At the age of 15 years I began playing for the noblest of reasons, as an outlet for my artistic nature, and because I wanted the chicks to like me. Stevie Ray was in my 1st period class and he was the coolest character ever, black leather jacket, white tee shirt, dark aviator shades, the whole package. The teacher told him to take the glasses off one day, he refused, and was sent home. The next day he returned to school with a note from his mother which said he had sensitivity to light and did not have to take off the shades. I thought he was IT, and that turned out to be true!

A pivotal event for me was the school day that an amply proportioned girl transferred from Tulsa, right into my line of sight. Being the sensitive romantic that I am, I wanted her bad, got her phone number, and started talking to her. During one of our first calls she mostly spoke all about Stevie, how he was so good on the guitar and how great was about this and that. Well that sealed my fate right there. I went to my Dad and told him all about it. He was a pro player way before I was born so I asked to learn guitar. The rub is that he did not play the rock I wanted to learn. Naturally I didn't think I'd get any chicks by playing "Misty" for them, so I had to teach myself or learn from friends or whatever I could find. It was pretty rough going as Dad would teach me the chords, and then I would struggle putting them together. Finally he showed me a 12 bar blues progression, instantly it made sense to me, and I could really "feel" the music, and loved it. I heard some Albert King on the A.M. radio from Mexico I was hooked. Still it took me a long time to give up on the rock but even back then I loved the Allman Brothers band.

Ironically, I don’t remember the name of the busty redhead from Tulsa, but I’m still playing the guitar!

Time passes, moves are made, and while living in Irving I was still drawn by that sound. I wish that now I had been exposed back then to the real deal, but back when I was a kid it was "race music" and we didn’t go there. Fate would have it’s way however. While in Irving I became friends with Joe Kubeck (Smokin Joe) I was there when he came up with that stage name. Lucille was already taken so his Ax was Juicy Lucy. I loved how he would play so clean and precise so that was the model I had. Studying B.B., Albert, Dicky Betts, the list goes on. I watched the heavy hitters, and paid attention while trying to figure out the techniques, and nuances, and finally I made my own personal breakthrough. Just as important, I also fell in with some good musicians from Irving and was led to Anson and the Rockets. That was it. From then on I knew what I needed to do. I spent a long time listening only to the blues I would not hear anything else just turn it off. I still don’t listen to much else but blues.

Although I did not go into all the bands I’ve played in, or for, and there have been many, but I feel none have the potential of The Detonators. Honestly, I've never wanted to have to be out front all the time. With the great talent, and versatility of each of the other musicians, I'm enjoying doing what I need to do to get in the pocket, and hang with these guys. We are in the woodshed building some good stuff so, come on out check on us. J.J.