With crutches supporting his giant frame –
The inevitable ravaging of age –
In a slow but steady swing
Big Joe Turner took the stage
A hipper-than-hip Hollywood club
is a long, long way from K.C. town
Where Mr. Turner got his start
Layin’ his solid boogie down
On a stage where white kids usually droned
in skin tight jeans and tennis shoes
Big Joe, sportin’ high waist pants
Leaned in to the mic to shout the blues
Like a king on the throne, he took command
His voice – a roar from the pit of the soul
He moaned , he pleaded , he testified
As the whole joint shook, and rattled, and rolled
With wicked wink he delivered the line ’bout a
A one-eyed cat in a seafood store
As the band dug in with a fat back groove
and the crowd turned wild out on the floor
With every note he gathered strength
That rose beyond mere second wind
The decades seemed to melt away
The old man became young again
We whirled into the brand new year
On the leather of our dancin’ shoes
When Big Joe Turner took the stage,
Closed his eyes, and sang the blues
June 2, 2014