"LITTLE" CHARLIE BATY:
When I was goin' to college at Berkeley in the early 70's, I used to go see Buddy Guy and Junior Wells a couple times a year. They'd come to Berkeley and play three or four day stretches. And I used to see 'em at a variety of clubs. I went down to Keystone(?) Corner one time--I was a young college kid, I was brash--I played the harmonica a little bit, asked him what he thought. And he just sat down, opened up his bag, took out a brand new harmonica and wrote, 'From Junior Wells 1974' on it, and just gave it to me. And I thought that was really nice of 'im. Then we used to see him all the time. I 'member seein' him over in Norway comin' down the elevator dressed up in a tuxedo. And I'd say, "Hey, you look good tonight, Junior," and he goes, "Aaaa, it's just a monkey suit." Y' know...he was always doing good. And we had one last chance to play with 'im, at Buddy Guy's Legends, shortly--maybe six months or so--before he passed. He came up and he played a couple numbers with us and I couldn't really understand his singin'--his voice had gone by then--but he still played great harmonica. And he's just been a big influence on me. And I miss him a lot...I just remember him and Buddy Guy just fightin' over a bottle of Courvoisier in Buddy's guitar case one time, they were each accusin' the other of taking the last swig out of it. And I think it turned out to be one of their nineteen-year-old musicians, you know. But they were just always cuttin' up...Another reason I have a special fondness for Junior is he's sort of been a role model for me'n Rick. You know, two guys just sort of front the band and they've stayed together for a real long time as have Rick and I. They're just a great inspiration. (7/15/00 AE)
When I was goin' to college at Berkeley in the early 70's, I used to go see Buddy Guy and Junior Wells a couple times a year. They'd come to Berkeley and play three or four day stretches. And I used to see 'em at a variety of clubs. I went down to Keystone(?) Corner one time--I was a young college kid, I was brash--I played the harmonica a little bit, asked him what he thought. And he just sat down, opened up his bag, took out a brand new harmonica and wrote, 'From Junior Wells 1974' on it, and just gave it to me. And I thought that was really nice of 'im. Then we used to see him all the time. I 'member seein' him over in Norway comin' down the elevator dressed up in a tuxedo. And I'd say, "Hey, you look good tonight, Junior," and he goes, "Aaaa, it's just a monkey suit." Y' know...he was always doing good. And we had one last chance to play with 'im, at Buddy Guy's Legends, shortly--maybe six months or so--before he passed. He came up and he played a couple numbers with us and I couldn't really understand his singin'--his voice had gone by then--but he still played great harmonica. And he's just been a big influence on me. And I miss him a lot...I just remember him and Buddy Guy just fightin' over a bottle of Courvoisier in Buddy's guitar case one time, they were each accusin' the other of taking the last swig out of it. And I think it turned out to be one of their nineteen-year-old musicians, you know. But they were just always cuttin' up...Another reason I have a special fondness for Junior is he's sort of been a role model for me'n Rick. You know, two guys just sort of front the band and they've stayed together for a real long time as have Rick and I. They're just a great inspiration. (7/15/00 AE)