UNLESS YOU’VE LIVED IN A HOLE THE PAST 50 YEARS, WHILE YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD DENNIS COFFEY’S NAME, YOU’VE GROWN UP WITH HIS PLAYING SKILLS. ONE OF THE GUITARISTS FOR THE FAMED MOTOWN-LABELED FUNK BROTHERS, COFFEY’S STRINGS AND PEDALS ARE STAMPED ON A PLETHERA OF HITS BY THE TEMPATIONS (‘CLOUD NINE’), EDWIN STARR (‘WAR’), FREDA PAYNE (‘RING OF GOLD’) AND THE SUPREMES (‘SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER’) TO JUST WHET YOUR ACOUSTIC PALATE.
HIS BOOK COVERING HIS DAYS ON THE LEGENDARY LABEL (GUITARS, BARS AND MOTOWN SUPERSTARS) IS A FASCINATING LOOK INTO THE HALCYON DAYS OF WHEN ‘SOUL’ MUSIC WAS THE ONLY VIABLE COMPETITOR TO THE BEATLES.
SINCE THOSE STUDIO DAYS, COFFEY REFUSED TO REST ON HIS LAURELS. A PAIR OF ALBUMS OF HIS WORKING TRIO FROM A 1968 GIG IN HIS HOMETOWN OF DETROIT (ONE NIGHT AT MOREY’S AND HOT COFFEY IN THE D) CAPTURE THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF HIS TALENTS, WITH SONGS RANGING FROM HERBIE HANCOCK TO THE BEATLES TO WILSON PICKETT, ALL FITTING IN LIKE A SEAMLESS RAPHAEL TAPESTRY WITH THE SMOKING TEAM OF LYMAN WOODWARD/B3 AND MELVIN DAVIS/DR. THESE RELEASES ENCAPSULATE THE ENERGY AND JOY OF A WORKING UNIT THAT IS BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND SWINGINGLY MUSCULAR.
WE RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH COFFEY, WHO STILL PLAYS IN LOCAL DETROIT CLUBS, MIXING JAZZ AND POP HITS LIKE A LIVING JUKEBOX STUCK ON SWING.
TELL ME ABOUT THE GLORIES OF MICHIGAN’S UPPER PENINSULA. HOW DID THAT AREA INFLUENCE YOUR INTEREST IN MUSIC?
I used to go up there in the summertime for a week or two. I grew up in Detroit. We’d go there because my mom’s from Copper City.
My two cousins played country and western, and I said “Wow” so I wanted to learn guitar. But I had some terrible teacher, as I was a piano guy and he was teaching me notes of songs I didn’t want to play anyway.
My cousins were playing C&W songs, actually playing and even singing, and they got me started in the short times I’d be up there. When I came back home I started moving forward with it and found teachers that could actually teach me something I wanted to learn.
But a lot of the stuff back in the ’50s like rock and roll was just being invented, so no one could teach it to you anyway. I used to practice 8 hours a day in the summertime and learn stuff off of the records. That’s all you could do.
WHAT RECORDS DID YOU HEAR THAT INSPIRED YOU?
The first stuff I learned when I was about 13 years old was by Jimmy Reed. My cousin and I used to play guitars doing that; I was also listening to The Midnighters and doo wop. In the 8th grade at Intermediate school we had a doo wop group and I played guitar and backed them up, and it went from there to rockabilly.
An interesting tidbit that people don’t know is that when I went to MacKenzie High School in Detroit, I was hired for a recording session at 15! I got my buddy to play drums at MacKenzie, but we had to get a bass player that could drive, as we were too young. We got this guy who played bass on the lower guitar strings. He was an interesting guy; he was 22 and had a girlfriend that had a 22 caliber pistol in her purse.
You can find the session on youtube. It’s “I’m Gone” by Vic Gallon, and I’m taking two rockabilly solos at the age of 15.
***********
“I was really surprised that people were paying me”
***********
DID YOU INITIALLY WANT TO TOUR AROUND AND BE A BIG STAR, OR DID YOU CONSCIOUSLY DECIDE TO MAKE A LIVING IN THE STUDIO?
Once I found out that I could play, I was really surprised that people were paying me.
It was just my passion; that’s what drove it.
I never decided on a career in music; I was just responding to financial opportunities to get paid as a studio guy. I was getting paid at 15, but didn’t give much attention to it.
By the time I was 16 I was looking for ads in the paper for a guitar player, so I just took all of the auditions and always got the job. I ended up in a band at 16 and we played Friday nights at Teen Clubs, and played weddings on Saturday night.
So, I quit my job as a cashier in a supermarket making $15 a week because I could make $30 a weekend doing what I wanted!
By the time I was 18, I wasn’t old enough to work in the bars, so I volunteered for the draft and was in the army for two years. I was in the 101st Airborne Division about the same time as Jimi Hendrix.
The story was that the guys in his platoon took his guitar and wouldn’t give it back to him.
I played for the 101st for the first year with a rhythm guitarist. He was a hard case Airborne guy. He beat a guy up with a beer bottle and was given the choice of either going to prison or go Airborne. He was my wingman. He was the kind of guy if you cut in front of us in the chow line he’d punch you out with one blow. BAM!
He would have loved for someone to try to take our guitars; it would give him a chance to get violent!
DID ANYONE AT THIS POINT GIVE YOU ANY CAREER ADVICE?
My career advice was that I’d just follow the opportunities as I was ready for them.
At the Airborne we sat around a lot bored, just waiting for the war, so I left the Airborne for the second year and went down in Columbia, South Carolina, working in the service clubs. I was then working with Maurice Williams (of the doo wop group The Zodiacs) in Columbia, so I got a record deal while in the army!
THE GOAL OF EVERY MUSICIAN IS TO DEVELOP ONE’S OWN SOUND. HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHILE STILL REMAINING A “TEAM PLAYER” IN STUDIO WORK? DO YOU SUPRESS YOUR INDIVUALITY?
What I did was that I followed my creative thing as far as playing in cover bands to learn all the material, and in the early 60s I was with the Royal Tones and we were getting records out.
But, the basic thing with the session musician was that ( bassist) Bob Babbitt and I would go and do all of the “Northern Soul” recordings in the early 60s, because we were able to sight read. A lot of the guys they were hiring couldn’t read the notes. The piano players and horn players were the music readers, but especially the guitar and bass players, they could only read the chord charts. So we got the jobs because we could read the charts.
Then, one time I get a call from (Pre-Motown Detroit label) Golden World and they said they wanted to hire me for a session.
I asked “When?” and they said “Right now; the guitar player can’t read the charts!”
So I took my three year old and tucked her in the corner of the studio, so I worked for Golden World every day. That’s the kind of way I moved along.
Then Motown Records came around, and I figured people were lining up for those jobs so I ignored it, but they called me.
WHO CONTACTED YOU AT MOTOWN?
I got a call from (legendary bassist) James Jamerson, as I ran into him at a few illegal sessions that he played on. He got busted on one of them with (Motown guitarist) Eddie Willis on a 4 am Sunday morning session.
He said he wanted to introduce me to Hank Cosby, who the contractor for the Motown musicians, and producer there as well.
Cosby said that they were putting together this Producer’s Workshop since Motown had just bought Golden World Studios. They wanted to put me on retainer for four nights a week, 7:00-9:30. The Workshop’s purpose was to give all of the producers a chance to experiment and try new ideas. Also, for the ones that weren’t producing hits and were complaining they didn’t have enough studio time to get some extra time. I think they used it to clean house.
After doing that for a couple of months, (Motown producer) Norman Whitfield came into the studio. He had this arrangement for a song called “Cloud Nine” that we were going to run down. He was trying to get some ideas for it.
I happened to have this wah-wah pedal with me. I went down in front of him, played it and he said, “That’s it; that’s what I’m looking for!” Within two weeks I was recording “Cloud Nine” with the Temptations, and after that he was using me all of the time.
***********
“One song an hour with no mistakes because they had to stop the tape if you made a mistake. And no overdubs!”
************
DID YOU HAVE ONLY THE WAH WAH AND A FEW KNOBS BACK IN THOSE DAYS?
No, I had a fuzz tone and the Echoplex. I would come in with this stuff and once Norman saw the wah wah he said “What else you got?”
Luckily I had a friend Joe Padorsic at Capitol Records, and he had access to every new thing. So, when something new would come out, he’d give me a call “I’ve got this thing here; come take it and try it to see if you like it!” I was constantly seeing new accessories and effects and would then try them out on a gig and bring it in the studio and show it to the producer to see if it would fit on the new record we were doing. If it did, I’d put it in.
But the main job of a session guy at Motown was that we’d get there 10 or 11 am. The arranger and producer were usually there. They’d have a master rhythm chart for us that had all of the parts on it.
Our job was to read that music for the first time, play it (we called it “A Roadmap With No Mistakes”) , then record it and make it a hit. One song an hour with no mistakes because they had to stop the tape if you made a mistake. And no overdubs!
All of that stuff, “Ball of Confusion” and “Psychedelic Track” was done while tracking; we did it all as part of the session. The intro to “Just My Imagination” I just made up on the fly and away we went!
We played what was written, and created what was not
HOW WERE YOU ACCEPTED INTO THE FOLD WHEN YOU FIRST CAME IN?
I knew about half the guys there, as we did sessions together. I didn’t know Earl Van Dyke or Robert White. It was funny because at one point Jack Ashford wasn’t there playing tambourine because he was on some kind of a “time out.” The tambourine player that was there ended up being a producer/director for Public Television, and he came up to me and said, “I was there for that first session you did for ***Motown, and man, you should have seen the faces of the other musicians when you started playing that wah wah pedal!!” (laughs)
But we were a team; we were all friends over there. We hung out together; James was one of my best friends. The Funk Brothers were probably the best rhythm section in the world. It was a privilege to be a part of it.
DID YOU GUYS EVER CALL YOURSELVES “THE FUNK BROTHERS” OR WAS THAT A TITLE IN RETROSPECT?
We were known as that in the inner circles, but we were just “the guys.”
WHO WAS THE BEST MUSICIAN YOU WORKED WITH?
As I said, the rhythm section was the best.
The musician that probably had the biggest influence on me was when I went to go see Wes Montgomery at a piano bar here in Detroit and then see him on a fairly regular basis. I’d sit right in front of him. Once I saw him I said “Man, I gotta learn to play some jazz” because he was just amazing.
He was just so natural of a talent was grooved to beat the band. That was a big inspiration to learn to play better.
***********
“We played what was written, and created what was not”
************
WHEN YOU WERE MAKING THOSE MOTOWN CHARTS, DID YOU FEEL YOU WERE MAKING ANYTHING MUSICALLY SPECIAL, OR WAS IT JUST ANOTHER GIG AT THE TIME?
When you’re a musician for hire, you’re living day by day whatever your job is. When I was living here in Detroit back then, I was doing 18 3-hour sessions a week. I’d be doing double sessions with Motown and then going to Muscle Shoals and doing work with Wilson Pickett, with the Dramatics at United Artists, the HDH label. I was very busy.
For one year straight I always had 3 songs in the Top Ten in Billboard and ten in the Top One Hundred! The sound was just there.
WHEN YOU’RE IN THE STUDIO, WHO DO YOU LOCK INTO WHEN YOU PLAY?1556
At Motown, for instance, there would be three guitar players used on a session. We would be sitting against a wall. You’d have “Bongo Eddie” Brown and Jack Ashford on tambourine in front of us. Earl Van Dyke was to the left of me on grand piano, and the two drummers against the far wall.
We guitarists were all friends. We’d look at the arrangement and we’d just split it up amongst ourselves to make our jobs easier. If there was a big stack of notes we’d go, “I’ll play the top stack, you play the bottom.” Joe Messina could read bass, so he could double James Jamerson’s bass lines if needed, so we worked together.
That’s what a lot of people don’t understand; we were all friends and we all worked together as a team. And, we had fun doing it.
WHAT ARE THE BIG ROLES ON BEING A GOOD STUDIO MUSICIAN?
The first rule is: you’re there to help the producer achieve his musical vision. That’s your job. You’re not there to show off or showboat. You’re not there to show everyone how good you can play.
You’re there to sight read. You’re there to read an arrangement. That’s why the Motown records were so tight, the rhythm section was reading off a master rhythm arrangement with all of the parts; you cold see what everyone’ s part was, so we could play it together.
Sight reading is something that you HAVE to do, and you have to be FAST! You can’t be messed up; you can’t be tired; you can’t be drunk; you can’t be high. NONE of that stuff. 1752
If you’re going to get one song an hour without any mistakes you’re going to have to make sure that the producer is happy, and that the arranger is happy with what you’re doing with the material that they’ve got for you to record.
DID YOU EVER RECORD WITH THE SINGERS IN THE STUDIO?
Once in awhile they might have a “scratch singer” but generally speaking the singers weren’t there. We relied on the producer and the arranger. We got very good at the guitar noodling parts; we’d always be putting in simple, non-invasive things that would be at the latter part of the measure. It wouldn’t interfere with the vocalist and we’d blend in amongst ourselves and not do too much.
DID ANY OF THE SINGERS EVER GET BACK TO YOU TO TELL YOU IF THEY LIKED SOMETHING OR NOT?
We didn’t encounter the singers. But, I played a live show with the Temptations out in Los Angeles, and there were a lot of technical problems. The later sent me a letter that said, “Dear Dennis, in adverse conditions you were a foundation of solid rock. We will never forget it. Allow us to humbly say thank you.” And they all signed it.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THESE TWO ALBUMS YOU’VE RELEASED FROM YOUR 1968 TRIO GIGS IN DETROIT, THE LATEST BEING ONE NIGHT AT MOREY’S. THAT’S A SWINGING TRIO!
What’s interesting is that both albums were recorded in one night. Two cds, two sets, and no mistakes, as it was recorded “live.” That’s Old School. We were together, we were tight. (drummer) Melvin Davis and (Hammond B3er) Lyman Woodard were fantastic. Lyman we unfortunately lost, but Melvin is still singing and stuff!
We were working together 3-4 nights a week, so we were so tight that we hired an engineer to come and record us one night. We got two cds with no mistakes on ‘em! How about that?
AND TALK ABOUT OLD SCHOOL…YOU HAVE SONGS FROM THE BEATLES, SOUL, POP AND SNAPPY JAZZ, FROM “MAIDEN VOYAGE” TO “BILLIE’S BOUNCE”! 2039
And I’m still doing this Tuesdays and Thursday nights in Detroit at Northern Lights Lounge, two miles away from the Hitsville Museum. I’ve come two miles in my career! (laughs)
I’m still doing cd signing at the Motown Hitsville Museum. When they first started that museum, there was an empty room in there, and I said “No one’s going to want to see Studio A as an empty room.” So, I personally walked them through and told them who played what and where they sat so they could find their stuff and do something with it.
WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCER AND WHY?
It was always Norman Whitfield, because he always appreciated what I did. The first job we’d have was to read the arrangement. Once you’ve done that, then the producer lets you try a few ideas to see if he likes them.
At one point Harry Balk (A&R man) at Motown sat me down and said “We heard you’re working for Holland/Dozier at night (their label was fighting them in a big court case). We don’t want you to do that.”
I told them “you have me confused with those guys you have under contract. I’m not under any kind of contract.”
He said, “Then we won’t call you anymore.”
Two weeks later I was back with them because Whitfield exerted pressure one somebody. No one ever said a word to me about it.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE FUNK BROS. DOCUMENTARY MOVIE STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN?
I personally didn’t like it too much. (Film Producer) Alan Slutsky got the idea when called me when I was a Funk Brother and said “I want to put together a review of the Funk Brothers, and go on tour as kind of a backup band.” He wanted me to get involved in it.
I told him “I’m now a consultant for the Ford Motor Company. I’m making good money; I don’t have time to do it.”
He apparently got the guys together who needed the money and had the time, as they were overlooked once Motown moved to Los Angeles. He used those guys to fit his vision for the movie.
This guy comes up to me at the Royal Oak Theatre and says, “Let me look at your guitar. I want to show you how I want you to play ‘Cloud Nine.’” I lost it after that.
ANY BOOK OR PHILOSPHY THAT INSPIRES YOU?
No “a” book. I’m a Christian, and I go to church. I play in church sometimes also. I don’t sing there as I might embarrass myself!(laughs)
I’m starting to read the Bible; it’s in clear language and I find it very interesting. I now know that I have a purpose here, but I’m not quite sure exactly what it is yet.
I still practice. I played with Les Paul when he was 93, and saw Segovia do a concert by himself when he was 82.
UNLESS YOU’VE LIVED IN A HOLE THE PAST 50 YEARS, WHILE YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD DENNIS COFFEY’S NAME, YOU’VE GROWN UP WITH HIS PLAYING SKILLS. ONE OF THE GUITARISTS FOR THE FAMED MOTOWN-LABELED FUNK BROTHERS, COFFEY’S STRINGS AND PEDALS ARE STAMPED ON A PLETHERA OF HITS BY THE TEMPATIONS (‘CLOUD NINE’), EDWIN STARR (‘WAR’), FREDA PAYNE (‘RING OF GOLD’) AND THE SUPREMES (‘SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER’) TO JUST WHET YOUR ACOUSTIC PALATE.
HIS BOOK COVERING HIS DAYS ON THE LEGENDARY LABEL (GUITARS, BARS AND MOTOWN SUPERSTARS) IS A FASCINATING LOOK INTO THE HALCYON DAYS OF WHEN ‘SOUL’ MUSIC WAS THE ONLY VIABLE COMPETITOR TO THE BEATLES.
SINCE THOSE STUDIO DAYS, COFFEY REFUSED TO REST ON HIS LAURELS. A PAIR OF ALBUMS OF HIS WORKING TRIO FROM A 1968 GIG IN HIS HOMETOWN OF DETROIT (ONE NIGHT AT MOREY’S AND HOT COFFEY IN THE D) CAPTURE THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF HIS TALENTS, WITH SONGS RANGING FROM HERBIE HANCOCK TO THE BEATLES TO WILSON PICKETT, ALL FITTING IN LIKE A SEAMLESS RAPHAEL TAPESTRY WITH THE SMOKING TEAM OF LYMAN WOODWARD/B3 AND MELVIN DAVIS/DR. THESE RELEASES ENCAPSULATE THE ENERGY AND JOY OF A WORKING UNIT THAT IS BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND SWINGINGLY MUSCULAR.
WE RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH COFFEY, WHO STILL PLAYS IN LOCAL DETROIT CLUBS, MIXING JAZZ AND POP HITS LIKE A LIVING JUKEBOX STUCK ON SWING.