You Can Call Me Al (But Not Alice!)

 

You Can Call Me Al (But Not Alice!)

This is from April 16, 2020!

This is about Al Kooper, the musician who is definitely not Alice Cooper, another musician  who rose to fame in roughly the same era of rock and roll. One thing about this quarantine is that I've had time on my hands to do what interests me and sometimes,  that includes youtube. The former history teacher in me loves the story behind the story, especially when it comes to music or movies or television shows. Several days ago, I found an interview with Kooper, a rock legend, on how he became an organist, how he became famous, and how in a sense he changed music in the 1960s. It was so good, I watched it twice.... and it's posted below.

It seems that Mr. Kooper, twenty-one at the time, was a huge Bob Dylan fan. A producer he'd worked with knew it and invited him to watch a Dylan recording session from the booth. But Kooper, a writer and guitar player, brings his instrument and joins the musicians who think nothing of it as they've seen him around. Then, Mike Bloomfield, one of the greatest guitarists of all time, sits down by him and Al, knowing he's out of his league, slides his guitar under the chair and retreats to the booth. In a historic twist of fate, the organist is moved over to the piano so Kooper, who has little keyboard experience, walks back down to the floor uninvited and sits down at a Hammond organ he doesn't even know how to turn on.... but which had not been turned off. Kooper isn't sure he knows the song so he hesitates to jump in but when he does, plays a riff he came up with. When they played it back, Dylan loved it and demanded the organ part be turned up louder. That was the take they kept and Dylan asks Kooper to come back and play organ on the rest of the album. The song,  Like A Rolling Stone, goes to # 1 on Billboard and Al Kooper becomes famous. In his own words, that's how I became an organist. 

There's more to the story as there always is.  Like A Rolling Stone, instantly recognizable by the unique organ introduction, became such a hit that it's ranked as the # 1 rock song of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Kooper, who in his own words played out of ignorance, almost immediately became the most imitated organ player in pop music. And he became in such great demand as a session player that he had to work very hard to improve his skill level to merit his new stature. There is a movement to have Kooper enshrined in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame which is housed in Cleveland. I'm no expert but I would say his work with Dylan that day ranks as a pretty good signature accomplishment for anyone!

I'm no risk taker. In fact, that's why my mother said I wasn't married. She once told me I always liked girls who already had boyfriends so I had an excuse not to ask them out and risk rejection. But if I had been like Al Kooper? Who knows? I know this; I would have never taken the chance he did. His reasoning for going and injecting himself that long ago afternoon was that no one exactly told him he couldn't. I would have been scared to death. Just look at his reward for being bold. Each morning, I read the chapter in Proverbs corresponding with the day of the month so today was Proverbs 16. Within that section of wisdom, I once again read verse 3 which both inspires me and terrifies me: 
Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and He will establish your plans.
You see, I'm not very good at taking that bold first step of commitment. I can talk myself out of anything. But we are promised that if our will aligns with the Lord's will, He's going to back what we do. I believe that with all my heart but I remain timid when I should step out. We all live with regrets and in my experience, they tend towards opportunities we passed up rather than mistakes we made. Joshua was encouraged numerous times to be strong and courageous when he took over for Moses. I need a dose of that sentiment daily. Maybe I wouldn't have been a rock star but I might have become more than I am.

To watch the Al Kooper interview,  click or copy/paste the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZGN7T70rgY

To listen to Bob Dylan's classic Like A Rolling Stone with Al Kooper's organ, click or copy/paste the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOfCgkyEj0

Applicable quote of  the day:
"When I was 21, I was 10% talent and 90% ambition. Now, forty-three years later, it's reversed. I'm 90% talent and 10% ambition."
Al Kooper

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1