Some people have had so much character when they where alive that they linger on in memories and sometimes if we`re lucky, in song by imitation. No one who ever met singer Hock Walsh would have accused him of not being interesting or for that matter unoriginal. At my regular Jeff Healey gig two Thursdays ago our special pest was good friend John Dickie who can do Hock`s voice at the drop of a hat. This time it was "Whole Lotta love" by Led Zeppelin with Hock at the helm. Dickie`s previous guest spot had him doing Hock does James Brown. It`s a great feeling to be laughing so hard you can hardly play and I welcome it anytime at the risk of falling over.

The next night at a Casino gig with Jeff Healey, Jeff was in the middle of the audience`s big moment "Angel Eyes" and he starts in to doing a pretty good Hock himself. Then I find myself the next day stuck in a loop of hockisms while driving , singing everything on the radio with that unmistakable tone ( I did this for a while with Sean Connery much to my wife Maggie`s dismay and threats of quartering. So I stopped but it took awhile).I remember Years ago at Grossmans Tavern while I was going through my divorce period, Hock looks at me and in his infinite wisdom says " Cheer up, things will get worse". So I did! Who wouldn`t with a line like that?

For awhile there he also ran the fast food section of the Isabella Tavern. I asked him for the old standard Burger and fries that had been available for years before only to receive a reply of " We don`t serve potatoes". What I did get though was a brick of cheese on top that equaled the meat ounce for ounce.As far as music is concerned, he will mostly be remembered for his singing on the early Downchild Blues Band records and so he should. Those are monuments of the canadian blues scene that inspired more than a few, me being one of them. So here`s to Hock Walsh for still being around even when he`s gone and yeah! Big Joe Turner may have done a great job with "Flip Flop and Fly" first but my favorite version is definitely the Downchild one. The one with that voice that lives on. 

Posted in Alec's Musings, General |

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