Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings
The Nail, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
It’s a bone chilling Friday night in
suburban Philadelphia and The Little Kings featuring
guitarist and king jester Tommy Conwell and tenor
saxophonist Darryl Ray Jenkins are holding court to a small
but rowdy crowd. “It was like a dream come true hearing
the jazzy sax firing up Tommy’s greatest hits. Tommy was
prepared to rock out and the band nailed it!” explains
veteran Rumbler aficionado Wolfman.
“We don’t remember that song! If
we played it, it might sound like a helicopter crashing into
a record store,” joked Tommy as one particular hardcore
fan repeatedly pushed Tommy’s buttons to play pre-Walkin’
on the Water tunes. It was quite apparent that Tommy was
content to play the old, radio-friendly Young Rumbler
standards with an additional decade of reflection and a new
ingredient to the mix- Darryl’s tasty riffs. The crowd was
certainly prepared join Tommy on his musical trip down the
80’s memory lane.
Starting the gig with an
unplugged-like version of “Here I Come,” the Little
Kings played tightly wound Rumbler classics such as, “If
We Never Meet Again,” “Love’s On Fire,” “Guitar
Trouble,” “Workout,” “I’m Seventeen,”
“Everything They Say is True,” and of course, “I’m
Not Your Man.” Several highlights included Tommy’s
impersonation of Pete
Townsend and a comical infomercial on his famous male
balding pattern. Sideman Darryl Ray was certainly intent
to make his vocal presence known, with his
Marlboro-ignited chorus on “I’m Not Your Man.”
Dressed in his hobo outfit that
graces the cover to the Little King’s ’97 release Sho’
Gone Crazy it was quite obvious to me that Tommy
would rather rock out to the bluesy roots sounds of his
guitar hero Chuck Berry. The Little Kings played songs
from both albums- Hi-Ho Silver! and Sho’ Gone
Crazy- including “Want You to Feel Good Too,”
“Pony Time,” “Boogie Pickin’,” and “Honey
Hush.” In another trip down memory lane,
Rumbler fan Dan
Kropp mentioned that in 1984 he was standing in
the audience next to the young rocker Tommy Conwell during
a Foghat gig
listening to their cover of “Honey Hush.”
“Tommy told me to go check out his new band called the
Young Rumblers,” Dan fondly recollects.
Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings may
never again grab the attention of commercial radio, but they
are certainly the kings of a “Feel Good” live
performance. In his last ever quote with
