“Try to be true to yourself. I’m hearing comments about authenticity lately, being something to strive for. Be open to other’s ideas and feelings. In a group situation for live performance, try to create a culture of fun. Play for your audience versus worrying about the players in the house. Your audience is way more open minded, and generally… more appreciative. And… never point your guitar amp at the sound man.”

Pops Fletcher: Blues Grounded in Soul

Rarely do records start by effortlessly dropping you right in the middle of a groove, but “Almost Live”, the debut album from Wisconsin-based Pops Fletcher and The Hucksters does just that. Songs flow from one to the next with the incalculable ease that comes with playing together for over a decade; it's just taken them a hot minute to get around to committing things to tape. Singer/guitarist/bandleader Pops Fletcher started The Hucksters in 2013, tired of playing behind frontmen and itching to do his own material and take the reins of a band once again. Over the course of 11 tracks Fletcher leads his crew through a myriad of groove-heavy backroads that all eventually flow into the blues highway. One thing that becomes quickly evident as Almost Liveunfolds is that this is a band who live for that onstage interaction and clearly love what they do.

(Photo: Pops Fletcher)

Everything is tight and loose in all the right places and it just works to near-perfection. Pops Fletcher aka Matthew Fletcher Goodwin, says: “Playing live gives me so much satisfaction that I didn't even think about recording for a long period of time. But I came to this realization, now that I'm in my early 70s, that I have multiple albums worth of material, but I don't know how much runaway I have left, so I've gotta get it recorded!"

Interview by Michael Limnios           Special Thanks: Larry Kay (Night Train PR)

How has the music influenced your views of the world? How do you describe your sound and songbook?

I see music as a universal language. I have performed original music with an acoustic guitar in situations where there are few English speakers. It is the soul or feelings that transcend language barriers. Perhaps we have the ability to sense authenticity when we hear it. I think rhythm flows throughout the world. Whether it is current Indian pop, rhythm and blues, hip hop, Latin funk, African tribal music… whatever. The rhythms of life flow through us all. A visit to Britain and Ireland quickly informs an American where bluegrass comes from. One can hear the polka influence in the music of northern Mexico. We tend to take our music with us, which leads to surprising destinations of sound. Being a melting pot, the world has brought so many flavors to our country. We travel to Ecuador annually for the last seven years, where our hosts have become dear friends, and have a party for us on the Saturday night we are there. Carlos, our friend who’s an electrical engineer from Quité, has a beautiful tenor voice. He sings well known Ecuadorian songs that they all sing along to. We take turns. Then I play my music. It all works. My wife raises the question. What are our traditional songs? I think you have to go from culture to culture to identify them in America. Blues is definitely one place to look.

My sound? My sound is grounded in soul. It is very groove centric. According to radio, “Almost Live” is considered contemporary blues. I’ve played blues in the ‘60’s and ‘70s, blues-ish southern rock in the early ‘80s, rhythm and blues in the late ‘90s and a melting pot of all of it for the past 20 years. I did a blues duo with Glenn Davis for over 14 years. We’ve always described Pops Fletcher & The Hucksters as “rocking, funking, Blues.”

I also played a lot of funk and R&B in the ‘70s, mid ‘80s, and late ‘90s. You can hear it in “Toxic”, and “Rear View Mirror.” Even “All About Love” and “The Pleaser” are driven by a subtle ‘Purdie Shuffle’. From 2018 to 2020, along with playing with The Hucksters, I played intense instrumental funk with The JB3’s… there is plenty of that to be heard on YouTube. The leader and drummer of The JB3’s was a long time friend, student and, eventually, musical director for Clyde Stubblefield – who’s widely acknowledged to be the original funky drummer. I can happily lay up in a James Brown groove for days. This past weekend, I was part of a tribute to Jim Peterman, original  keyboardist for the first two Steve Miller albums. Jim taught me a great deal. He and I were in the backing band for a black female gospel called the Gospel Belles. I was fortunate to grow up in one of only three diverse cities in Wisconsin. In 1970, when I graduated high school, Milwaukee, Racine and my home town, Beloit, were the only cities with a significant black population.

I grew up 100 miles from Chicago, listening to WLS radio. Pop, including Motown, is what I heard, so, my songbook reflects the different styles I’ve played and dug throughout the years. My next record will voice more funky rhythms and pop tendencies. I saw Mateo Bocelli last night, his voice is otherworldly. It just proves again that grooves are universal. To me, the grooves are the unspoken universal language. They define the sound of “Almost Live.” That, and the wonderful sound of the Hammond B3… nothing better for me. I love playing guitar. I can express feelings with guitar that my limited vocal range won’t allow. I was always proud to be ‘the soulful white boy from Beloit.’ Over the years, I was very often the only white performer on stage. The way I’ve been embraced by the local black music community is a great source of pride for me.

“Live music used to be special. Now? You can see just about anyone you want on YouTube, on your big screen at home. We still need it. It breeds community, brings folks together for a common reason, a good reason. This will sound crazy. But, I miss the smoke.” (Photo: Pops Fletcher)

What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?

I love this question. My mother heard me picking out TV themes on our old piano and put me in piano lessons in 1959. I was seven years old. I took lessons until 1963. The Beatles and Stones changed the world. I talked my mother into a $100.00 Gibson acoustic guitar and got busy teaching myself based on my keyboard knowledge. I don’t sight read. I have a pretty good ear. But I understand what comprises a minor 9th or major 7th, along with relative minors and such. In fact, I still think keyboards when I think about chords.

But I don’t think about pentatonic scales, or what I call “Nickelodeon” scales. I am not a cerebral player. I play with my ear, from my heart, my soul, my gut... and my pelvis. I have a physical relationship with music, whether I am on stage or in the audience. I can’t sit still when the grooves are happening. Don’t get me wrong. I have tremendous respect for artists that have taken whatever gifts they have and trained themselves to be masters of technique. I have small hands with unimpressive fine motor gifts.  Practicing like mad when I was younger, I had a 15 year old 2nd cousin blow past me (at 18). He was a talented carpenter, artistic painter… gifts he inherited from his father. I was never in the “super chops” game.

When I go out to hear an artist, I’m not there to see what he or she knows. I want to know what they feel. And what they can make me feel. Don’t get me wrong, I can play, but my best improv work will tell soulful stories. I am blessed to be surrounded by talent and experience.  We can get after it. And I damn sure ain’t afraid of no ‘jam band.’ My lead guitarist, Jeffrey Douglas “Mitch” Mitchell, is a flat out beast. Todd Phipps is actually a “Certified Hammond Artist.” He is insanely talented. I like to say that I stand at the front of the stage like a General… with a Flamethrower to my right (Phipps), and a Gatling Gun (Mitch) to my left. Pretty much… point and shoot.

I can do whatever I want with confidence because I have Tim Walter on bass and Nic Fugate on drums. One hell of a rhythm section!

“Our country is torn virtually in half, and it is ALL about color. I realize racial issues have been with us through all of time and all over the world. But right now it is painfully clear what the story is in America. Makes me sad. I haven’t written much in a while.  I don’t want to write about what I’m feeling these days. It would only be angry.” (Photo: Pops Fletcher)

Why do you think that the Blues music continues to generate such a devoted following?

It is truly American ‘roots’ music. It is foundational to so many. I haven’t lived all over the States, but I did live in Atlanta for 7½ years. But, mostly, I’ve lived in the upper midwest. The blues audiences I see are predominately white and older, from 50 to 80 years old. By and large, in my home area, black audiences might enjoy it at home, but they don’t come out to see it. I saw Keb Mo (for the fourth time) last year here in Madison. Wonderful show. I turned around to look at the crowd as we left, and basically it was an all-white audience.

Younger black audiences, even going back to the early ‘70s, wanted James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Johnny Taylor, Al Green, etc. They didn’t want anything to do with Blues, and it seems they still don’t. They saw blues as their parents’ music, not theirs. I think, back then, they associated it with the days of “Jim Crow” laws, when blues and jazz artists would come to play, but weren’t welcome to stay in local white hotels or eat in local restaurants. Those aren’t fun memories.That’s why so many black artists made their way to Europe. Where they were appreciated and respected for their talent. Period.

I’ve heard it may be different elsewhere, but it’s clear by the amount of new releases, that there is still a strong love for the artform. It fosters expression. It can be sorrowful, it can channel anger, or be the perfect vehicle for joy. I have a dear friend who is a 79 year old Viet Nam vet who drives 35 miles one way to dance to the blues.  It is how he handles his PTSD.

I remember a few years ago going out to see a popular younger blues act in the area. I was curious as to whether they drew a younger audience. Nope, it was the same white haired audience. Sometimes, I wonder if we all go “over the hill” together. Into the great “blues sunset.” Probably, the best exception to that rule is a band called The Jimmys. Excellent band with a charismatic and talented leader that rules locally and is recognized in the upper midwest.  You may have seen them touring Europe. Catch them if you can.

“My sound is grounded in soul. It is very groove centric. According to radio, “Almost Live” is considered contemporary blues. I’ve played blues in the ‘60’s and ‘70s, blues-ish southern rock in the early ‘80s, rhythm and blues in the late ‘90s and a melting pot of all of it for the past 20 years. I did a blues duo with Glenn Davis for over 14 years.” (Photo: Pops Fletcher)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

Live music used to be special. Now? You can see just about anyone you want on YouTube, on your big screen at home. We still need it. It breeds community, brings folks together for a common reason, a good reason. This will sound crazy. But, I miss the smoke. Having ingested as much second hand smoke as anyone, I certainly don’t miss the smoke. I miss those days… before the drunk driving laws. It was never great money, but if you could gig 20 to 25 shows a month, you could kid yourself that you were making a living, playing music.

Do you know how good bands get when they play that much? The only way a player can work multiple nights a month, is by playing with whoever they can. That may hone their individual skills, but it doesn’t necessarily foster good band situations.

So, it is not the music of the past that I miss, I miss the whole scene. There used to be so much live music in my hometown of Beloit, Wisconsin. And there was nightlife.  Even during the week, folks would be out until bar time, 2am. Now, the streets are empty by 10:30 at night.  

I’m not afraid that music will no longer matter. There will always be folks who need it, or love it or want to play it. The money makers these days are “tribute bands.” What bands are brewing now? Whose music will be tributed decades from now? We live in the cult of personality. Where people are famous for being famous. Not  because they wrote great songs and did legendary shows.

In the meantime, at least here in Wisonsin, we’re left with professional football. I live in a society that values the concept of the modern day gladiators over just about everything else. About 10 years ago, my youngest son was doing an internship in Rome. We hired a guide for a couple days. One of the places we viewed the first day was a large open oval area, sitting empty. She told us it was originally the site of Grecian Olympic style competitions. It still sat empty. It turned out that the competitions were actually too civil. It was the brutality of The Colosseum that the Romans chose. The blues duo I did for over 14 years with my dear friend, Glenn Davis was on Thursday nights. But if the our local pro team, the Green Bay Packers had a preseason game on a Thursday? Empty room. And now? There is a full blown NFL game every Thursday night. I’m not sure how you compete with that. I’ll stop whining now.

And then there is AI. My record was made without it. Yet, I am learning that there are AI tools that can benefit the independent artist. At the tender age of 73, I question that it will have a large role to play in my future. But, who knows?

“I grew up 100 miles from Chicago, listening to WLS radio. Pop, including Motown, is what I heard, so, my songbook reflects the different styles I’ve played and dug throughout the years. My next record will voice more funky rhythms and pop tendencies.” (Photos: Pops with Tramp, c.1970s & Pops Fletcher)

What moment changed your life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

Becoming a father at 19 in 1972 changed the arc of my musical life. Scuttled any hope I had of going to Berklee. But, my firstborn son, Todd sings lead on “Anybody Could Love You.” We do have that DNA harmony. I hope to be able to include him on more shows in the future, now that his youngest is off to college.  

I believe the most important moment was April 26, 1982. It was the first date with my current girlfriend of 43 years, being married for over 38 years.

Everything about my life improved in that moment. I’ve written an album’s worth of songs about her. Grab a minute, go to YouTube. Pull up “Pops Fletcher & The Hucksters” SHE’S TROUBLE. My son, Rob will be on trumpet. My lead man won’t be there. But, my rhythm section, my Hammond dude and special guest Alex Vance on the Nord will be there. It’s a fun cut.

Musical highlights? My two album release shows: Nap Daddy “Average Day” in March, 2008;not a blues release but still an incredibly proud moment. And recently, the Pops Fletcher album release show November 9th. As someone who started with 45s and LPs, the first time I put a platter on my turntable and heard my music come from it… that was a gas.

Over the years I performed shows sharing the line up with various national level acts. I was in a band called Sleeper. We opened for a few. One memorable night was Sleeper, then New Riders of the Purple Sage, with Elvin Bishop headlining. I was in the big green room eating. I chose the only open table, not wanting to bother other artists. It was still the most open table when Elvin Bishop sat down next to me to do an interview with a local music journalist. He’d been asked the same questions so many times that he never answered a question with more than three syllables. Kind of sounded like, “grunt”, “grunt grunt”, “grunt grunt grunt.” I figured he would have a keyboardist, maybe a second guitar. No, he did the show with a drummer, bassist and two saxophones. I went to school that night. He killed it!

I backed Thumbs Carlille’s daughter Cathy on a televised special in Atlanta. We did one song with a local studio bass player. The drummer, Sonny Emory and keyboardist Vance Taylor were only in town for a couple days as they were touring with Earth Wind & Fire at the time. We followed John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard) ha, ha… with Ray Charles appearing via satellite from Savannah. Various shows over the years with Firefall, Jeff Lorber (twice), Dave Weckle and Buzzy Feiten, Albert Lee, Roseanne Cash.  Oh yeah, and Pure Prairie League, with a new young lead vocalist. Some guy named Vince Gill? I’ve had some fun.

“I see music as a universal language. I have performed original music with an acoustic guitar in situations where there are few English speakers. It is the soul or feelings that transcend language barriers.”

(Photo: Pops Fletcher)

What is the impact of music on the racial and socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Let the world be healed by the groove. Can RESPECT be the universal language? Our country is torn virtually in half, and it is ALL about color. I realize racial issues have been with us through all of time and all over the world. But right now it is painfully clear what the story is in America. Makes me sad. I haven’t written much in a while.  I don’t want to write about what I’m feeling these days. It would only be angry.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Try to be true to yourself. I’m hearing comments about authenticity lately, being something to strive for. Be open to other’s ideas and feelings. In a group situation for live performance, try to create a culture of fun. Play for your audience versus worrying about the players in the house. Your audience is way more open minded, and generally… more appreciative. And… never point your guitar amp at the sound man.

Pops Fletcher - Home