Busk Break: Raven the Raindance Kid, Gene Peyroux and Mo Tanner cover “Long Tall Sally”

Watching this trio perform in the shade at Pritchard Park, I assumed that they were old friends out to make the most of a day off. They seemed to know the same songs, and they seemed to perform well together. But, as I talked to them, it became clear that guitarist Gene Peyroux and bass guitarist Mo Tanner only knew each other slightly — they both work with Guitars for Vets of the Carolinas — and only knew vocalist/guitarist Raven (the “Raindance Kid,” he said when I asked for his full name) through a post on Craigslist. Not surprisingly they were actually a little nervous about having their jam recorded without knowing how they sounded together.

As it turns out, they had very little to worry about. Is this the best-ever, tightest recording of the Little Richard tune “Long Tall Sally” ever committed to video? No. But for a first try with men who are essentially strangers to each other — at least one of whom claimed that he only kind of knew the song — it’s magnificent.

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