T

he Fabulous Thunderbirds – the influential Austin, Texas blues scene in 1974, the band “Wrap It Up” scored huge on both AM and FM
band from Texas that revolutionized the way released a quartet of albums that are considered by radio, earning the group the first platinum sales of
modern groups perform blues and R&B – will many blues experts to be seminal: Fabulous its career. The band’s Tuff Enough album was pro-
return to Long Island with an appearance at Thunderbirds (called by many veteran fans “Girls duced by Dave Edmunds, a longtime fan of the
the YMCA Boulton Center in Bay Shore on Go Wild” because of a line on its tabloid-style group who worked on two T-Birds efforts (Nick
Friday, August 17 at 8 pm. cover), Butt-Rockin’, What’s The Word, and T-Bird Lowe was a Thunderbirds producer on T-Bird
The Boulton Center is an Rhythm as well).
intimate (260 seats) per- Vaughan’s departure from the group after two
forming arts center. Tickets more albums (he left for a myriad of reasons,
are $45 and are available at partially to join brother Stevie Ray Vaughan to
boultoncenter.org, by calling make the classic Family Style album) left a
toll free (866) 811-4111, or gaping hole in the lineup, but in came blues leg-
at the theater box office, ends in both Duke Robillard (the founder of
located at 37 West Main Roomful Of Blues) and pompadored Kid
Street in Bay Shore. For Bangham. Suddenly a five-piece, that T-Birds
more information, call the unit released their final album on Epic, the
box office at excellent Walk That Walk, Talk That Talk, anoth-
(631) 969-1101. er critical favorite that unfortunately disappeared
There have been numer- from the charts as quickly as it was released.
ous changes in the Fab T- Most of the 90s for the Thunderbirds showed
Birds lineup since founding the group to be in a serious state of flux. Wilson
member and guitarist performed as a solo artist often (discs were
Jimmie Vaughan left the released on Long Island’s national blues indie
band in 1990. However, the M.C. Records), and the Thunderbirds released
current Thunderbirds lineup several albums on an array of labels. Notable

Butt-Rockin’ The Boulton

ranks as perhaps the finest
since guitarists Duke
Robillard and Kid Bangham
departed the group early in
that decade. The current
band – founding member
and harmonica master and vocalist Kim Wilson, gui-
tarists Kirk Fletcher and Nick Curran, drummer Jay
Moeller, and bassist Ronnie James Webber – is a
funky, grooving, exceptionally tight unit that’s unlike
any other act on the road today. Together, they
released the stunning Painted On late in 2005,
track-for-track one of the best albums in T-Birds
recorded history.
Then again, it’s hard to live up to the
Thunderbirds’ storied past. Bursting out of the
Rhythm. All were critically lauded on the Chrysalis
label, but trouble brewed in the 80s as the national
indie label cut the act from their roster after sluggish
sales.
Chrysalis was a label that wasn’t long for this
world, and cutting the T-Birds from its roster could
not have helped much. The band continued to tour
and glean fan support all over the world, and by
1995 the band found a new major label in Epic.
Soon after, both “Tuff Enough” and a cover of
were the Danny Kortchmar-produced High
Water (less a T-Birds effort than a Wilson solo
album featuring the producer’s now fabled pro-
duction style, sadly out of print), Roll Of The
Dice, and their excellent repackagings Hot Stuff:
The Greatest Hits and Wrap It Up, as well as
two live albums. Former members include guitarist
Kid Ramos and drummer Fran Christina.
However, even T-Birds purists are crazy about
their current rocking lineup – so expect to hear
several Fab classics during their Boulton show,
including the aforementioned “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap
It Up,” as well as “Rock Candy,” “I Believe I’m In
Love With You,” “Painted On,” and many songs
from the Chrysalis glory days.
www.good times mag.com