All in Phillipe And Jorge

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Phillipe And Jorge

High rolling at Quonset Point; faux news; Rhody’s reelin’ and rockin’

They were the model for John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd's Blues Brothers. (Note how the look of the Blues Brothers was completely based on the Roomful look of the '70s.) The legendary songwriter, Doc Pomus, tried to put them together one night at the old Lone Star Cafe in New York City, but the whole deal exploded.

The symbiotic relationship between the Rhode Island and Austin blues scenes led to a wholesale swapping of musicians between Roomful and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Fran Christina, Preston Hubbard, Kid Bangham, and Robillard all played in both groups. And then there was the time T-Birds bass player Keith Ferguson married Roomful singer Lou Ann Barton here in Rhode Island, giving great credence to the long-held notion that bands are like marriages.

Needless to say, the Beaver Brown/Roomful of Blues concert at the inaugural induction ceremony for the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame will be a once-in-a-lifetime event and those who love music and love Rhode Island will not want to miss it. One other little side note: the Rhode Island-based musical great, Thom Enright, holds the distinction of having been a member of three of the bands being inducted that night. Thom played with Roomful and Beaver Brown and was also an integral part of the classic Ken Lyon and Tombstone lineup.

You really want to be there that night.