Delbert's Devotion

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Delbert's Devotion
October 1, 2009
By Kevin Sullivan
Collegian

There's been a long-running myth that three-time Grammy winner Delbert McClinton taught John Lennon how to play the harmonica.

It's partly true, but McClinton is modest about it. The two met while on tour and spent time together, he said.

"It was about 10 hours total that we hung out, and he wanted me to show him how to do this and that on the harp," McClinton said. "He was already playing harmonica, but it's since been chiseled in stone that I taught him everything he knew."

The blues-rock singer-songwriter and musician will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.

McClinton, who got his start performing nationally around the same time the Beatles did, said that a wide variety of musical influences informed his identity as a performer and musician.

He grew up on music as diverse as the jump blues, jazz, country, early rock n' roll and Mexican cahunto of the '40s and '50s. Those artists still occupy his stereo most of the time, McClinton said, namedropping artists like Hank Williams, Nat "King" Cole, Bob Wills, Ray Charles and Duke Ellington.

His exposure to the black music of the time came from his mother's younger sister, who had records of "race music," as it was called at the time.

But the music of today doesn't inspire him in the same way. His 16-year-old daughter turns him on to current trends in music, but he would much rather hear the sounds his aunt introduced him to.

"Most of the music I don't understand or I don't care much for," McClinton said. "Music is supposed to change and keep changing, and every generation has its music, but I'm not there -- I'm in a whole different place."

Nevertheless, the artist's love of music is apparent. He's devoted his whole life to his craft, even when success wasn't guaranteed.

"It was a very high-risk job that didn't pay much money," McClinton said. "Doing it was all for the love of music, which is the only way good music is done. It's something you spend every waking moment with, and it becomes a part of you -- and you become a part of it."

Though he said performing in a bar band, where he initially honed his skills, was not a well-respected occupation, it definitely had its perks.

When the musician was in his early 20s, his band would back up artists like B.B. King and Big Joe Turner when they came to town, McClinton said.

"I was fortunate enough to get on-the-job training from these guys," McClinton said.

Though McClinton is a member of a previous generation of performers, he still finds new things to write about and regularly releases new albums, such as this year's Acquired Taste.

"You find ideas just watching what's going on around you," McClinton said. "I've always written from a very human point of view, the sadness and happiness of life in the little moments. And you can find those anywhere at any time."

McClinton said his band recorded the majority of the new album in three days and added the finishing touches over three more days.

Though he may not like most pop music currently on the charts, McClinton seems to have taken a liking to Mary McBride, a younger country and blues singer he's had open for him on many occasions.

After sending him her recording, McBride, whose music was featured in Brokeback Mountain, said the singer asked her to perform with him.

"I got really close with him and his band," McBride said. "We've played with him every year since 2002, usually when he plays in New York."

For this show, McBride said she will be performing an acoustic set with guitarist Paul Carbonara instead of her usual full band setup.

Since 2002, McBride has released three albums and has both a Christmas album and a regular full-length coming out by the beginning of next year. The singer plays guitar and keyboard and says her sound, much like McClinton's, is created from the culmination of many influences.

"It's definitely not traditional country at all," she said. "We're influenced by old R&B and the great singer-songwriters as well."

With Parents Weekend looming, students may be looking for prospective activities to make time with their parents as special as possible.

"If you want to have mom and dad up to buy you dinner and then send them off to a concert, what better way to do that?" said Mike Negra, executive director of the State Theatre. "Or have them bring you and buy you a ticket."