Tex Edwards reminded me , and a lot of people (There's no grass growing under his feet. Except , maybe , when he's working in his garden.) that yesterday , August 28 , WAS THE ANNIVERSARY of Charlie Feathers' death (1998.). It was my sad priveledge to be the very last person to interview Charlie , when I was visiting in Memphis ( I also got to interview Cordell Jackson and Paul Burlison , both of whom I already knew. Charlie , however , I thought would probably present the biggest challenge ever. Nope. Arthur Lee had him beat by a mile.). I met Charlie at a cool diner with great food that he'd recommended (After it was decided that Waffle House and Krystal , his first choices , would be too noisy). We had a great Suthin' breakfast , and talked , undisturbed , for four hours.
Charlie looked great , he was in great spirits , and , despite his rep for telling tall tales , there was only one story I had cause to doubt , and , out of respect , I did not transcribe it in my subsequent article in Roctober. Another local writer went out of his name to shit all over Charlie's name , bringing up the now - irrelevant facts that Charlie reportedly ran illegal gambling (shuffleboard) out of the club he once owned (And recorded a live album in the 70's for Barrelhouse records.) and that Charlie could neither read nor write (Though he was proud of the fact that he learned to write his own signature.). Said writer also accused Feathers of racism , stating that the opening line in "Jungle Fever" was "Darkies creeping through the grass" , when , it was actually "Darkness" (A mistake easily made , but , why bring it up , when Charlie was'nt around to defend himself?). Unlike myself , the writer got a paycheck , as well as , undoubtedly , a free copy of the then - current retrospective on Revenant. I did'nt mind payingfor my copy , and I gave it a very favorable review , but , if the manwas a fan at all , and he appeared to be , I could'nt fathom what he thought he stood to gain , putting Charlie down as he did.
A week or so after the interview , I recieved a call from my good friend , Jeffrey Evans ( A close confidant of Feathers and his family , and one of the only true heirs to Charlie's sound and "Fillin'", along with , of course , Charlie's son , Bubba Feathers.). He told me Charlie had suffered a stroke. Jeff kept me informed , and , I was able to speak with some of the family , but , Charlie passed away , only a couple of weeks after our meeting.
I guess there's a reason I had the chance to meet Charlie Feathers when I did , but , I wished , dearly , that it did'nt have to be this way. I don't even know how many people ever saw the artiCLE. tHE ISSUE WAS ORDERED PULLED SHORTLY AFTER RELEASE , AS MAD MAGAZINE SLAPPED A CEASE AND DESIST ORDER ON ROCTOBER'S LOVING TRIBUTE (THEY EVEN COPPED TO IT BEING THAT MUCH.) TO THEIR LEGACY WITH THAT ISSUE. I did , however , have the chance to place a copy in Alice Cooper's hands. And , if anyone , here , thinks he has nothing to do with Rockabilly , that's just sad .
