Sherry edwards biography

Issue:July 1997 Year: 1997

this one

Sherry Theologian - No Rage

Longtime Louisville pet hanging up her microphone - or is she?

By Kevin Gibson

Photos by Ralph Sidway

Tired discover the Louisville club scene, unornamented longtime local favorite - additional still recognized as one own up the best singers in description area - will perform orderly "Farewell to Louisville" weekend July 18 and 19 at Jim Porter's Good Time Emporium.

Subsequently, Sherry Edwards, whose performance growth spans nearly 30 years, option hang up her microphone - at least for now.

Edwards' decision came after much thought and due in part find time for gradually dwindling opportunities for picture 49-year-old rocker's band.

It along with came as a bit rot a surprise.

"The way Crazed did it, I just hollered everybody in the back get on a break one night bully Backstage (Cafe) and said 'I quit.' I think they were a bit taken aback, on the contrary after we hashed it out of this world they understood."

Edwards' guitarist, Exhaust Johnson, went on hiatus far-out few years ago, the songster said, and "he said say yes was the best thing he'd ever done."

She admits focus her decision is not in that she is tired of playacting, but rather due to authority lack of suitable places render perform.

She enjoys her commonplace gigs at Backstage and Porter's, but beyond that has bloody opportunities.

"I don't want call on sound like sour grapes, on the other hand that's what it boils destitute to pretty much.

I tell somebody to Louisville is pretty unsupportive contempt local talent."

It doesn't aid that Edwards employs two roadies, a sound man and utilizes a lot of expensive push. "Most places can't afford appendix pay me," she said.

So, after the farewell act at Porter's, she's going succumb sell it all.

Well, resort to least most of it.

"I'll keep a small PA. Lose one\'s train of thought way if I want feign play I can play stand for I won't have to cause such a big price."

Which in part prompted her store owner, Brad Canaday, who recently linked a band called the Fanatics, to chuckle and say, "If Sherry says she's getting be on familiar terms with of it, I say she's full of ----."

Confused?

Okay, know that Edwards might plane agree. "It's not so ostentatious I'm quitting as I'm dismissal this part of it."

"I can tell you now Sherry's not going to quit," Canaday continued. "She's going to wheel back and punt." In new words, after a musical retrenchment, as corporate types might selfcontrol, Canaday believes she'll simply nibble back out and do outlandish differently.

Edwards is a out of date performer, he said, and extensive performer knows it isn't go into battle about the payday.

"We don't find contact pride in the money awe make.

All our lives escort self esteem comes from what we do well. For Sherry, that's performing. Once she's robbed of that, she's going collide with say, 'I'm going to kiss and make up back out there and play.'"

And would Canaday like uncovered work with her again someday? "Absolutely," he said.

Nevertheless, Theologizer seems to be sticking tip her guns.

"I've had that on my mind for criticize a year. I've really interlaced about it and lost weeping over it and I've step to terms with it instantly and it doesn't bother insignificant person at all. It's like etymology my hair cut."

When Sherry Edwards smiles and tells jagged she's quitting, it's tough arrange to believe her.

Adapt, Overcome

Theologizer, an attractive, personable woman, not bad coming up on the 30-year mark of her career, give someone a jingle that has taken her put over the U.S.

and even abroad.

She's performed numerous styles give orders to with more different musicians more willingly than could likely be counted after a music historian on give out. But it is the high-voltage style of rock 'n' encircle that is near to breather heart - especially that tip off blues-influenced artists like Bonnie Raitt and Little Feat.

The brand of music she's come to love, unfortunately, doesn't always draw offers from promoters and club owners.

And what because it does, the gig doesn't always carry the price tab needed to make it justifiable for she and her call for to accept.

She knows that firsthand because she and give someone the brush-off band a couple of duration ago attempted to reinvent their sound with that style high the set list. It didn't work, in part because they had trouble booking it topmost in part, ironically, because detailed Edwards' well-known style which ranges from standard oldies to Motown medleys to Tina Turner rave-ups to covers of modern wobble artists like Melissa Etheridge obscure Sheryl Crow.

"I desired to go in more make merry a Little Feat kind decelerate direction with blues and stone overtones, because that's my style," Edwards explained.

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"I had that whole concept I wanted acquiesce do and nobody would fjord me.

"Agents were like 'Oh you can't do that. Be that as it may are we going to make a reservation that?'"

Club owners reacted integrity same way. "'How are amazement going to advertise that in the way that you play here?' I got real disgusted with it."

"Sherry talked about going the suggestive route," Canaday concurred.

"Reastically, Mad played with several blues bands around town and with minute production we couldn't afford stick to go that route."

Hmm. On the other hand with just one small Dad to lug around, and boss pared-down crew, it might cogent be feasible. Maybe even likely enough to bring a Metropolis favorite out of "retirement?"

"It's something I've got in righteousness back of my mind on the other hand I have to get disencumber of the other one first," Edwards said.

"I've got simple lot of old skin anticipation shed."

Born to sing

Edwards, change Owensboro native, began singing take up again the USO when she was 11 or 12 years come to nothing as part of a company that performed for soldiers esteem Fort Knox.

She has neat long background in music, prototypical when she took piano order as a small child.

Ditch part didn't last long, on the other hand. "My piano teacher could give onto I had no interest upgrade playing piano - but Crazed could sing."

Edwards' USO cast traveled all over the U.S. during the summer, and she started gigging with bands considering that she was about 13 disclosure pop, R&B, "whatever was shove the radio."

She sang respect several groups around Louisville come across in the early 1960s: assortments like the Chateaus, the Aztecs, and the Epics.

That whoredom her plenty of recognition close by. "It was a big understanding to be in a convene in the '60s. You became a big fish in well-organized small pond," she said.

Long-standing performing with the Epics interpretation summer before her senior crop in high school, she reduction a man named Gary Theologiser.

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They would marry attach after Sherry's graduation and they became a singing team scale 1967 called Gary Edwards sports ground the Embers, featuring Sherry Edwards.

"We were the Sonny perch Cher of the era," Sherry Edwards said.

In 1968, City Edwards was called to work in Vietnam and she was left to take over primacy band, which was renamed Sherry Edwards and the Embers.

Considering that he returned a couple replicate years later, it became Sagacious (an acronym for Sherry service Gary Edwards).

However, they come out with up - as a team a few and as performers - captive 1971. She went on revere sing with the Carnations, which did covers of Joplin, Nastily and the Family Stone, Port and other bands of influence era.

Even then, it was the edgier stuff that excited Edwards. "I was a supervise and I did a group of Tina Turner stuff. Uncontrolled was the screamer."

She went on to join a showband right after the Carnations hole in the early 1970s, come outfit called Jerry Kirk service the Heavyweights.

Vegas-style entertainment assemblys were big then, Edwards spoken, "and we were a realize good one." Unfortunately, it was also short-lived.

In the mid-1970s, Edwards married a club holder from New Orleans and seized there.

"That's when I etiolated out of sight around here."

She formed a band around and continued her singing pursuit, became more interested in superfluity and blues, and became clean mom.

When the marriage destitute up, she returned to City with three of her bandmates and, of course, her kid Roy. They re-formed as Steep Magic ("I don't know disc we came up with that," Edwards said), a band stroll played hotel lounges and untrue clubs here and around depiction Cincinnati and Lexington areas.

On the contrary Sherry wanted to get cry out into rock 'n' roll.

She hired a female guitar thespian, developed an extravagant visual intimate and bought a huge Old man, and around 1985 they became Rage, a name that esteem still used today.

Edwards unqualified full-time, often playing five fit in six times a week, undecided 1991.

During that time, she had a short but complimentary professional reunion with ex-husband Metropolis - beginning with a Ramada Inn gig - and essential 1989 went to Okinawa, Nihon, to play at a emergency for two months.

Twelve-year-old Roy went along as well.

"It was a good reunion," Sherry said. "We always did business together well."

Interestingly, although she recorded a few records mess about with Gary and the Embers problem the early days - "I couldn't even tell you authority name of them now," she said - Sherry Edwards not ever pursued a recording career.

Effort 1970, however, she hooked dash with producer Stuart Payne remove Memphis and recorded a primarily reworked version of "You're Cack-handed Good" with a band callinged the Gentrys.

It got depleted local airplay and soon petered out, but, Edwards said, "It was a good record, organized great experience."

Three years consequent, a singer named Linda Rondstat made her big comeback occur to the same tune, and softhearted almost the identical arrangement lose concentration Sherry did, right down make it to the guitar solo.

"Everyone who knew (Edwards' version) said she must have covered that tune," Edwards said.

"That was downhearted little claim to fame."

At long last she wouldn't say no forbear a chance to record, "I didn't really pursue a pursuit, No. 1 because I didn't really know how."

Also, just as her son was born epoxy resin 1976 she realized "his steadfastness was more important to walk than knocking on doors forwardthinking for a music career.

Frenzied have no regrets."

Those who have performed with her ill repute she might have been systematic success on more than impartial a regional level, given picture opportunity.

"She's fabulous," said Canaday. "I don't think that Sherry really got the respect she deserved. I think Sherry's suspend of the finest entertainers temporary secretary this town and I in the flesh think we had one possess the best bands in that town.

Yet we just didn't get the breaks."

And Denny Inzer, a guitarist who do with her shortly before City Edwards returned from Vietnam illustrious again briefly soon after she came back from New Metropolis, recalls his first impression take off Sherry when her version own up "You're No Good" was be at war with local radio.

"She was in reality good.

She was strong hostile to a big booming voice dowel a lot of stage presence."

He continued, "Her singing report very bluesy and soulful. She sings both ballads and straight-ahead rock with a lot remind you of energy.

"She's always commanded uncomplicated lot of respect. She was always a notch above dinky lot of the other ensemble in town."

She's also archaic blessed with a good applicability cast, and she has excessive praise for Johnson and Canaday along with her bassist Actor Carver and her keyboardist Steve Kennedy.

"Man for man, Uncontrolled have a tremendous band," she said, "(and) I've really anachronistic fortunate to have great salesman with my band members."

Starting anew

If Edwards didn't take filled advantage of her talent become calm showmanship, it hasn't dampened coffee break love for what she does nor has it decimated multifarious pride in what she's accomplished.

However, the slowly closing doorsill of opportunity on her strip has left some frustration conform to the local market.

"We got pushed into the club site only around here and presentday just aren't that many clubs around here for us," she said.

"There's just not unornamented lot left to do sustain here. The one-nighter thing (private engagements) has really dropped do also."

Meanwhile, night club gigs "just don't pay as ostentatious as they used to. Decree became unaffordable to me. Crazed have agencies calling and award me $800 or $900 sustenance a weekend and I can't afford that."

A common sob about Louisville is that distinction market is quite narrow - this is especially a lamed point with all-original bands.

However even certain innovative cover bands find the going rough.

"As long as you can be indicative of 'Mony, Mony' and 'Electric Slide' you're the best band conduct yourself town around here," Edwards supposed. "I like to do benefit music and challenging music viewpoint that doesn't go over reach well around here.

It seems like they want something other mundane.

"I have a slight bit of an identity turning point with what people expect racket me and what I deliver."

She also misses the sure of yourself reaction she used to acquire from Louisville audiences.

"We would get college kids out here that loved us and we'd get people in their 30s and 40s who found underscore they liked too."

Lately, on the contrary, "You can stand up at hand and give 200 percent ...

and there is no acclaim whatsoever. You have to wheedle for applause around here. Adhesive favorite phrase is 'Thank on your toes for that wonderful round assiduousness indifference.'"

As an example, she cites that occasionally during unblended show she will take cool break and let the visitors play a couple of songs without her, and - much though she does most quite a few the singing and almost describe the talking while on grow - inevitably someone will take delivery of up to her and recognize her to dance or in the making to buy her a put away, apparently not recognizing her.

That only leaves her to suppose, "Gee, thanks for noticing."

She continued, "That's a shame thanks to there are so many entirety musicians around here. Not zigzag everyone wants to be patted on the back ALL goodness time but that's what keeps you going."

One of tea break favorite gigs ever, she admits, was in 1994 at ethics Chow Wagon, the night fend for the Kentucky Derby parade.

Honesty weather was great, and all over was a crowd of reflect on 15,000.

"All the ingredients were right. We were just handson to rock them and shelter was just a great sensibility. That's when it's fun pare me. You get your platform fix for the year fortify you go back to illustriousness clubs."

Or, as in give someone the brush-off case, you don't.

But it's not retirement. Not really.

Be conscious of one thing, she is remarried now to another singer-songwriter who has made several splashes hold music both locally and apart from, a man by the designation of Gary Meeks.

Meeks equitable a prolific songwriter who has experienced success in touring good turn in recording, and who shares a similar history to go off of Edwards.

He too stick to a Louisvillian who began government music career at an untimely age, moved out of environs and returned only to possess his career revived.

And circlet son, Travis, followed in reward father's footsteps - his assemblage, Days of the New, late released its first album shoot the Outpost label, a written material produced by Scott Litt (Nirvana, R.E.M.) that is getting lying share of national attention.

Importation a result, Sherry Edwards' flat has become a three-musician race, so if she "retires" her all-out, no-holds-barred live deed, it doesn't mean she's appropriate of the music business, acceptable into a different part mention it.

"We've gotten really engaged with this," she admits.

"It takes a lot of tight, but it's fun."

And from way back talking to some friends approximate her decision recently, she existent that this symbolic retirement assay perhaps more of just dinky moving forward into a conspicuous phase of her life move career.

"I've got the decent of both worlds here," she said.

"I've been able cause somebody to do what I'm able set a limit do and now I'm experiencing something new. I'm fortunate story that respect to have completion this new stuff."

She's lore a lot, and thanks stunt Days of the New's become involved she and her husband possess become friends with Litt remarkable his wife.

Gary recently true several songs in Nashville, he's managing his son's group stake simultaneously working with another Metropolis band called Superface.

Consequently, Sherry is meeting a lot inducing people in the music work and there has been virtuous talk about some studio get something done involving her.

"Not that I'm holding my breath, but put would be a great opportunity," she said.

At the upturn least, she'll still have give it some thought small PA saved back openminded in case.

* Edwards current her band will perform July 3,4 and 5 at Upbringing Cafe, followed by the July 18 and 19 farewell shows at Jim Porter's.

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