MP3 Casey James and the Flames - Destination Unknown
An all original unique twist of blues, rock,soul, and Motown.
9 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Texas Style, BLUES: Rockin'' Blues
Details:
Shhh! Listen. Little Casey Hicks (age 14) is at the front of Bill Tom Wayne''s (mixed grade) Health class. Mr. Wayne decided if Casey won''t do his class work, he''d put his guitar to work. "What are you going to play?" One of his classmates shouted."Can you play "House of the Rising Sun?" The teacher asked. "No," he replied, "Im going to play the entire "Nirvana Unplugged" album, and he did. He got an "A" for the day as well.
From the beginning Casey was an inspired and inspiring person. At school during lunch you could find tables full of nasel cavity passed milk, laghter and insane comical relief from Casey''s inability to use his brain. You could bet if Casey was acting up that someone was watching him. At the same time, Casey could turn his non-sense into laghter from his small town friends who somtimes only had his friendship to lean on.
"It''s hard coming from a place that if you''re not a farmer or politican, a cheerleader or a football player then you are nothing." Casey said. As he got older and out of school he worked all sorts of jobs, from surface mine reclaimation to detailing cars and mowing yards. He did anything to get by and continue his love of music. He realized early on if he wanted to grow in music he had better learn all he could. Casey learned everthing from "Get on Your Feet" by Gloria Estefan to his version of the harmonica solo in "Long Train Runnin" by the Dobbie Brothers.
Behind all the jobs, laghter and music is a heart breaking story of the loss Casey has experienced as a person. His first memory was his grandfather''s funeral. Casey''s music is his life and his life is his music. He has lost over 20 friends and relitives and is only 27. "I don''t worry much though" Casey says, "I know my last memory will be of life. I will see all my friends again on the other side."
Casey James was born Thomas James Hicks in Trenton, MI. on April 19, 1978. Trenton, a small town 20 miles south of Detroit, is where Casey attributes the "mo-town" feel in his music. "My roots are coming out, and they grew all the way to Kentucky," he says. His father, Thoams Edward Hicks moved the family, wife, Judy Gail and two daughters, Amy Katherine and Lisa Jean to Henderson when the Wyndotte Firestone plant closed in 1983.
Playing in a few bands after getting out of school, Casey discovered the BLUES. Most of the people he played with didn''t really want to play blues music. They wanted to play standard dance tunes of that time and popular covers. Casey never cared much for playing other people''s material, but knew it would benifit his own music to learn all the tricks he could.
Casey needed a band name for some events he had to play and consulted a friend named Gary Cambell, a fellow music lover and "free spirited drummer." Gary asked "Have you heard of ''Jimi James and the Blue Flames'', one of Hendrix''s first groups?" "No," Casey said. "Why don''t you call the band ''Casey James and the Flames''?" By George, you''ve got it!
What was going to be three gigs and quit, has turned into a 6 year life molding struggle. Good friend Tom Caverly got Casey fired up about the blues and what his true worth is. As many musicians turn music into a contest or compitition Casey welcomes the camaraderie of his peers and colleagues, and says "You can learn somthing from everyone you meet." The blues scene inevitably called to Casey James like a sparrow to its mate. Such players as B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Elmore James started playing a huge roll in Casey''s life. Casey James has become an "electro-luminesent" spirit on the face of Blues today.
"The ability to love is the only thing we truly posses, use it and love will use you"...Casey James