more in his tool belt, and can address anything they want to the world and in whichever way is best for them. My approach, I write music to try and bridge the gap and bring people together. I don’t personally don’t care about politics, or religion, those things divide us while music heals and brings us together! Performing at a show and looking out, and seeing all walks of life laughing, smiling, dancing and hi fiving each other at a concert, just happy to be there, not a care in the world, that’s my mission as a musical poet!
What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?
My music is on a journey of never ending growth. I take all of the influences and inspirations that I have and bring them together into one. And each song I write, I try to grow as a songwriter and musician. I want to write music for the future, and turn the younger generation on to this art form, and rock on!
Q&A with talented musician Darren Thiboutot (Memphis Lightning), playing ol' school, rock solid, tasty guitar on stage with great bluesmen
by Music Network by Michael Limnios
on Sunday
“Without The Blues, we wouldn’t have any of the American roots music we love today! Blues can be traced in all genre’s, you can hear the influence in The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, The Who, Billy Idol and so many more. Blues had a baby, and they called it rock n roll!”
Darren Thiboutot: Memphis Lightning
Memphis Lightning was born out of tradition with a pedigree second to none. Having played with the Blues Legend Eddie "Blues Man" Kirkland, Memphis Lightning are the real deal. Their energetic performances will bring you back to the days when the Juke joints were rocking and the Blues was King. So bring a friend, roll back the rug and get on the floor...Memphis Lightning is in the House. Darren "Lil Bluesman" Thiboutot was riding shotgun and playing ol' school, rock solid, tasty guitar on stage with the late Great Blues Legend Eddie Kirkland, and Buddy Guy. On the skins, riding the back beat, and the backbone of Memphis Lightning is Grammy nominated and international touring and recording artist Darren "Big Red" Thiboutot. He has recorded and or played with artists such as Eddie "Bluesman" Kirkland, Pinetop Perkins, Lazy Lester, Tab Benoit, Kenny Neal, Sonny Landreth, Clyde Stubblefield, Richard Bell, Christine Ohlman, Lucky Peterson, Troy Turner, Big Jack Johnson, Cub Koda, ect. As the eldest statesman Rick "Slow Driver" McLennan has been laying down the bottom end for the Piners, the Late Great Eddie Kirkland, and now Memphis Lightning. Driving the bus, it's what he does.
(Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by Chris Schmitt)
Lightning has played with the late Great Blues Legend Eddie Kirkland, Buddy Guy, Tab Benoit, Big Sandy, Bloodshot Bill, Sean Mencher, Bill Kirchen (Commander Cody) and Marty Sammon to name a few. He was selected as the first youth artist to represent the state of Maine in the International Blues Challenge Youth Show Case. Four years cancer free, Lightning has lived the blues and has proven to be among the greats, and compared to some of the biggest names to ever hit the blues, country and rock scene. Lightning fast, explosive stage show and soulful playing, Lightning is a showman at heart.
Interview by Michael Limnios Photos by BOSK, Chris Schmitt, Michael Krause
How has the Blues Rock music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?
My first interaction with Blues Rock Music, happened to me when I was 8 years old. My old man, Grammy Nominated Big Red, and Mama Lightning bought me a guitar and I started taking lessons with Mike Hayward, a Maine Blues Hero and he introduced me to Magic Sam, Mike Bloomfield and Roy Buchanan! When I first heard Roy, playing Cajun, Roy’s Bluz, everything changed! His guitar playing was straight from the soul, and pulled at your heart strings with every note! The energy that is found in rock music, the explosive stage show, and the soul from blues and the meaning, blended together brings us Blues Rock and definitely helped shaped me into the hot rodded guitar player I am today!
”My music is on a journey of never ending growth. I take all of the influences and inspirations that I have and bring them together into one. And each song I write, I try to grow as a songwriter and musician. I want to write music for the future, and turn the younger generation on to this art form, and rock on!” (Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by BOSK)
How do you describe your sound and songbook? What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?
My sound is a blend of all of my heroes and influences from genre to genre, mixed together to form a sound that purely comes from my soul, I write a lot of music with my old man, and you’ll hear elements of Blues, Rock, Pop, Roots, Country and more! I write music that has meaning and feeling to me, and my songs range from rockers, to soulful ones, tear jerkers, to pure guitar pyrotechnics! Songs like Run All Night from Borrowed Time Album brings out the country and rockabilly man inside me, and Woke Up This Morning blends the traditional blues with the electrifying sounds of blues rock! Any songs I’ve covered as well all have meaning to me and helped inspire me to do what I do, like Going Down by Don Nix, Mississippi Queen by Mountain! It’s very important to always serve the song, skill and chops are nice but you don’t need them, what you need is a melody that people can hum along with, a groove that is infectious and create a sound that makes people feel better and want to listen to it over and over. I write for the song, and my parts that I create serve that song as a living and breathing thing, chops and skill are a means to an end, and can be used to ensure that a song has all the right parts.
Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!
Meeting some of my heroes and being able to hang out with them and share the stage with them and playing guitar with them! Eddie Kirkland when I was 12 years old, Buddy Guy when I was 18, Tab Benoit when I was 21 and the list continues on and on! The first time I played to a sold out audience, a ticketed show for just my band, and Daytona Bike Week, performing Infront of 100,000 people are definitely some of the highlights of my career! Along with every show we sell out, knowing those people spent there hard earned money to come see me and my band, and I get to talk to them and get to know my fans, and call them friends!
”My sound is a blend of all of my heroes and influences from genre to genre, mixed together to form a sound that purely comes from my soul, I write a lot of music with my old man, and you’ll hear elements of Blues, Rock, Pop, Roots, Country and more!” (Darren “Lil Bluesman” Thiboutot & Darren “Big Red” Thiboutot / Photo by Michael Krause)
What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?
I miss the longevity! Bands were legendary, everyone knew every member, they became household names, The Who, Steppenwolf, Muddy Waters, Merle Haggard, Howlin Wolf, Link Wray, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and more! It didn’t matter the genre, bands had a way of becoming one with the people and never forgotten. A lot of modern bands come and go and lucky to see 10 years as a band, they’re so much ego and bad blood in this industry and to last takes a team, sticking together. There is hope, because I am a believer in people and the goodness inside them, there’s hope for the legacy of these modern bands to live on, but they can’t stop or ever give up.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?
Pick a lane, and stay in it. I heard that from. Famous interview with the superstar PINK, and she’s right. As an artist you have to pick something to work on, grow and perfect and keep on learning. Whether it be a specific genre, or style of show, pick something and stay true to yourself. Don’t be afraid of growing, or changing
But as long as your changing for the better of you and your band as a whole. Don’t lose the magic that makes you, you! I’ve also learned to never take anyone or anything for granted, give credit when credit is due, we can’t make it without good advice from good people. My good friend Paul Benjamin, started me out with some of the best advice and still to this day teaches me more, you have to find people that have your best interest at heart and hold onto them and never take any of them for granted. Don’t be afraid to admit when your wrong, but be willing to learn from it, I learn musically everyday and sometimes I play to many notes, I listen back to recordings and I learn from it.
””The energy that is found in rock music, the explosive stage show, and the soul from blues and the meaning, blended together brings us Blues Rock and definitely helped shaped me into the hot rodded guitar player I am today!” (Darren Thiboutot aka Memphis Lightning / Photo by Michael Krause)
Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of a poet in today’s society?
Without The Blues, we wouldn’t have any of the American roots music we love today! Blues can be traced in all genre’s, you can hear the influence in The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, The Who, Billy Idol and so many more. Blues had a baby, and they called it rock n roll! Blues music tells a story, and allows the singer to dig deep into things close to them, or means so much to them. Singing about the hard times, helps us get thru them and feel better. Especially in todays society, a poet can illustrate there thoughts, feelings, truths, questions and more in a song. A song can have a deep intimacy of sorts, and take on cultural significances and more. But it can also be an extension of yourself and something you dealt with or currently dealing with. Or a song can be a fiction, a fantasy story with a happy or sad ending, purely a story created by you for the masses. The poet has all of this and more in his tool belt, and can address anything they want to the world and in whichever way is best for them. My approach, I write music to try and bridge the gap and bring people together. I don’t personally don’t care about politics, or religion, those things divide us while music heals and brings us together! Performing at a show and looking out, and seeing all walks of life laughing, smiling, dancing and hi fiving each other at a concert, just happy to be there, not a care in the world, that’s my mission as a musical poet!
What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?
My music is on a journey of never ending growth. I take all of the influences and inspirations that I have and bring them together into one. And each song I write, I try to grow as a songwriter and musician. I want to write music for the future, and turn the younger generation on to this art form, and rock on!
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