Maybe your parents were there, maybe you were there, maybe your parents conceived you there, I dunno lol 😆.
The Wattstax festival, considered the "Afro-American Woodstock" held in 1972, brought together great Soul and Funk artists, particularly from the Stax label. More than 100,000 people gathered at this political-musical event, which brought together artists such as Isaac Hayes, The Bar-Kays and Rufus Thomas. Here is the presentation of the latter, with an enthusiastic audience, the dances are notable also
RUFUS THOMAS must have been an endearing guy. Before taking his dog for a walk, he was a radio disc jockey and, according to legend, among his unconditional Memphis listeners was Elvis Presley himself.
His broken throat, his catchy style, and that spark full of ingenious grace, would make him an essential reference in rhythm and blues and soul, influencing some rock greats and more precisely, the funk of the seventies. Another of his virtues was also being the father of Carla Thomas, one of the greats of the genre.
Focusing first on his great hit "WALKING THE DOG" from 1963, it is noteworthy that it is one of the most important songs of the 20th century. Not in vain does it have excellent versions of great artists who did not want to miss the opportunity to walk the dog from another perspective, such as those of Johnny Rivers, the Rolling Stones, the Sonics, Sandie Shaw, Aerosmith, Roger Daltrey, the Troggs, Rick Derringer, the Flamin' Groovies, Dr.Feelgood, the Lords of The New Church, etc. The rest of the album is a pleasant excursion of soul and rhythm & blues, which also highlights "THE DOG", covered by Otis Redding in 1964, and the adaptations that Mr. Rufus made with undoubted success of "BOOM BOOM" by John Lee Hooker, "LAND OF 1000 DANCES" by Chris Kenner", "OOH POO PAH DOO" by Jessie Hill and "YA YA" by LeeDorsey.
Tawanda Clark
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