He s iconic here, says Valley Fever DJ Dana Armstrong.
That s how Tucson bluesman Tom Walbank was able to round up no fewer than 28 artists, from Calexico and Howe Gelb to Kid Congo Powers, for a tribute album benefiting Foul, who started chemotherapy for throat cancer in February. He went public with his cancer and subsequent chemo, Walbank says. And I was wondering what I could do. So I started calling around to musicians I knew to get an album together of everybody covering his songs. And everyone rallied. No one was a diva. It came together in two weeks.
Arizona musicians willingly stepped up
Advertisement: The Memphis song is just like full-on extreme, excessive party mode, yet it s all in reference to recollecting life before the character was arrested and forced to do hard labor on a chain gang, Burns said. It s just great hearing the difference between those versions and it s great to see a bunch of locals get together and show their love and support for Al.
As two of Tucson s most internationally known musicians, Burns and Foul have crossed paths numerous times since the 1990s. The Calexico balladeer said he was instantly a fan of Foul s style and music when they first met years ago at the long-defunct Grill s fabled Red Room.